La Estrella: THE SERENO

Credits & Description:

Category: Best use of Broadcast

Advertiser: NESTLÉ SPAIN

Product/Service: CAFES LA ESTRELLA

Agency: LA DESPENSA

Agency: EN BICICLETA

Executive Creative Directors: Javier Carrasco Y Miguel Olivares (La Despensa)

Creative Director: Belen Coca (La Despensa)

Copywriter: Raul Cirujano Y Lolo Ortega (La Despensa)

Art Director: Ignacio Íñigo/Antonio Castillo/Héctor Rodríguez/Miguel Conget (La Despensa)

Technique Director: Marimar Ruiz (La Despensa)

Account Director: Sergio Sancho (La Despensa)

Account Supervisor: Harold Vas (La Despensa)

Account Executive: Miguel Pico (La Despensa)

Director: Rafa Cortes (Alamo Films)

Public Relations Manager: Maria Martinez Fesser (En Bicicleta)

Public Relations Manager: Mamen Soria (En Bicicleta)

Media placement: Off/online PR - Free Publicity - 15 June 2011



Summary of the Campaign

To create media attention, recovering an abandoned profession, as old as the brand: 'El Sereno'.



'El Sereno' used to walk the streets at night, lighting up the streetlights, informing people of the time, and helping out the neighbours. He was always awake thanks to our coffee and the elderly still remember him. We introduced him to the media, modernised (with an iPad and new duties) and we put him to work for 15 days in the streets of Madrid, becoming our brand ambassador.



Every media source wanted to tell the story of our unique brand ambassador and as a result, Cafés La Estrella has been the only coffee brand with increasing sales compared to generic brands in 2011.



The Situation

Cafés La Estrella is one of the oldest coffee brands in Spain. With 125 years of history, it wants to remain the coffee brand for the Spanish people.



People remember the brand because of a 50-year-old ad and its image is perceived as old-fashioned. How can we bring the brand into the present without losing its nostalgic identity?



The Goal

The average age of consumers of Cafés La Estrella has started to go up, aging like the perception of the brand. White labels have started eating up its market share.



The purpose of the campaign was to create media attention, with very few resources, by reviving a neglected profession, which is obsolete today, a profession as old as the brand, 'El Sereno', or 'the night watchman', to rejuvenate the brand.



The 'Sereno' is a familiar figure who is missed and cherished by the elderly. The 'Sereno' used to walk the streets at night, lighting up the streetlights and helping out the neighbours. He was always awake, thanks to coffee.



The Strategy

The strategy was to attract the media to a familiar character who would become the spokesman for the brand, who would talk about the good things that should never disappear, like the 'Sereno', and our coffee.



This is in line with the new brand positioning: 'Good Things Live On'. It was about converting the brand into something vintage, instead of just something old and out of fashion, which it was until now.



Execution

We made a video with an old night watchman teaching a new and young night watchman about 'La Estrella' and we sent it to the media to invite them to a press launch. Then the news story exploded and the character became the best ambassador for our brand.



We introduced him to the media, modernised (with an iPad and new duties), and we put him to work for 15 days on the streets of Madrid.



Documented Results

Every media source wanted to tell the story of our unique brand ambassador.



On television: more than 30 minutes of broadcasting, appearing in the most popular news programmes; mentions in programmes; live reports; and 22 interviews of the project spokespeople, some of them live on TV shows. Mentioned in newspapers, on the radio (more than 1 hour air time) and on the internet.



Cafés La Estrella has been the only coffee brand with increasing sales compared to generic brands. Free publicity: €1,480,665. Estimated audience: 10,931,222 people.