Flex: CONTADOR

Credits & Description:

Advertiser: FLEX
Agency: SRA. RUSHMORE
Category: Celebrity Endorsement
Account Supervisor: Ana Herrero (SRA Rushmore)
Executive Account: Ana Calderon (SRA Rushmore)
Creative Director: Angel Torres (SRA Rushmore)
Creative Porgrammer: Gonzalo Cedillo (SRA Rushmore)
Music: Javier Doria
Executive Creative Director: Miguel García Vizcaino (SRA Rushmore)
Copy: Martin Subercaseaux (SRA Rushmore)
Producer: Pablo Garcia Acon
Director: Zipi
Art Director: Sara Alonso (SRA Rushmore)
Creative Director: Lucas Paulino (SRA Rushmore)
Creative Porgrammer: Ruben Morato (SRA Rushmore)
Photography: Roman Martinez De Bujo

Client Brief Or Objective
In the middle of Spain’s economic crisis, the mattress industry was in total decline and the brand, Flex, had registered a major drop in total sales and awareness. Our objective was to increase the awareness and reposition the brand as an industry leader. But Flex didn’t have the budget to allocate on a major marketing campaign so we needed a powerful idea that would effectively communicate the complexity of the product and maximize the brand’s investment.

Execution
The idea was for Alberto Contador to once again, with the help of Flex, complete the Queen Stage of the Tour from which he’d been disqualified. The stage was broadcasted via flex.es/tourflex and fans could upload messages on the site which Contador would hear throughout his ride.We held a press junket for the campaign, which was picked up by almost every major Spanish sport news outlet. The first TV spot set up the idea: Contador sleeping in the special mattress, which gives you energy while you sleep, pushes you to get up on your feet, to get out of bed and with the help of Flex, race the Queen stage from the tour that was taken away from you.The 2nd spot recapped his ride, fans’ messages received, and his impressions of the experience.Flex.es/tourflex also housed additional content: an interview with Alberto, ride info, additional fans' messages, etc.

Campaign Description
In the middle of Spain’s economic crisis, the mattress industry was in total decline and the brand, Flex, had registered a major drop in total sales and awareness. Our objective was to increase the awareness and reposition the brand as the industry leader, showcasing a premium but complex product, Wellness Bicoeramics, a mattress that enables maximum blow flow while you sleep, allowing you to wake up each day with renewed energy. But Flex didn’t have the budget to allocate a major spend on its marketing campaign so we needed a powerful idea that would effectively communicate the complexity of the product and maximize the brand’s investment.We needed a spokesperson that was well known and admired, but facing the worst times of his life, someone who truly needed extra energy to get out of bed every morning: Alberto Contador. The idea was for Alberto Contador to once again, with the help of Flex, complete the Queen Stage of the Tour from which he’d been disqualified due to doping charges, which were considered erroneous by the majority of Spaniards. The stage was broadcasted via flex.es/tourflex and Contador was not alone in his efforts as fans were able to upload messages he could hear throughout his ride. A brave integrated campaign that created a relevant connection between the spokesperson and the product benefit, an in turn, created brand engagement and high media impact.

Effectiveness
The product was able to take advantage of hundreds of free media coverage, reaching an added media value of 3.051.942€, against the 100.000€ investment for the use of Alberto Contador in the campaign.Alberto Contador’s association with the product and Flex helped increase ad awareness by 19 points from the pervious year.A brave integrated campaign that created a relevant connection between the spokesperson and the product benefit, and in turn, created brand engagement and high media impact.

Relevancy
Flex, Spain's leading manufacturer and distributor of mattresses, suffered 4 consecutive years of major sales decline. It's industry was negatively affected by the country’s economic crisis and in 2012, the Brand needed to come out swinging. The brand decided to focus its communication efforts on its premium mattresses, Wellness Bioceramics, a breakthrough technology which enables maximum blow flow while you sleep, allowing you to re-energize during the night.

Strategy
Our product was a mattress with a complex technology that allows you to wake up every day with renewed energy. Why not look for someone who truly needs it? A known and admired entity, but someone facing hard times. We found the perfect fit in Alberto Contrador, one of the world’s best professional cyclists, who in 2012, after a major investigation, had been sanctioned for doping and stripped of his previous titles, including Tour 2011. He was the perfect spokesperson: Contador was a much loved and admired athlete, well-known throughout Spain. His case had been widely reported, but both the general public and media believed in his innocence and thought he had been unfairly sanctioned. He was a great example of someone who needed a little extra push to get out of bed each morning, perfect to communicate our product offering.