Category: Best use or integration of experiential events
Advertiser: WRIGLEY
Product/Service: 5 GUM
Agency: 42 ENTERTAINMENT
Producer/Chief Executive Officer: Susan Bonds (42 Entertainment)
Creative Director/Chief Creative Officer: Alex Lieu (42 Entertainment)
Account Director/President: Justin Pertschuk (42 Entertainment)
Interative Design: Michael Borys (42 Entertainment)
Experience Design: Derek Thorn (42 Entertainment)
Art Director: Johnny Rodriguez (42 Entertainment)
Technical Director: Kevin Burkhardt (42 Entertainment)
Technical Director: Sascha Linn (42 Entertainment)
Lead Writer: Kevin Perry (42 Entertainment)
Game/Puzzle Design: Perre Dicarlo (42 Entertainment)
Game/Puzzle Design: Jason Siadek (42 Entertainment)
Senior Programmer: Sara Raasch (42 Entertainment)
Visual Designer: Paris Woodward (42 Entertainment)
Visual Designer: Jason Reyna (42 Entertainment)
Visual Designer: Alice Yeh (42 Entertainment)
Media placement: Live Event - E3 Gaming Convention - Jun 6, 2011
Media placement: Live Event - Bonnaroo Music Festival - June 10, 2011
Media placement: Live Event - 15 Cities Around The U.S. - June 27, 2011
Media placement: LIve Event - New York Comic Con Convention - Oct 13, 2011
Campaign Description
'5' gum is a brand that has always done things differently – from its name, flavours, sleek pack and stick form, to its ads and the proposition that the brand is rooted in intrigue, self-exploration and experimentation. '5' is an experience, not just a gum brand and hyperbole has always helped tell the brand’s story.
This allowed a very authentic extension of commercials that had hinted at a world to come to life through branded entertainment. Using transmedia tools, this campaign spun a narrative and experience through all the distribution channels used to bring the product to market and generate awareness and consideration. The campaign also leveraged Hollywood talent, storytelling, consumer participation in the real world and through digital channels, as well as the product itself to draw consumers into the world.
Created for the US domestic audience, there were no restrictions or regulations imposed on the campaign.
Effectiveness
5 years young, the 5 brand was maturing, and to remain top-of-mind and relevant with teens and young adults, the brand knew it needed to break category convention amidst a declining category. The brand found the solution by building a lifestyle and entertainment experience that would re-engage the teen and young adult target all over again.
Since its launch in 2007, all 5 Gum TV spots have depicted people in elaborate labs conducting cool sensory experiments with the tag line 'Stimulate Your Senses'. We expanded this to include a driving narrative, immersive game play, active engagement and cultural relevancy: 'Stimulate Your Senses or risk losing what makes us human'.
Through a transmedia experience, we created a distributed narrative that revealed more about the mythology behind the 5 brand, and built an online experience where consumers could explore an immersive 3D world, interact with and 'turn on' the testing facilities as seen in the TV commercials, all from a first person POV. The currency within this experience was the product: by purchasing 5 Gum, consumers gained unique codes that allowed access to exclusive content within these testing facilities and sensory experiments. The product also served as a rabbit hole at the point of purchase, through QR Code content scanned on the inside flap of the pack or on displays in the retail outlet.
Original episodic content - both video and graphic novel - was unlocked through exploration of an online 3D game, delivering on the promise of the world of 5 and providing a personal experience for consumers. Over 6 months, different test facilities that were glimpsed in the commercials were opened. Epic film content featuring recognisable talent, Terry O'Quinn (Lost) and Summer Glau (Serenity, Sarah Connors Chronicles) added dimension to the narrative.
Implementation
It began with a mystery. A new commercial spot featured an 'ice fly' and a hidden message. Non-branded ads appeared, intercepting target audiences on Facebook, at the E3 gaming convention with 'Confidential' envelopes, and at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, where 8 skydivers released 40,000 blinking LED ice flies over the crowd of 90,000 people right before Arcade Fire took the stage.
As a result, the audience discovered the campaign on their own and declared it cool. Next, millions of unique game codes appeared in packs of 5 Gum, connecting the launch events to the brand, and encouraging consumers to join.
Outcome
We wanted to re-ignite the teen and young adult audience in an authentic way, and raise their expectations for what that engagement can look like.
Consumer spent an average of almost 15 minutes in the experience, and the audience size far exceeded that of previous 5 gum initiatives.
5m consumers directly interacted with the transmedia campaign elements, including the online game(s), mobile content, live events, scavenger hunts and retail activations.
This never-been-done before programme in the CPG industry significantly surpassed internal benchmarks surrounding unique digital views, average time spent, scans of QR Codes and in-pack codes, Facebook integration and tab views, along with continuing to build consumer engagement and loyalty.
This programme has also secured incremental distribution at key retailers including a national custom programme in-store at Walmart, including first ever CPG takeover of the TV screens in the electronics department. The brand has positioned itself more as an entertainment brand and is breaking away from the conventional CPG industry norms.
Additionally, the programme used all of the 5 gum communications to layer in 'Easter eggs' to tell the story, leveraging WOM over paid media, ultimately generating over 1.2bn impressions through a transmedia approach.