Maestro is the debit card brand from MasterCard. It features on almost every Belgian bank card, but most consumers didn’t know they could use it in shops when travelling in Europe. MasterCard wanted to encourage Belgians to use their Maestro cards abroad.

A PR-led, two-phase advocacy campaign was developed. Rather than just telling the story, brand advocates would demonstrate what Maestro can deliver: the ‘Maestro Angels’ concept was born.In phase one, the results of an online survey into Belgians’ biggest annoyances en route to their holiday were used as a hook to launch a vigorous campaign to recruit the Maestro Angels. The plan was for teams of students to be posted at several points on the busy Dijon-Lyon road to make Belgians’ journeys in July more enjoyable.In phase two, four teams of Maestro Angels hit the road in France during one of the busiest weeks of the year. The teams competed to complete a series of missions suggested by the public on campaign website www.maestroangels.be while demonstrating the advantages of using Maestro abroad and posting daily movies of their adventures.Consumers and media loved the campaign and there was a YOY double-digit increase in in-store card transactions.

The results of a survey into Belgians’ biggest annoyances en route to their holiday, were used as a hook to launch a vigorous recruitment campaign (online, posters in universities, media outreach and advertorials) calling on Belgian students to become a Maestro Angel. Fifty teams signed up, ten were chosen by online voting and then the final four by jury. The Angels hit the road in France during one of the busiest weeks of the year. The teams competed with each other to complete a series of missions suggested by the public on the campaign website, including giving massages, hugs, car washing, dog walking, and playing petanque whilst promoting the convenience, safety and speed of Maestro.The campaign was supported by media relations and media partnerships to ensure constant visibility. The teams posted films on the website daily and the public was invited to vote online for its favourite team.

This PR-driven, integrated campaign yielded impressive media coverage and easily met the objective of increasing Maestro visibility among Belgian consumers:• 1,200 Belgian holidaymakers encountered the Angels in France• 21 press and 37 online articles, 22 radio interviews, and 50 radio ads – a total that reached 8 million people six times eachThe high levels of site traffic achieved during the campaign were primarily driven by PR, word-of-mouth and social media engagement:• 136,000 website visits • 112,000 unique visitors watched the film clips posted by the Angels over the eight days of the campaign• 130,000 votes were cast to choose the best team, with the winners generating an incredible 58,000Most important, the campaign had a tangible effect on Maestro usage: the number of in-store card transactions by Belgians in France in July 2010 saw a YOY double-digit increase.