Forever Young

Background

The Swedish Postal Service is the e-trader’s best friend and can help you with everything involving e-commerce. The brief was to show that the Swedish Postal Service can help anyone start up their own e-shop. To make it interesting, the agency was not given any budget to use paid-for media.

Idea

Bo Brundin had been an actor who had spent time in America, appearing in “The Great Waldo Pepper” with Robert Redford. When he returned to Sweden at the age of 72, he set out to recreate his bachelor pad in Manhattan from the 60’s in his house in Östhammer. He wanted to recapture his youth but all he had was an original picture and the memories from the best time of his life.

To demonstrate to silver surfers how easy it is to become an e-trader, advertising on the internet and then mailing out and/or receiving goods through the mail, the Swedish Postal Service helped Bo with everything, from setting up a Youtube channel as well as with planning and strategic marketing tips. They provided the logistics to help Bo create his own website and blog through which he asked for help tracking down the furnishings and other paraphernalia of his younger days.

Results

For a media spend of absolutely zero Swedish krona, the campaign generated media coverage worth 5.7m SEK (about £425,000 GBP) and provided an inspiring example to many ageing Swedes that they too could use mail and digital media together to make money and have some fun.

Our Thoughts

The bit I liked most about Bo’s website is that it caters for both the older and the younger visitor. If you’re youthfully challenged you can make the type bigger and easier to read!

Post Offices around the world have been alarmed that the email might put them out of business but, actually, digital and mail work brilliantly together. You browse, order and buy online and the post will deliver. Something any Swedish 72-year old now knows.