Durex: LOVEVILLE [video]

Credits & Description:

Type of entry: Technique
Category: Best Use of Media Relations
Advertiser: RECKITT BENCKISER
Product/Service: DUREX
Agency: HAVAS WORLDWIDE MILAN, ITALY
Executive Creative Director: Giovanni Porro (Havas Worldwide Milan)
Creative Directors: Selmi Barissever/Lorenzo Crespi (Havas Worldwide Milan)
Digital Creative Director: Tommaso Mezzavilla (Havas Digital Milan)
Creative Team: Filippo Formentini/Maria Vittoria Apicella/Luca Fasoli/Vit (Havas Worldwide Milan/Havas Digital)
Account Team: Ada Guerriero/Dania Bianuni/Federica Busino/Benedetta Grossi (Havas Worldwide Milan/Havas Digital)
Producer: Sara Poltronieri (Havas Worldwide Milan)
Director: Alberto Colombo (Karen Film Viral Production Company)
Music (Rearrangement Of Colonel Bogey): Stefano Braida (Karen Film Viral Production Company)
Production Company: Nomint (Video Showcase)
PR Agency: Emanuela Alessandro (D'Antona & Partners)
Describe the campaign/entry
The Loveville project is a challenge between 15 major Italian cities, aimed at proclaiming the city that makes love the most.
The project was launched through a viral video, a print and radio campaign, guerrilla activities, a website, and PR.
For two months, Durex compared the number of condoms, lubes, and sex-toys sold in every city, with its population. Then the title of Loveville 2013 was given to the city that used these products the most, and was celebrated with an unforgettable party.
The strategy centered around the pride that Italians feel about their Latin lovers reputation, and their competitive nature, especially between cities/regions.
The objective was to increase sales and celebrate Durex as the market leader and promoter of safe and fun sex.
The results exceeded all expectations: up to +46% increase in sales in the cities involved and over 70 million earned media impressions.
PR: relying on the strength of the idea, and quite a limited media investment, the project captured the attention of the country for two months. It secured constant media coverage in every phase of the project: the launch, the actual competition, and the final announcement of the winning city.
In a country where, still today, the traditions of Catholicism limit significantly the talk of sex on mass media, Loveville opened a window for Durex to promote its exciting and fun view of sex. It reached a level of awareness and discussion that no traditional adv campaign would have been able to obtain.
Describe the brief from the client
The objective was to increase sales of Durex products and to accredit the brand as the advocate of safe and fun sex.
The main target consisted of the population of 15 major Italian cities, between the ages of 18 and 45. Indirectly, we targeted all Italian citizens who were attracted by the unique contest and who were, therefore, brought close to the Durex brand.
The project was inspired by research that shows the widespread dissatisfaction that Italians feel regarding their sex lives. Through this project, Durex wanted to enliven Italians’ sex lives, filling them with romanticism, fantasy, and irony.
Results
The Loveville project generated exceptional results, both in terms of sales and brand image.
In only 2 months, the website attracted over 850.000 visits, while the viral video reached 1.1 million views, proving an incredible level of awareness.
The brand had extensive space for visibility, and regardless of the limited media investment, the strength of the idea on a PR level was such, as to exceed over 70 million earned media impressions.
The increase in sales attest the active participation and interest of the target: +46% in lubes sales and +27% in condom sales. (Data available represents the first 6 weeks of the project).
Beyond the numbers, the success of the project is demonstrated by the client’s decision to repeat it again next year: Loveville 2014. Coming Soon.
Execution
The competition for the city that makes love the most was launched with a viral video, followed by a print campaign, radio, and guerrilla activities, with little media investment.
For the 2-month duration, the project lived in parallel on a dedicated website, with an online game giving out individual prizes, and through the social networks of the brand.
Regarding PR, due to the limited budget, the project relied only on desk activity, for both national and local activity in all the phases of the project, reaching, nonetheless, widespread coverage throughout the territory.
Through all the touch-points, citizens were invited to support their city in the most gratifying way: making love!
The Situation
Italy is a country with strong Catholic roots, derived mostly by the presence of the Vatican, where talking about sex on mass media is problematic, especially when sex is presented as a fundamental emotional resource of people’s daily lives.
This was the context in which Durex promoted a playful and healthy idea of sex, through a game: the challenge between cities to find the one that makes love the most. Capitalizing on Italians’ pride and historic rivalry between cities, Loveville made the whole country talk about fun and responsible sex, and obviously about Durex.
The Strategy

The strategy rises from an in-depth understanding of our target: Italians. Their pride in their Latin lover reputation and their competitive nature. So, we thought, what’s better than a game to promote the idea of fun and exciting sex?
The answer was Loveville. A challenge between 15 major Italian cities to find the city that makes love the most.
For two months, Durex compared the number of condoms, lubes, and sex-toys sold in every city, with its population, and then proclaimed the winner.
Extending the competition to the 15 major Italian cities provided the project with nationwide coverage, guaranteeing on a PR level, the maximum newsworthiness. This was further increased by the decision to compare the sales data of the whole market, and not only of Durex products, for selecting the winner, creating an impartial competition with a lessened commercial feel.