Entertainment > Branded Entertainment

THE BUZZER

McCANN ERICKSON ISRAEL, Tel Aviv / BANK LEUMI / 2012

CampaignCampaignLayout(opens in a new tab)

Overview

Credits

OVERVIEW

CampaignDescription

Branded Content is a new field in Israel that has only really started to grow in the past year. Until our campaign, only a tiny number of branded content series were made in Israel. This content resembled classic television viewing - online, with short episodes. There was no interaction nor were there elements of engagement or digital features. It was very similar to the regular ‘play’ and ‘stop’ YouTube videos we watch.

Currently, in Israel there is no regulation on the internet, which was fertile ground for us to create new ways to reach and interact with our target audience.

The most prominent players in the media industry - stars as well as production companies and channels - have not yet begun to enter into the branded content arena. It's completely new territory and was waiting for someone to ‘plant a flag’ for what branded content could deliver to a brand. In such a nascent market, it was considered very innovative for a 100 year-old national bank to make use of branded content.

Effectiveness

Young people are not interested in banking, but they are extremely interesting for banks. It's a key audience because the bank they choose to open their first account with is the bank that accompanies them for years, managing their money. Banks are constantly trying to recruit youngsters through traditional campaigns that aren't compelling, delivering poor results.Objective: To capture the imagination of youngsters in Israel, and change their perception that Bank Leumi is the most suitable bank for young people.Strategy: The insight we uncovered is that young people really live in the moment. They make decisions, shop and hang out spontaneously. Therefore Bank Leumi created a special programme for youngsters - a benefits club that offers discounts that interests youngsters (music, entertainment, restaurants, fashion). To launch the bank's club, called Leumi Buzzer, we chose the most dominant media among youngsters - digital - to tell the story of living the moment.Execution: The Live The Moment campaign included a weekly series of 7 episodes of 5-6 minutes each, with each 1 describing a night full of adventure and spontaneity in the big city. The lead characters have just $10 and help from our special programme.

We also developed an innovative custom video player that enabled users to click the screen and get additional content relating to the story. In addition, during the first episode, the characters find a ticket to a Barcelona Champions League soccer game. Therefore, we gave our viewers a chance of winning the same thing. During the episodes, different sports elements were hidden and embedded in the frame. The viewer who clicked on them the moment they appeared won the special prize. Moreover, every week the viewers received a time-limited discount for a venue visited by the characters during the weekly episode.

Implementation

Casting a big local star as the main female character created huge media interest and lots of PR coverage.

We collaborated with Israel's leading website for young people as a second platform on which to watch the series and show additional content - behind the scenes, interviews and special clips.

We also created an innovative viewing experience, the first of its kind in Israel that made our audience pass the word among their friends - glimpses to additional content in pop ups, receiving immediate benefits as an integral part of the plot, and a competition for a big prize.

Outcome

•Following the campaign, the number of youngsters who perceived Leumi Bank as the best bank for young people in Israel increased by 300%.

•83% of youngsters expressed their willingness to recommend friends to join the club.•Nearly 30% of our target audience have viewed the web series (over 370K visitors).•We gained a huge PR coverage of the campaign, at a value of 30K$ - free media, about 10% of all media budget assigned to the campaign. •Exposure included TV items in entertainment and finance news, articles and reviews on major websites, and the theme song of the series became a hit on the radio.•Following the campaign, the joining rate for the Buzzer club rose by a whopping 97%. In addition, tens of thousands of young Israelis began to enjoy the moment.

More Entries from Best fictional program, series or film where a client has successfully created a drama, comedy or miniseries around a product or brand in Entertainment

24 items

Grand Prix Cannes Lions
CULTIVATE CAMPAIGN

Best integrated content campaign

CULTIVATE CAMPAIGN

CHIPOTLE, CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY

(opens in a new tab)

More Entries from McCANN ERICKSON ISRAEL

24 items

Shortlisted Cannes Lions
THE PINCH BANNER

Use of Innovative Technology for mobile

THE PINCH BANNER

OPTICANA, McCANN ERICKSON ISRAEL

(opens in a new tab)