SCREEN-AGE LOVE STORY

Silver Spike

Case Film

Presentation Board

TitleSCREEN-AGE LOVE STORY
BrandPLDT
Product / ServiceMYDSL
CategoryA02. Best Use of Social Media
EntrantACE SAATCHI & SAATCHI Manila, THE PHILIPPINES
Entrant Company ACE SAATCHI & SAATCHI Manila, THE PHILIPPINES
Advertising Agency ACE SAATCHI & SAATCHI Manila, THE PHILIPPINES
Advertising Agency 2 PLDT Makati City, THE PHILIPPINES

Credits

Name Company Position
Martin Romualdez Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Media Relations Manager
Loui Di Jr./Josh Rodriguez/Yahnee Mendoza Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Events
Dennis Obien Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Print Producer
Michaelangelo Reyes/Karen Sto. Domingo Freelance Producer
Henry Frejas Filmex Director
Patti Lee Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Digital Media Manager
Patti Mallari Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Activation Communications Director
Gen Lizares Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Head Of Activation
Shiela Tiongco Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Digital Director
Joem Segovia Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Digital Manager
Thonx Kwek Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Web Designer
Carmen Antunez/Natalie Ang Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Planner
April Landicho/Claire Cruz Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Account Manager
Gigi Garcia Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Client Service Director
Glenn Lalogan/Windel Aboy/Hans Malang/Miguel Mier Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Art Director
Paw Berroya/Gelo Suarez/Jordan Santos/Petra Magno/Sara Badr Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Copy Writer
Denise Tee Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Head Of Art
Greg Martin Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Creative Director
Trixie Diyco Ace Saatchi&Saatchi VP/Creative Director
Andrew Petch Ace Saatchi&Saatchi Executive Creative Producer
Geli Angeles/Adi Yapyuco

The Campaign

90% of internet advertising is rational -- a game of speed with different brands touting their Mbps rate. PLDT myDSL, the country's biggest residential internet service needed to get out of this unwinnable battle. So we went emotional. We decided to convey that strong internet connection can create strong emotional connections. Utilizing PR within an integrated campaign, we created the Screen-Age Love Story. We brought the story literally to life by creating a fictitious family complete with unbranded social media accounts. We started by uploading an unbranded YouTube video of “Derek S. Lorenzo” singing a terrible original song for his crush. His fictitious “mom” drummed up support for the video through her blog, twitter feeds, facebook and comments on forums and cold calls on radio talk shows. We then did a reveal with a 60sec. TV spot, supported by print, PR articles, radio DJ spiels, out-of-home, celebrity tweets -- all drove viewers to Derek's YouTube channel, now re-skinned to become a branded PLDT myDSL channel. We brought in the object of his affection to bust him publicly through another YouTube video which triggered public outcry. Setting the stage for us to mount a search for a new girl to replace her. The results speak for themselves. 1.8 million hits on YouTube in less than 5 weeks. P2.1million in free media during the campaign period. The branded content online and on air resulted in 62% awareness, the highest for any PLDT retail brand in recent history.

The Brief

We needed to tell the gatekeepers of the home, moms that PLDT myDSL's strong internet connections can lead to strong emotional connections. And we had to tell it in a way that would appear cool to their teenage kids. How does one talk to moms and their teens without alienating the other? We created a boy, his mom, his family and the girl he had a crush on, all of whom were treated as real people. Now, with someone in the campaign that anyone can empathize with, we launched a story everyone can relate to -- the Screen-Age Love Story.

Results

Screen-Age Love Story is the most successful campaign in PLDT history. The initial video is the most viewed branded YouTube video in the Philippines. It trended in twitter thrice. It has over 30 copycat videos with almost 6 million combined views. It has been reposted by other YouTube users, shared in blogs, Facebook, and mentioned in user and celebrity tweets catching over 1 million eyeballs. It was covered by radio shows, tv news, broadsheets and magazines getting an estimated P10 million in free media and WOM. During the campaign, the PLDT myDSL website got a 30% increase in total visits. 200% increase in applications. 30% revenue increase for PLDT myDSL. Post-launch tests showed that 93% of respondents now find the brand more appealing and 83% prefer it to other internet services. The campaign gave us 62% awareness after 4 weeks-- the highest rate for any PLDT retail brand since 2010.

Execution

We kicked off the campaign with a terribly done unbranded video of a lovestruck boy singing an original song for his crush. In order to drive people to the video, we created his “mom” who supported the video in her blog, tweeter feeds, forums, flyering and calls to radio stations. Throughout the online launch and traditional media reveal, we used PR to drive the market to Derek's YouTube channel which was later re-skinned to become a PLDT myDSL channel. To add an unexpected twist, we then introduced the object of his affections -- Anna replies to his video by uploading her own unbranded video -- a public shoot-down of Derek which incited public outrage. We then brought in traditional media, digital and on-ground activations to engage the country in the search for a new ‘Anna’ for Derek. We used a mixture of unbranded and branded materials throughout the campaign.

The Situation

In the Philippines, 90% of all internet advertising is rational. It was a numbers game with different ISP’s touting their speeds in mbps. But emotions beat numbers any day. So we decided to go emotional. And instead of highlighting our speed, we came up with the idea that “strong internet connections can create strong emotional connections.” We brought this to life through the Screen-Age Love Story. A love story told across multiple media involving a boy, his family and a girl. All created by us. All with unbranded social media accounts. And thought by all that they were real people.

The Strategy

To make PLDT myDSL stand out from the clutter of rational internet advertising, we turned to the emotions. We decided to convey that their strong internet connections can create strong emotional connections. We brought this connection to life by creating a Screen-Age Love Story. In talking to the decision maker, moms, we couldn’t alienate their teen kids because they have a major influence in the choice of internet at home. So we created people they can empathize with -- a lovestruck boy we named Derek S. Lorenzo (DSL), a supportive family and, as the story progressed, the girl of his dreams who breaks his heart publicly setting the stage for our search for a new partner for him amongst consumers. The combination and timing of both unbranded and branded materials through different touchpoints was critical in getting the target to empathize with the character and engage in the campaign.