Category: Best Use of Outdoor
Advertiser: MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION
Product/Service: MUSIC CARD
Agency: EURO RSCG C&O
Chief Creative Officer: Christophe Coffre (Euro RSCG)
Creative Director: Samuel Kadz (Euro RSCG)
Agency Producer: Jeanne Halfon (Euro RSCG)
Music Marketing: Leslie Dubest (The Hours (Havas))
Music Marketing: Ana Vogric (The Hours (Havas))
Music Marketing: Fanny Dalmau (The Hours (Havas))
Production: Mily Kadz (Mily Kadz Production)
Photograph: Marciek Pozoga (Mr L'agent)
Account Supervisor: Christophe Lichtenstein (Euro RSCG)
Account Manager: Juliette D'arcangues (Euro RSCG)
Media placement: Outdoor Campaign - 5 prints - JC Decaux Bus shelters, Paris - November 2, 2011
Insights, Strategy & the Idea
To support the music industry, the French Ministry of Culture wanted to promote legal music downloads among 12-25 year-olds. They launched the “Carte Musique”, a stored value card which entitles consumers to get one free song for every track they purchase.
As everyone knows, young people are used to consuming free unlimited music online. Our insight: we're targeting people with curious open minds for whom music is the main form of entertainment. They enjoy music but are largely unaware of its economic value.
The idea was to transform the way the card is used: rather than a 'legal' product, the card had to be perceived as a cultural product offering the perfect way for "discovering new music", with this following claim: DISCOVERY OF MUSIC NEVER ENDS.
And we decided to offer to the target an immersive participatory experience around exploring "new music".
Creative Execution
We invited five artists to come onboard and help promote the idea of discovering new music.
Ayo, BB Brunes, Oxmo Puccino, Pony Pony Run Run and the Kitsuné record company compiled playlists of 100 songs, which were then shared via interactive bus shelters designed especially for the occasion in partnership with JCDecaux Innovate.
Based on breakthrough innovative technology, the bus shelters allowed passers-by to plug in their headphones and then, by pressing an LED illuminated button, listen to the playlist compiled by their favourite bands.
The street furniture, which was completely overhauled for the operation, was decked out in the artists' distinctive colours. In addition, some of the artists helped design the graphics for the bus shelter featuring their music.
An U-snap application let people download the playlists to their mobile phone to prolong the experience as well as buy tracks online using the Carte Musique.
Results and Effectiveness
The operation created a lot of buzz on social networks, thanks largely to the artists themselves who posted features on their Facebook page or Twitter account (10,000 views and 300 shares to date). This helped the Carte Musique earn audience and awareness through the artists sponsoring the operation at no additional cost.
As a result, the image and use of the Carte Musique were successfully transformed: rather than an inappropriate government measure, the Card is today perceived to be a fully fledged cultural product and a credible solution for redefining the music industry's business model.