Netflix Dinners
Spark
Issue 44 | September 2017
Agency
Colenso BBDO
Creative Team
Creative Chairman Nick Worthington Executive Creative Director Wayne Pick Creative Group Head Ben Barnes Creative Group Head Matt Webster
Production Team
Agency Producer Anna Flaws Designer Matt Oak
Other Credits
Group Account Director Jacqui Copas Account Director Tori Baudinet Account Manager Hunter Haines Social Strategist Jamie Wong Consumer Brand & Comms Manager Anna Kooperberg, Social Communications Manager Frith Wilson Hughes
Date
February – March 2017
Background
With an important new partnership, New Zealand telco Spark could offer Netflix for free with broadband. This dramatically increased the value of Spark broadband, but there was also a need to increase the value of the Spark brand itself. The question became: how can you show people that with Spark, they'll always have an experience they can't get anywhere else?
Idea
The world's first Netflix dinner, inspired by House of Cards. With it, fans could experience Netflix in a way they'd never been able to before. The Netflix dinner featured everything needed to make the southern style BBQ ribs that Frank Underwood ate when he headed to Freddy's rib joint. It included a full rack of ribs, BBQ spice, BBQ sauce and all the ingredients to make greens and cornbread. There was even a plate, napkin and knife and fork from the diner.
Spark put out on Facebook for its customers to name who they'd like to share a Netflix dinner with and lucky entrants got sent the dinner box.
It offered fans the ultimate Netflix experience: eat the ribs Frank eats, as they watched Frank eating.
Results
Promoted solely through social channels, there were over 4 million impressions (in a country of only 4.5 million people) for the campaign activity, with over 1,000 superfans battling it out for a chance to get their hands on one of the Netflix Dinners in the first 24 hours. During this activity, 89% share of voice was achieved against competitors. An overwhelming 46% of commentary mentioned the Netflix brand, proving that the special meals had been a huge success and that Spark was more than a commodity provider of broadband.
Our Thoughts
So, it seems that the way to a Kiwi's eyes is through their stomachs.
And in this case, the idea is absolutely spot on.
Think of Netflix and you automatically think of 'House of Cards'. So, to sell the idea of Netflix free when you sign up to Spark broadband on the back of Frank Underwood is pretty straightforward. But to do it by recreating Freddy's ribs and offering them as a TV dinner for a few lucky punters was not so obvious. Freddy's ribs have become something of a topic as 'House of Cards' has run from season to season and tapping into this meme makes Spark look like fans too, rather than like a big telco trying to drum up business. Tasty thinking.