what3words has built a positioning as a life-saving locator for use in emergencies by adventurers and emergency services alike. Although these are fantastic uses of their service, this positioning has held what3words business back.

what3words’ revenue comes from selling use of their API into distribution and logistics company systems. To increase their revenue, what3words needed to reframe consumers understanding of what3words from ‘emergency to everyday’ to help increase these consumers use of their 3-word addresses.

By driving consumers use of what3word addresses, the brand could strengthen their pitch to prospective partners. We had to drive demand to increase supply.

Enter British suburbia (the most quietly fraught of any ‘everyday’ context) and an unwinnable battle of wills between a polite young man and the genteel elderly neighbour who his post has been mis-delivered to - a stalemate so easily avoided had he supplied the courier his what3words3 address.

Set on the edge of a town in suburban England, we see a young man (Benji) walk over to his neighbour’s house to check for some missing deliveries.

His neighbour (Gwen) politely apologises as she says nothing has arrived. Benji pushes a bit further – sure they must have had something delivered for him.

As they talk, something catches his eye in Gwen’s home. We see her husband wearing what looks like his online orders. Benji pauses then awkwardly laughs, and a very British standoff begins.

We spot that Gwen is wearing shoes Benji clearly ordered. Benji’s laughing stops. He looks at Gwen baffled as she shuts the door while offering to let him know if anything turns up.

Supers appear suggesting that you use what3words to ensure that your deliveries arrive to the right place.

The central goal of the campaign was to drive consumer use of what3words address, allowing the brand to build stronger sales pitches for prospective partners.

By showcasing the usefulness of what3words addresses in everyday situations, the brand saw an 85% increase in searches for 3-word addresses year on year.

This significant increase in demand helped what3words to bring in new business partners including DPD, DHL Parcel UK, BooHoo.com, Shopify and Dominos. These partners are now integrating what3words API into their systems.

With these additional partners on board, the service is becoming even more accessible and useful for consumers – creating a positive feedback loop to help shift understanding of the brand’s service.