Vodafone, which stands for the individual and collective progress of Romanians, took the mission of democratizing technology in Romania and bringing the power of smartphones and mobile internet to the rural population as well.

We had to convince our target about the utility of these devices. At the same time, we needed to support our network as a strategic asset, highly relevant for people living in remote areas.

In order to show how technology can change anybody’s life, we contacted Ghita, a real shepherd living in a remote area. We gave him a smartphone and a tablet and we taught him how to use social networks. From there on, all that we had to do was document the way his life was changing.

Ghita became a national star, ranking 3rd in the Romanian celebrities top on Facebook. He collected over 500,000 fans and thousands of likes for simple, authentic posts about his lifestyle, such as photos of his breakfast or his sheep.

He was featured in national broadcasts and press. A popular folk singer composed a song especially for him and shot a clip which became viral. Both Romania’s prime-minister and president visited Ghita and took photos with him, while the European Commissioner mentioned him as an example of Romania’s digitalization.

Research showed young people are still reading, but mostly on their mobile phones: chats, mails, news. That’s why, Vodafone decided to pick on this behavior and facilitate their access to books in a format they’ve already adopted. The digital library wallpaper was an innovative solution people would love to have in their house while also testing Vodafone’s mobile data.

Ghita became a national star, with over 500,000 Facebook fans, appearances on national TV, and a folk song composed especially for him. Both Romania’s prim-minister and president visited Ghita, while the European Commissioner mentioned him as an example of Romania’s digitalization.

Brand Equity Share, the absolute indicator of Vodafone brand strength, finally broke away from our competitor, Orange, after months of head-to-head battle. The “Best network” attribute increased, driving a 287% surge in the gap versus Orange. Mobile data revenue increased with 22%, and for the first time, Vodafone finished the year selling more smartphones than feature phones.