Situation

• Most Dutch telcos are pushing consumers to use more data with unlimited subscriptions.

• Challenger brand Ben promotes more responsible phone usage with basic subscriptions.

Brief

• Develop an impactful brand activation showing Ben’s social involvement

• Don’t just show but act in a positive way against the growing ‘socialbesity’ issue

• Invite the target group to think about more considerate phone usage and basic Ben subscriptions

Objectives

• Aim for high above benchmarks appreciation, likeability and campaign stand-out

• 25% increase in the average spontaneous brand awareness

• 25% increase of the gross additional number of clients

Ben helps kids that are unable to grab the attention of their parents and created ‘Hey Google, talk to my parents!’

A Google Voice application that gives kids a voice when their parents are not listening.

We built an application called ‘Talk to my parents’. Whenever kids want their parents’ attention when mom and dad are glued to their phones again, they can just ask Google for help. Then Google interrupts and confronts parents with their behaviour by saying lines like ‘Hey! Time to put me away’ and ‘Give your child some attention!’ The app also responds to ‘Talk to my mom’ and ‘Talk to my dad.’

Data gathering and target audience insights:

• Highly competitive mobile subscriptions switch market: 150,000 – 160,000 per month

• Ben used to only target the low price segment, a very crowded market segment

• Then we heard and saw more and more people complaining about phone addictions

• Since 2017 we changed our focus to all people interested in more responsible phone usage: 45%

• By changing the perspective to everyone that becomes frustrated by the endless phone usage of their friends and family, Ben became relevant to 70% of the Dutch people

Relevance of the platform and approach:

• Normally parents tell their kids to get off their phones and tablets, but we found data that suggested to change this perspective: more than 40% of the Dutch children often feel neglected by their parents that are glued to their phones!

Implementation:

• Ben research and press release: 40% of the Dutch kids often feel neglected by phone-addicted parents. Ben offers a Google Voice application.

• Launch: commercial, online and social videos (30, 20, 10, 6 seconds)

• Google Voice video and text tutorial for kids on Ben.nl (https://www.ben.nl/benerweer)

• Nienke Plas, a popular influencer in target group, invited in 2 national TV shows + posting her own vlogs and posts about how to cope with the issue

Timeline, placement and scale:

• Week 27: Ben Google Voice activation live and pre-tested

• Week 28: Ben press release, campaign live on Ben.nl and Ben social channels YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, campaign launch on TV 360 GRPs commercial and online videos, plus tag-on with a basic, more responsible Ben subscription

• Week 29-30: Nienke Plas vlog, Instagram stories, TV shows RTL Boulevard, Zomer met Art, 2 million views influencer marketing

Reach:

• 360 GRPs TV/OLV, 1.8 million views influencer, 2 million gross free publicity reach

• Highest impact on awareness of all Ben campaigns in 4 years

• Brand awareness: +55% (from 51% to 74%)

• Spontaneous awareness: +39.6% (from 31% to 40.5%)

Sales impact, corrected for media investment per month:

• Highest impact on sales and renewals of all Ben campaigns in 4 years

• Additional clients per month: +60% (from 10,104 to 16,486)

• Renewals: +101% (from 6,981 to 14,042)

Engagement:

• #1 search in Google: over 1,800,000 active users first month

• 55% I will use my phone less around children

• 80% likes the Google Voice application ages 18-30, 54% ages 30-50 (benchmark 49%)

• 96% campaign stand-out ages 18-30, 58% ages 30-50 (benchmark 48%)

• Brand consideration: +68% (from 10% to 17.3%), brand preference: +100% (3% up to 5.7%)