The Campaign

To create relevance, PR wanted to harp on the #Throwback angle, not only being a relevant trend among both millennials and older netizens, but also a powerful representation of nostalgia, childhood, and relationships. The angle gave people an opportunity to talk about their fond memories of ShaGab and their excitement for what was next for the tandem, with McDonald’s writing their comeback story.

Execution

Planned topics were created together with the ShaGab fan group administrators to stir conversation for five days leading up to the video launch. Content guidelines and timelines were provided but the fans were given creative liberty to retell the ShaGab story and talk about their relevance 25 years later. Orchestrating a week-long user generated content plan with the numerous fan groups was made possible with the close coordination with administrators. This gave the brand a single narrative but with different angles-- whether it was to push for a topic, share a behind-the-scenes photo from the commercial shoot, create memes, and even play on ShaGab’s history to further make the reunion project special. Not only did the fan reactions and engagement headline the news, Sharon and Gabby responded to all the hype and rode with the buzz that they were generating, by posting on their own social media channels as well.

1. The overall campaign generated close to 250 stories and $1.7M PR values, in just 30 days. 2. All relevant media outfits across different categories (entertainment, lifestyle and food) and channels (TV, print, online, and radio) generated multiple stories on the campaign. - Outfits include CNN Philippines and major local media publications, ANC, ABS-CBN Broadcast, GMA Broadcast, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, and many more. - Broadcast media requested for interviews from brand, agency and fanatics to cover the campaign. - Fans who represented the Sharionans and ShaGab fans groups at radio shows such as Radyo Inquirer, were actually millennials. 3. Filipino celebrities and online influencers who have over a million following on Instagram and Twitter also reacted organically to the video launch. #ShaGabLovesMcDo was the number 1 trending topic on twitter in just 2 hours after the material break. 4. The material hit 1M Facebook views organically in just 4 hours from the release of the online video. - Viewers age group on Facebook are as follows: - 31% 18-24 y/o - 41% 25-35 y/o - 28 % 35-44 y/o 5. 12% sales lift in average daily sales of total Bone-in-chicken category (campaign period vs same period last year)

The Situation

Social media has changed the way brands communicate, collaborate, and connect with consumers. Co-creation builds a participatory culture within communities resulting to a more engaged audience. A PR-driven fan orchestration was essential to manage the scale, speed, and real-time nature of the social media. Word of mouth brought back the conversation about two iconic Filipino personalities from 25 years ago, prior to launch, while still leaving the climax of the romantic excitement to the online video digital break. It was as important to make sure that the brand is also part of the conversation during the pre-buzz.

The Strategy

PR focused on engaging with the ShaGab fan groups as a means of driving high anticipation for their comeback project with McDonald’s, leveraging on their strong interest and admiration for the iconic tandem. The goal was to encourage fans to participate and talk about their love for ShaGab and the reasons that made them so iconic in the 80s, adding to the authenticity of the storytelling. The intense clamor produced by fans on social media was the hook to get the attention of entertainment and lifestyle press. Moreover, the content generated on social media allowed the fan base to build a social connection even with the younger audience, a testament to ShaGab’s ability to transcend generations just like how everyone enjoys the McDonald’s Best Tasting Chicken McDo and World Famous Fries.