Cannes Lions

The Swedish Number

INGO, Stockholm / SWEDISH TOURIST ASSOCIATION / 2016

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Supporting Content
Supporting Content

Overview

Entries

Credits

Overview

Description

As the first country in the world, Sweden got its own phone number. When calling it from abroad you get connected to a random Swede, somewhere in Sweden. Then you can talk about anything, preferably about Sweden.

The Swedish Number gave the control of the image of the country to the Swedes themselves. Nothing was censored or pre-arranged. In the name of freedom of speech - what ever opinion you may have, it matters.

The Swedish Number is open for anyone to call just by using a normal telephone, but only from abroad. Swedes register as "telephone ambassadors" simply by downloading an App.

Execution

The hub of the campaign was a tailor made sophisticated cloudbased switchboard. One of the largest in the world. The switchboard made sure that calls can only come in from outside Sweden and the it connects it to the next Swede in line to answer. That person is then moved to last in line.

If you have a Swedish phone number (+46) you can download The Swedish Number App from App-Store. Register your email and phone number, that's it, then you can start taking calls. The call shows up in your phone lika a normal call.

On the web page theswedishnumber.com, you get the simple background, i.e. The Swedish Number film and statistics regarding the campaign - number of calls, calling.

A general film was released, explaining the project. And one week after a film with the Swedish Prime Minister answering calls for The Swedish Number was released.

Outcome

The Swedish Number instantly spread rapidly across the globe. People from all countries found it on tens of thousands Live TV-Shows and News channels, Live radioshows, in newspaper articles, in bloggs, on Twitter, on Facebook. Calls came in by the 100.000 and the Swedish people answering represented all parts of society - geographically, ages and opinions.

Nothing (ZERO!) was spent on bought media or seeding.

The results so far (end of April):

Total calls: 128.392

Swedish Phone Ambassadors: 26.069

No of countries calling: 178 (194 in the world)

Accumulated calling time 253 days.

Longest call: 3h 42min

Total media impressions: 9.107 billion.

Media Value: 146 million dollars (US).

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