Sky Tv: AN UNEXPECTED INVITE TO THE WEDDING OF THE DECADE

Credits & Description:

Category: Publications & Media

Advertiser: ORBIT SHOWTIME NETWORK

Product/Service: SKY NEWS HD

Agency: MEMAC OGILVY & MATHER

Date of First Appearance: Apr 25 2011

Entrant Company: MEMAC OGILVY & MATHER, Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Executive Creative Director/Copywriter: Steve Hough (Memac Ogilvy and Mather)

Creative Director: Ramzi Moutran (Memac Ogilvy and Mather)

Copywriter: Jeremy Southern (Memac Ogilvy and Mather)

Copywriter: Sascha Kuntze (Memac Ogilvy and Mather)

Art Director: Christopher Hunt (Memac Ogilvy and Mather)

Regional Account Director: Tarek Shawki (Memac Ogilvy and Mather)

Typographer: John Ridgway (Memac Ogilvy and Mather)

Marketing Director: Ellis D'Rozario (OSN Network)

Printer: Spectrum Dubai (Spectrum Dubai)

Media placement: Direct Mailer, 20 Pieces - Sent To Editors Of Various Magazines Such As Rolling Stone, Time Out, Esquire - 25 April 2011

Media placement: Direct Mailer, 25 Pieces - Sent To Editors Of Regional Newspapers Such As Gulf News, Khaleej Times, 7Days, Etc. - 25 April 2011

Media placement: Direct Mailer, 55 Pieces - Sent To Business Partners Of The OSN Network - 25 April 2011



Insights, Strategy & the Idea

Orbit Showtime Network wanted to leverage upcoming events in order to promote their exclusive HD programmes on Sky News HD. The Royal Wedding became a focal point in our strategy to reach hype-hungry key influencers, such as print, television and online journalists, as well as radio presenters and bloggers.



Creative Execution

We wanted to excite them with a very personal surprise. And what could be more exciting than their very own invitation to the media event of the decade?

An invite that was a faithful copy of the original – right down to the handwritten envelope, gold embossing and official wax seal. However, it differed in one important detail: it actually invited viewers to watch the event in glorious high definition on Sky News HD – as good as a front-row seat in Westminster Abbey. The release of the invite was carefully timed to tap into the enormous media frenzy surrounding the royal wedding. In addition, it gave the selected recipients a very personal link to the event and an exciting new angle about which to write.



Results and Effectiveness

The invite engaged the editors of influential magazines such as Esquire, Rolling Stone, Time Out as well as the two biggest regional newspapers, who then covered the story of the stunt extensively. Radio and TV channels followed and conversations started on blogs.

Whilst, at the time of submission, it was too early for new subscription figures to be confirmed, we do know that with offline media alone, the 100 invitations reached an estimated 776,000 people, costing us only US$ 0.0018 per contact.