Category: Best use of brand sponsorship integration (where there is no product overtly displayed in the film, show, event etc. but it is aligned to a brand message)
Advertiser: MEY ICKI
Product/Service: ISTANBLUE VODKA
Agency: DREAM DESIGN FACTORY
Partner/Creative Leader: Arhan Kayar (dDf)
Partner: Adsız Dogan Ekmekci (dDf)
General Coordinator: Dilek Ocal (dDf)
Project Coordinator: Sinem Kocayas (dDf)
Production: Fatih Yazici (dDf)
Production: Cihan Yorulmaz (dDf)
Project Assitant: Cihan Sirolu (dDf)
Media Relations: Idil Cetin (dDf)
Brand Assitant: Alkım Kilci (Mey Içki)
Brand Event Manager: Mehmet Balci (Mey Içki)
Brand Manager: Alper Dincer (Mey Içki)
Vodka Manager: Zeliha Sener (Mey Icki)
Project Coordinator: Selen Bayrakcı (dDf)
Media placement: newspaper - full page publicity - 18.02. 2012
Media placement: magazines - full page publicity - 01.02.2012
Media placement: outdoor - billboard - 15.02.2012
Media placement: radio - spot - 20.02.2012
Media placement: digital - smart phone application - 20.02.2012
Campaign Description
Branded Entertainment is regulated in Turkey.
Limitations are quite comprehensive:
- Communication: we can only use alcohol branded communication in print & digital media (within the age limits 24+). On radio & outdoor communications, (posters and flyers are included) we can only use the event brand name but can’t use an alcohol brand. Whereas on TV we can’t do any branded communication. From a PR point of view, alcohol brands can’t have TV coverage and in print media, alcohol brands can be mentioned but with limitations.
- There are also limitations on events. We can only do events in on-premise locations that have alcohol-selling licences. In public places (streets), we can’t use any alcohol brandings.
As a solution within these limitations, we have created an event, which is close to our brand name and carries the brand essence (Istanbul) in it. The brand name is ‘Istanblue Vodka’ and the event name is ‘Istanbul blue night’. This allowed us to communicate the event on the radio, outdoors and allowed us to conduct outdoor events. Our biggest challenge was linking the event with the brand, and according to our research, we have seen that we have succeeded.
Effectiveness
The biggest challenge was creating an event linked to our vodka brand. Istanblue Vodka introduced Istanbul Blue Night as the night festival of Istanbul. The event name was close to our brand name (high brand recall), had the brand essence (Istanbul) and colour in it. Event brand, allowed us to communicate the event in alcohol-restricted media. It also allowed us to conduct outdoor events. Istanbul Blue Night (IBN) is a free night festival executed on the streets of Istanbul and on premises. Started in 2011, IBN’s target is to create a strong event brand that helps us to go outdoors, increase brand awareness, recruit users from other categories and gain PR coverage. After 7 days of communication, the event took place in 3 different neighbourhoods of Istanbul, Beyoglu, Ortaköy and Sultanahmet.
Important historical landmarks of İstanbul, Maiden Tower, Galata Tower, Çiçek Passage, The Marmara Hotels and The House Hotel, were illuminated in blue, which literally made the night blue. The historical tram was transformed into a travelling branded (no alcohol branding) DJ stage, where our radio co-sponsor Power FM DJ’s performed.
In Beyoğlu and Ortakoy, 4 stages were built and 4 famous Turkish musicians performed on the same night. Before 3 of the IBN concerts, 40 professional dancers performed.
In 3 event areas, jugglers, drummers, acrobats and tall wooden-legged dancers performed shows on the streets with a carnival ambience. 54 on-premise customers were integrated into IBN with special discounts. Different gadgets for serving vodka (barrels and shot machines)were introduced to the market, designed for IBN. Street events ended with the world famous percussionists Burhan Öcal’s concert.
A digital augmented reality mobile application, ‘Istanblue fairies’, went live. The project was hunting blue fairies around the 54 on-premise places. After catching the fairies, you could trade on-premise points for promotional material.
Implementation
The communication period started a week before the event. Branded 5 Mini Coopers, 3 Segways (no alcohol branding) and the promotional team distributed English and Turkish flyers (no alcohol branding) to the targeted local and tourist audience.
22 billboard ads (no alcohol branding)
Flash mob dance was performed a week before the festival (no alcohol branding).
Flyposting of 5,000 posters (no alcohol branding) around the city.
Print media (alcohol branding used; newspaper ads.
12 frequency for a week.
11 monthly magazine ads.
Digital (alcohol branding used) ads on 8 websites.
Radio ads (no alcohol branding) for 5.725 seconds.
Outcome
It was a free entry street festival; therefore, the exact number of admittance could not be captured. 12,000 people attended the street events (based on estimated crowd density analysis).
TNS Turkey’s survey results of the event night on the streets:
Unaided sponsor awareness (spontaneous) 88%
Aided 96% (no alcohol branding during the street events because of the regulations)
37% of the subjects were planning to drink vodka before the event, after it has increased up to 42% (no alcohol brand communication on street events)
Mostly consumed brand score was 27%, after the event increased to 72%.
On 2011, print media coverage was 6.189.529 and TV coverage was 74 seconds. On 2012, Print media coverage was 7.056.811 and TV coverage was 599 seconds.
In 2011, 22 on-premise points were integrated, reach was ~ 3,500 people. In 2012 at 54 on-premise customers, the reach was ~6.215 people.
Sales increase 2011 was 32% and in 2012, it went up to 113%.
Digital application (Augmented Reality) was downloaded 631 times and 3,556 fairies were collected. The number of visitors of the website was 8,900 in 2011. It went up to 15,827 in 2012.
With the above data, we see that we have met our targets.