In Romania, the telecom industry is focusing mainly on low-cost subscriptions and cheap devices. Vodafone's main objective is to move from the “price fight” and change the consumer’s perception from a TelCo company to “TechCo” (technology and communication), democratizing the access to technology for everyone.

To drive future growth, Vodafone needed to reach consumers in a relevant way, to make them perceive Vodafone as a solutions & technology partner. For this purpose, Vodafone created the EasyTech platform.

Our challenge was to make technology feel ‘real’ and reach 40% of 18+ Romanians.

PRO TV is the number one Channel in Romania and, for over 10 years, Romanians Got Talent has been their number one show, but despite a steep price tag, commercial space is sold-out months in advance. Many viewers dream for years to be part of the live show - next to the judges, close to all that LIVE action.

As Romanians Got Talent is the “crown jewel” of television, it provides the highest TV ratings of the year. We knew that by placing Vodafone right at the heart of the Romanians Got Talent community we could create a shared experience that would enable a powerful and compelling demonstration of the (new) brand objective. Moreover, the show represented a distinct opportunity to connect with all the household members.

Since many people would love to be part of the live show, but no tickets available for sale, our idea was to help them get immersed in the show, beyond conventional advertising, as they would have been present in the live show studio.

We wanted to create a new media channel, by taking over the live stage of RGT and moving it into digital and VR, offering the viewers an exclusive never-seen before experience, enabled by Vodafone EasyTech.

To reframe Vodafone as a tech partner and explain what EasyTech is all about, we clearly had to go beyond conventional advertising. And in such a highly competitive and cluttered market space, we needed to breakthrough and do so in a manner which memorably demonstrated Vodafone’s promise. Our strategy was to position Vodafone at the intersection of a shared passion (the beloved Romanians Got Talent show) while providing an amazing technological experience, for as many Romanians as possible.

We wanted to use new technologies and connectivity to bring the full experience of the RTG show to each viewer at home, bringing them closer to the actual LIVE show experience. The most immersive version of this would be a VR experience that was accessible to all and allowed consumers to be ‘part’ of their favorite show.

We convinced PROTV to sell us the unsalable: the live stage of RGT, a remarkable achievement given the restrictions an international format usually has.

Incorporating the special 360°-camera on stage meant we could create relevant content and epic experiences for the audience, as viewers got to easily experience live, in 360-video, the full RGT performances on stage, as they were being broadcast on TV.

The synchronization between the live TV show and the 360° live experience was achieved through a Vodafone branded QR-code on screen, accompanied by custom messages from the show`s hosts.

We allowed viewers to control the 360°-camera: change frames to explore the set, follow the audience and the judges’ reactions in real time, all due to Vodafone EasyTech. We created the opportunity for exclusive content and special mentions on TV outside of the regular advertising space. The content was further amplified on TV station’s digital assets.

By creating a non-traditional media project together with a TV station, we have demonstrated how tech and connectivity can come together via Vodafone EasyTech.

Vodafone has changed a passive TV format into an interactive medium, turning any phone, computer, or VR-kit into a front row seat at the most hyped show of the year.

With only a quarter of a main sponsor package, Vodafone was more visible than other sponsors during the live editions and had a significant impact on hard to move brand metrics.

• 47% reach of the 18+ Romanians (5.8 MIL people watched nationally)

• 261,000 on screen QR scans.

• 476,000 views on the dedicated landing page

• 3.6 MIL banner impressions; promoting Vodafone 937k video views.

Brand perception impact (from the Vodafone brand health tracking):

• Tech provider awareness +75%

• Brand consideration +18%

• Innovative brand +14%