Branded content is still new to the Middle East, but is slowly gaining popularity. Despite the fact that it’s still being used as a cost-effective solution for brands with small budgets, some of the more established brands are beginning to understand the potential of developing the right content to connect with people through real and honest storytelling. In the region, many brands’ approach to branded content tends to be rather contrived: because their content cannot be easily tested, brands tread cautiously, going with safe content that as a result doesn’t tend to get talked about. For many others, branded content is considered just as supporting material to traditional media and it is not developed to stand on its own. Across the region there are certain topics (like religion, sex, gender equality, etc…) that are considered inappropriate and risk being quickly censored according to the regulations of individual countries, restricting what can be aired on TV.

•We launched the campaign with the Okinawa’s Ikigai online documentary that ended inviting viewers to share their Ikigai using #IWAKEUPFOR.

• Online media and tailor-made retargeted content created intrigue and drove video views

•PR and social media created conversation around the Ikigai concept and the importance of awakening your purpose

•Outdoor & Radio created brand visibility and drove engagement with the hashtag.

•A twitter booth activation rewarded passers-by with free coffee for tweeting their reason to wake up. The coffee was dispensed in a customized cup with their reason printed on it.

•A documentary about what the people who produce NESCAFÉ wake up for, reflected the brand’s commitment to the campaign and was pushed online too.

•We created a second documentary about the most interesting regional Ikigai stories that we sourced from social media engagement with #IWAKEUPFOR.

•Three of these stories became a massive TV campaign that aired in 11 countries across the region.

The campaign has already garnered over 6.5 million video views, equivalent to 37.2 years of streaming time and over 7.2 million Twitter impressions. It has helped to boost brand awareness and it is enhancing the way that people experience the brand: unaided brand awareness, which averaged 33% between February and August 2014, rose to 53% in March 2015*, after the online videos were aired. Those agreeing with the statement that NESCAFÉ Red Mug is a “Brand that helps me start my day positively” went from 30% (Feb-Aug 2014 Average) to 37% (March 2015)*, showing that the message is correctly moving the perception. These results are estimated to increase quite drastically, as currently they only reflect the online efforts, which are being followed now by a massive TV campaign centered around three inspiring stories from the region that were sourced from social media engagement. The television spots have in fact gone on air beginning April the 20th and will be airing across 13 popular channels in 11 different countries.

* Ipsos