Cannes Lions

CONDOMS

UNIVERSAL McCANN, Manchester / DUREX / 2002

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Credits

OVERVIEW

Description

Contemporise the Durex brand.Introduce humour.Communicate safe sex to a youth audience. The game itself is very advanced, employing 'safe' Artificial Intercourse technology. It is a multi-player, tamagochi-style game where users have to find and shaf as many compatible 'bots' as possible. However, all bots have safe sex as they are 'Protected by Durex'. Users can play with, name and re-design up to 6 bots, adjust their sexual preferences, relive their robotic sexual encounters and refer friends. The game concept, advanced technology and supporting media (SMS alerts, flash banners and e-mail) help to contemporise the Durex brand and Channel4.com provides a perfect audience (18-34).The initial activity consisted of a flash-based movie that played on the original E4 Website throughout October 2001.In November 2001 an introductory teaser game was developed called 'Sex Bots Swinger's Party' - a simplified version of the main game where players have two minutes to pair up 20 different bots.Six-month sponsorship of the main game (launched 11 February 2002) includes:Content integration: Durex logo permanently visible on game, instructions & 'showcards' delivered across key pages on Channel4.com; 'Hall of Fame' where Channel 4 will select best looking bot and publish each week (bots will be selected via specially designed 'Spy Bots').800,000 branded flash banners delivered across Channel4.com (they currently parody The Graduate & Casablanca but will be updated over the course of the sponsorship to maintain freshness).Durex/C4 co-branding on e-mail sent to E4.com user base (11/2), and on weekly e-mail & SMS status updates sent to Sex Bots gamers (SMS goes out on a Friday evening - hopefully when recipients are out socialising with friends and can talk about the game).Co-branded exposure on Refer-A-Friend e-mails (called 'solicit a friend').Shared data ownership (opt-in registration).PR. Channel 4 are currently attempting to get Graham Norton to play the game on his show.Finally, the Swinger's Party teaser game is in the process of being changed to a stand-alone game that can be sent via e-mail (strong viral potential). Again, this will be co-branded and generate awareness/traffic to the main game. Universal McCann Manchester has been fully involved in the development of both the game and sponsorship package from post-concept to implementation.This included:Development of the branding opportunities in addition to those in the game environment (e.g. branded instruction pages);Gameplay & functionality (e.g. sending SMS update to users on Friday night when they are likely to be in a pub and talk about it to their friends);Insisting that the word 'safe' is placed before 'Artificial Intercourse technology';Creative input (designing/producing the flash banners);Continual testing to help with de-bugging;Suggesting the Swinger's Party teaser is converted to a stand-alone game that can be distributed virally via e-mail. This launches 1 May 2002, providing further reach, awareness and traffic to the main game. The sponsorship is part of a broader multi-media strategy by Universal McCann Manchester to contemporise the Durex brand, introduce humour and communicate safe sex to a youth audience. Sex Bots meets these objectives while addressing issues of promiscuity and safe sex and the supporting media helps communicate them to the right audience. In addition, it is a great example of how collaborating fully with a media owner can deliver an innovative solution.Testimonial from Kirsty Verity (Dulex Brand Manager):"Durex is delighted with the Sex Bots campaign - it is highly targetted and injects humour into the brand whilst communicating a serious safe sex message. Sex Bots is a completely new way of marketing for us and we are looking forward to continuing to use innovative new media in the future."Validation from independent reviewer in NMA Ad Watch (28 Feb 2002), who voted it 'Campaign of the Week' and described it as " ... a perfect example of co-branding, choosing a close affinity, the right audience & clear messaging".

Execution

Universal McCann Manchester has been fully involved in the development of both the game and sponsorship package from post-concept to implementation.This included:Development of the branding opportunities in addition to those in the game environment (e.g. branded instruction pages);Gameplay & functionality (e.g. sending SMS update to users on Friday night when they are likely to be in a pub and talk about it to their friends);Insisting that the word 'safe' is placed before 'Artificial Intercourse technology';Creative input (designing/producing the flash banners);Continual testing to help with de-bugging;Suggesting the Swinger's Party teaser is converted to a stand-alone game that can be distributed virally via e-mail. This launches 1 May 2002, providing further reach, awareness and traffic to the main game.

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