PHUBBING

Short List
TitlePHUBBING
BrandMACQUARIE DICTIONARY
Product / ServiceDICTIONARY
CategoryA09. Use of Social in a Promotional Campaign
EntrantMcCANN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Entrant Company McCANN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Advertising Agency McCANN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Production Company AIRBAG PRODUCTIONS Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
John Mescall McCann Melbourne Executive Creative Director
Pat Baron McCann Melbourne Creative Director
John Mescall McCann Melbourne Copywriter
Natasha Wood McCann Melbourne Copywriter
Pat Baron McCann Melbourne Art Director
Matthew Stoddart McCann Melbourne Art Director
Dave Budd McCann Melbourne Designer
Nath Mallon McCann Melbourne Senior Editor
Adrian Mills McCann Melbourne Group Account Director
Alec Hussain McCann Melbourne Account Director
Alex Haigh McCann Melbourne Account Executive
John Mescall McCann Melbourne Strategy
Adrian Mills McCann Melbourne Strategy
Pauline Mcmillan McCann Melbourne Digital Producer
Chelsea Nieper McCann Melbourne Agency Producer
Jake McLennan Other Contributors
Danielle Milazzo Other Contributors

The Brief

We were asked by Australia’s national dictionary, The Macquarie, to remind people of the relevancy of the dictionary in an age when such things are getting left behind. Specifically, they wanted social media engagement in the lead-up to the launch of their upcoming new edition.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

Find a global problem so recent, it didn’t have a word for it yet. Then invent that word, and show that a single word has the power to change everything. The problem was poor smartphone manners. The word we created was ‘Phubbing: ignoring the person in front of you in favour of your smartphone.’ We launched the word, and then used it to spark a social movement. And then with media and public discussion of Phubbing at its peak, we released a branded short film about the origin of the word, to launch the 6th edition of the Macquarie Dictionary.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

The campaign received global coverage and critically, 3.6 million Australians could link the word to its definition. In some instances, 10-minute films were made. Someone even wrote a book about Phubbing and other new words. Additionally, the campaign: • Was discussed in 180 countries via social media and covered by 750+ news outlets in 50 countries • Earned 435 million PR impressions • Attracted over 27,000 Facebook fans • Was covered by news outlets such as the USA’s ABC network, Time magazine, the BBC, China Daily, Grazia, and every major Australian outlet. The editor of the dictionary even spent 10 minutes on breakfast television.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

The entire campaign was a microcosm of the way language is created, spread and ultimately chronicled. Phubbing became, not a fake ‘forced’ marketing word, but a genuine part of modern language. And as such, ‘Phubbing: A Word is Born’ was a living, breathing demonstration of the power, beauty and importance of words. Dictionaries appeal to people who love language, and this campaign was tailor-made to appeal directly to these people.