Fakka© micro Re-charge cards
Vodafone Egypt
Issue 27 | June 2013
Agency
JWT Cairo
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer Ramsey Naja Creative Directors Sameh George Youssef Gadallah Art Directors Baher Raouf Ramy El Kerdany
Production Team
Production Company ASAP Films Director Mariam Abu Ouf Post Production Company ASAP JWT Content Manager/TV Producer Khaled Zaki
Other Credits
Planning Director Hatem El Kashef Business Associate Director Shahira Akel Account Manager Nihal Nashed Account Executive Clotilde Malauzat
Date
June 2012
Background
Fakka© means ‘small change’ in Arabic. Small change is a particular problem for consumers and retailers alike in Egypt.
Very often shop-keepers don’t have enough small change for their customers so, as an alternative, they hand out sweets or an aspirin (if they are a pharmacy) or a vegetable (if they are a food store).
Vodafone Egypt saw this as an opportunity for a new concept in the market - micro re-charge cards.
Idea
The idea was to launch Vodafone Fakka© in four denominations. The first three launched were the 50 piasters card, which gave 5 extra minutes; the EGP 1 card which gave 30 minutes that started immediately after recharging; and the EGP 1.5 card which gave two hours that start immediately upon recharging.
Due to the tremendous success of the product, a fourth EGP 3 denomination was launched in September, which gave the user 12 hours of extra talking time.
The minutes offered could be used to call any Vodafone number.
There was a code on the back of each card, which shoppers tapped into their phones to get the benefit of the free time.
The beauty of the business solution also lay in how easily the micro re-charge cards perfectly fitted into the cash register’s cash tray.
Results
Vodafone “Fakka©” micro re-charge cards rapidly became a new currency in Egypt with little shops up and down the country stocking the “Fakka©” cards to use as change, giving Vodafone Egypt the biggest distribution channel possible. Re-charge cards have become part of everyday life, with the shopkeeper handing them out as small change suddenly looking more generous.
Our Thoughts
Agencies often say they want to be the ‘creative business partners’ to their clients. The problem is, they seldom have the real nous to create genuine business opportunities for them. They are too involved in output (making ads) to spend time and money on input.
If you were to judge this idea by its ads, it would never win an award anywhere. As it is, it has deservedly won the Grand Prix at the Dubai Lynx Awards and will win many more elsewhere for being a great business idea rather than a great advertising idea.
Agencies can be of real value to their clients through their understanding of consumer behaviours and how to influence them. As JWT Cairo have done here.
What I love about it is Vodafone grow their business by recognising the value of small sums, shopkeepers profit from increased customer loyalty and JWT win Gold.
Everyone’s a winner.