Thmbnls-Interactive Mobile Drama
Sexual health issues
Issue 13 | December 2009
Agency
20:20 London
Creative Team
Creative Partner: Peter Riley Creative: Matt Bennett Creative: Will Battersby Creative: Zhenmeng Yang Account Director: Jo Szpunar Planning Director: Mark Riley Producer: Cat Mills Lead Digital Developer: Karim Beyrouti Lead Digital Producer: Farley Brian
Production Team
Sexual health issues
Date
January to June 2009
Background
How do you get a sensitive message about safe sex across to awkward teenagers? Since mass advertising doesn’t work, what was needed was a personal and private engagement strategy that spoke to them in their language. Mobile is the centre of teen life - mates, entertainment, info, goss, OMG! Mobile’s the way forward. Or mobi 2 B xact!
Idea
‘Thmbnls’ was a teen video drama broadcast for free over 22 weekly episodes exclusively on mobiles. Each 60-second episode was personalised and interactive. Characters & viewers became best m8s & ‘chatted’ using txt, MMS, emails & voice messages, in real time, about sex, teen life & condom use.
Results
Nce 1!!!! Instant buzz!!!! 80k personal interactions!!!! 450k unique visitors to the mobi sites!!!! hundreds of blogs!!!! interview on Radio 1 (YAY!!!!) + national and local press!!!! But more importantly teenagers’ habits towards safe sex and condom use started 2 change!!!! Wot a result!!!! CU l8r