Category: Best Use of Print
Advertiser: DIRECTV
Product/Service: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Agency: GREY NEW YORK
Media Agency: DEUTSCH, New York, USA
President/Chief Creative Officer: Tor Myhren (Grey NY)
Executive Creative Director: Dan Kelleher (Grey NY)
Creative Director: Luis Romero (Grey NY)
Creative Director: Andy Currie (Grey NY)
Head Of Broadcast Production: Bennett Mccarroll (Grey NY)
Vice President/Producer: David Cardinali (Grey NY)
Account Director: Beth Culley (Grey NY)
Account Supervisor: Kristen Stahl (Grey Ny)
Account Executive: Adam Clark (Grey NY)
Business Manager: Ivy Herman (Grey NY)
Executive Producer: Cindy Becker (Hungry Man)
Executive Producer: Mino Jarjoura (Hungry Man)
Director: Bryan Buckley (Hungry Man)
Director Of Photography: Scott Henriksen (Hungry Man)
Executive Producer: Sila Soyer (Outside Edit)
Editor: Jeff Feruzzo (Outside Edit)
Editor: Erik Emond (Outside Edit)
Sound Engineer: Eric Thompson (Outside Edit)
Media placement: IPhone Application - Sports Illustrated / Apple App Store - 14 February 2012
Insights, Strategy & the Idea
When it comes to entertainment, DIRECTV, the satellite television provider, is second to none, providing viewers with the ultimate entertainment experience from one-of-a-kind sports coverage to movies and television. They looked to advertise in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, one of the most hotly anticipated single magazine issues of the year. With a primarily male readership that sits perfectly within DIRECTV’s target, advertising in an issue like this was a no-brainer, but it was going to have to work hard to stand out. And not just from other advertisers, but also from a magazine filled cover to cover with the most beautiful models in the world. Instead of simply running print advertising, DIRECTV wanted to make their ads and the magazine a better entertainment experience in a way only they could.
Creative Execution
DIRECTV went beyond print and created the ultimate swimsuit model experience. Ads were placed throughout the magazine that led readers to download a free “Swimsuit Viewer” app.
Readers launched the app and held their smartphones or tablets over the swimsuit models. Using image recognition technology, the images on the page literally came to life from the moment they were photographed for the printed issue. Every model had their own interactive video that was tagged with a message from the DIRECTV spokeswoman, Kate Upton, who was also the covermodel. The content and the advertising came together to make a better experience for any reader.
Results and Effectiveness
With over 15m issues sold plus thousands and thousands of downloads, the Swimsuit Viewer App is a category first that changed the way readers engage with print, as well as the way advertisers engage with consumers. Not only did the average viewer spend minutes with the content rather than seconds, but they got the best experience they could have ever imagined, and enjoyed the Swimsuit Issue in an all-new way. All thanks to the best entertainment experience provider, DIRECTV. Leave it to a television company to revolutionize print.