SOCIAL XPERIMENTS

TitleSOCIAL XPERIMENTS
BrandSONY ERICSSON
Product / ServiceXPERIA SMARTPHONE
CategoryA04. Direct Response Digital Media
EntrantIRIS SYDNEY Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Entrant Company:IRIS SYDNEY Sydney, AUSTRALIA
DM/Advertising Agency:IRIS SYDNEY Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Tom Hoskins iris Sydney Creative Director
James Griffiths iris Sydney Senior Digital Creative
Phil Shearer iris Sydney Senior Writer
Ian Connor iris Sydney 3D modelling
Simon Hodgon iris Sydney Digital Producer
Gemma France iris Sydney Group Account Director
Felicity Andrews iris Sydney Account Manager
Elin Jones Sony Ericsson
Tim Barnes Sony Ericsson

The Brief

Sony Ericsson were about to launch their new XPERIA smartphones. Problem was one of Sony Ericsson's most critical launch channels, Facebook, was getting an unprecedented amount of negative comments due to technical difficulties in the past. Our task was to get our Facebook-faithful to once again start having fun with the brand in readiness for the XPERIA launch.

Creative Execution

We were able to open the brand up to its fans in new ways, with no barriers to direct communication. By building a one-on-one relationship with our fans, the brand could become the inspiring friend it deserved to be. By placing Tommy in an exaggerated environment, we amplified the fact that this handset can keep you connected to your friends in even the most ridiculous situations. The handset itself was integral to Tommy’s success on the day, allowing him to real-time chat with his new friends. All of the features were brought to life through the challenges he undertook.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

We wanted to create something entertaining for our disillusioned fans. An event putting them in complete control and yet not be possible without XPERIA at the heart. We hosted a one-day live online event with emerging comedian Tommy Little. Tommy was locked in a lab with just his XPERIA handset to communicate with the outside world. Viewers could get real-time responses using Facebook Chat, setting challenges (and bagging some prizes along the way). Over 8hours the fans were the stars, dictating Tommy’s fate. Our aim was to reach beyond our current Facebook fanbase of 10,000 and turn brand sentiment around.

Results

We were able to turn around brand sentiment in a single day, with a massive u-turn in positivity on their Facebook Page. With over 60,701 site visits, viewers tuning in for an average of 4 minutes, 858 challenges submitted to Tommy, with a monumental 756% increase in ‘Likes’ over 8 hours. The event was the most successful direct response campaign the client had ever undertaken. These results were achieved with absolutely no media spend, simply utilising Sony Ericsson’s existing Australian fan base. The success continued beyond the event itself, with the campaign generating over 100,000 impressions on Facebook alone.