Our approach to slow connectivity was, well…slow too. In a country that thrives on fads, and a population that has mastered the art of humor in the face of adversity, we decided to combine both.

How, you ask? Simple: create shareable content that exaggerates the perils of slow internet, cynically!

The idea was to dramatize the fact that due to our slow internet, 2 of the world’s most viral phenomena (the Harlem Shake & the Ice Bucket Challenge) finally arrived in Lebanon…just a few years late.

We created 2 unscripted films of real people - people who happened to be there at the set of the shoot - jumping on the 2 trends

The first film appears on a beach coast of Lebanon, where we see a group of old fishermen minding their own business until the beat drops...then it’s a different story as they initiate one of the internet’s most bizarre Harlem Shakes, only 3 years late!

In the second film, we see Fadi, a 50-year-old man sporting just a tank top in the icy cold mountains of Lebanon taking on the Ice Bucket Challenge thanks to Rabih’s nomination, yet, only 2 years late! With his father to his side, he pours the freezing water on himself as his goat bleats awkwardly in the background.

Both end with the call to action message “Don’t be the last to get it. Connect faster, wherever you are.

Business Growth: Unprecedented growth for a small ISP in a market of giants as sales increased by 257% (+7,692 subscribers), which in turn resulted in a 254% growth of market share (from 0.24% to 0.85%), skyrocketing our campaign ROI to 24,600%, exceeding by far the overall average social media ROI measuring at 130%.

Brand Establishment: Connect registered a 32% awareness rate. While the brand became synonymous with internet on Google Lebanon search, another testament to success was hiring an additional customer service employee to cope with the increased number of product inquiry calls.

Campaign Popularity: Connect’s films received a 180% increase in likes than any other post on the brand’s page. Beyond Facebook, the branded content films also earned recognition and endorsements from leading worldwide platforms and publications in addition to being featured in Adweek’s Top 25 Ads of 2017 placing Connect on par with global brands.