Telecom Mobile needed a disruptive event to demonstrate that ‘It’s more fun on Telecom Mobile’, so it seemed really logical to blow up a genuine warship!We created a multi-round TXT knockout tournament based upon the classic game of Battleships, but with a huge difference. The winner would actually ‘push the button’ and sink a genuine 3,000-ton frigate off the coast of Wellington.To the best of our knowledge, the sinking of a genuine retired naval warship as part of a consumer marketing campaign is a first.

The 8-day registration phase comprised a quirky TVC that ran on TVNZ’s two main channels, radio ads on CanWest’s Rock, Kiwi FM and The Edge, banners on NZ news and gaming websites, and street posters. All of these carried a clear call to action, telling people to register by TXT or online to participate.

There was also a fully integrated website, WAP site and TXT engine.

It took 3 weeks to find the winner, but the star of the show on the day was a 3,000-ton retired naval warship, explosives and associated PR/news coverage of the event.