STUPID is a Latin word: in Italian it is STUPIDO, but most of Italian dialects pronounce it “STUPID” (sometimes “stϋpid”, sometimes “stupt” but the sound is quite the same).Then we played with the regional stereotype to define “the Smart”, that became “the Professor”, “the Doctor” and “the Pedantic”.

We created titles which played with local common-sayings and cultural background.Each Italian city had its dialect posters.

Lots of national and local newspapers, blogs and web-sites talked about the campaign.

Some Major got angry…but web traffic (website and Facebook page) increased by 200% with 600,000 visits to the sites. People felt a big affection and pride for a campaign that spoke their own language.

The store traffic of the cities involved in the media planning increased by as much as 28% in the weeks following the campaign.