In March 2020, Madrid citizens followed the rest of Europe and found themselves spiraling into a world that required them to adapt to isolation. Suddenly locked in their homes, people were grappling with a new and lonely reality, felt most heavily in the loss of community connection.

We proactively proposed to Prime Video an activation that would bring entertainment to people at a time when they needed it most. With a “demonstrate by doing” mindset, we set out to reconnect Madrid through a brand activation that brought to life the power of Prime Video entertainment.

This was a huge task in a very difficult context, but we were determined to be the first mover in reacting to the lockdown landscape.

The main objective was to drive Prime Video awareness through the act of building brand love.

During Madrid’s lockdown, being present with your neighbours on apartment balconies became one of the only ways to feel connected. Balconies became a stage for creativity and peer to peer entertainment while everyone was navigating a dark, shared experience.

“SERIES DESDE MI BALCÓN” (Series from my Balcony) was designed to inject joy and surprise to local communities by bringing an outdoor cinema experience to these balcony communities.

Working at pace with Madrid City Council we used customised trucks to project Amazon Prime Video content so people could enjoy an Amazon Prime Series from their own balcony, while still feeling united in the shared viewing experience.

The projections not only served as a way to get best-in-class Prime content in front of the audience, but to create a sense of togetherness in a city kept apart.

Madrid’s people were feeling lonely, disconnected and disorientated. The loss of routine and connectivity generated a palpable anxiety. What’s more, because the whole world was feeling the same way, the gravity of the situation felt inescapable. For this reason, we knew that while our activation was designed to reach the people of Madrid, its impact also had the potential to inspire and resonate around the world.

People needed levity and escapism; something Prime Video could own and deliver – but only if we moved at pace. For a brand known for slick executions and polished content, we needed to prioritise showing up fast over long lead planning. We also knew that by taking this approach we could pave the path for other brands to find ways to contribute positively to communities in crisis; something we believed the world really needed and would have more meaningful impact than any single activation.

Taking into account the national quarantine situation due to COVID-19, the feasibility of bringing this experience to life was, in theory, zero. However, by working with Madrid City Council and Exterior Plus we managed to get the outdoor cinema live in an incredible 12 days from our first call to Prime Video with the proactive pitch.

We installed truck mobile screens for 11 days in 22 locations in Madrid, and every day we offered an episode of ‘Modern Love’ timed perfectly after the 8pm “applause for carers”, connecting emotionally with the city and its people.

During the campaign, we also captured content of people enjoying the Prime Video content. This was so the wholesomeness of the Madrid residents' experience could be enjoyed vicariously through others on social platforms, and the innate joy of seeing people socialising (safely) and enjoying a surprise activation during lockdown would extend the positive sentiment.

This activation achieved outstanding results:

PR Value +1,9M€ (total PR ROI was 18€ for every 1€ spent)

Audience: + 47,4Million

Number of PR Clippings: 214

The activation didn’t just live on the balconies of Madrid but had world wide appeal with features on platforms such as The New York Post and the BBC.

However, the most important goal we achieved is why we really take pride in this campaign. Through its simplicity and humbleness, we were able to give a collective outdoor entertainment experience that made lockdown more bearable for Madrid’s people.

Prime Video was able to show up in an appropriate and contributory way that has left a positive mark in the hearts and minds of Madrid’s citizens.

We were also able to inspire other brands to go beyond the tiresome ‘we’re all in this together’ message and find ways to have a positive impact during an unprecedented experience.