Cannes Lions
DAFT ARTS, Los Angeles / COLUMBIA RECORDS / 2014
Overview
Entries
Credits
Description
The goal of our campaign was to give the audience something to talk about by creating moments of discovery in the physical world that would stimulate conversation and creativity online. Our concept was to execute a physical marketing campaign using billboards, print-ads, posters and TV commercials with no direct online marketing in conjunction with the placement of the ads. In executing a physical campaign we created an event around Daft Punk’s album launch and elevated it to something “bigger than life” akin to a blockbuster film launch or a high profile product launch, which tend to use expensive physical marketing channels that music artists and labels normally cannot afford. We worked within the budget constraints by using highly targeted and limited ad placements that were economically efficient and also in keeping with Daft Punk’s famously mysterious image. Most importantly, by using physical marketing channels that music artists normally don’t use, we created unexpected moments for the audience that stimulated their creativity and provoked conversation in both the audience and press alike.
Execution
The global campaign execution was highly targeted in order to work within budget constraints. Each phase of outdoor ad, TV spot and live event revealed new elements of the album artwork and bits of information about its upcoming release in order to stimulate speculation in the audience. The look of each ad in each phase of the campaign was identical and rolled out simultaneously around the world in order to create a global online synergy and conversation among the audience in real time. The ads were revealed slowly and deliberately in order to give time for each communication to spread online. While only a few ads were placed in each key markets, the ad placements included billboards, poster sites, bus shelters, transit advertising, live event sand TV creating a sense of ubiquity around the campaign and instilling a sense of an event around the album release, more typical of a blockbuster film release or high-profile product launch. This helped draw new fans into the excitement.
Outcome
The absence of online communication in conjunction with the placement of the ads create an empty space online for the band's fans to fill with their own creativity. This optimized the effect and reach of the audience’s online activity. A wave of clever and colorful user generated content using the artwork from the poster went viral and spread around the world online. Excitement and suspense built leading up to the launch. The poster along with other elements of the campaign reinforced the now iconic Split Helmet image of Daft Punk's album, Random Access Memories.
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