MTN, the cellphone network operator, briefed us to: Increase SMS usage by 5% amongst low- to-middle income, poorly educated people aged 16-24, Educate this target market about the benefits and savings of SMS, and Establish top-of-mind awareness of MTN’s SMS service. We realised that peer influence would play a strong part in the campaign’s success, and that non-traditional media – especially in vernacular and easy-to-understand terms – were needed to overcome literacy issues. We also realised that much of our campaign needed to take place at taxi-ranks and marketplaces where our target market spend much of their time.

We developed the concept of “SMS Ya Seiva” – African for “An SMS can save you time and money”. Industrial Theatre illustrated how an SMS can be a life-saver. Comperes engaged the crowds and distributed MTN “SMS Ya Seiva” Comic Books featuring educational and entertaining stories, tips on saving money by sending SMSs, and an “SMS speak” dictionary. Prizes included cellphones and airtime. ATL support included TV, radio in all 11 languages, print and murals.

The competition received over 100 000 entries (a 10%+ response rate). Over a million people attended the events – and hundreds of thousands can for the first time communicate via SMS. The promotion resulted in 6 500 handset sales per week (as opposed to the norm of 2 000) – an increase of over 300%. In two months alone, SMS usage increased by an extraordinary 8.5% to 50.12 % amongst the entire MTN base, and, most notably, achieved MTN’s second highest monthly SMS activity ever (second only to SMS usage in the month of 31 December 1999 – the eve of the millennium).