Vodafone Sunday Grannies
Vodafone Romania
Issue 36 | September 2015
Agency
McCann Erickson Bucharest
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director Catalin Dobre Copywriter Ruxandra Papuc Art Director Daniel Strugariu
Production Team
AV Producers Tiberiu Munteanu, Alexandru Platon, Roxana Zaharia Production House Multimedia Est Director Radu Muntean
Other Credits
Head of Strategy Diana Ceausu Client Service Director Dana Hogea Group Account Director Doina Ionescu Senior Account Manager Carmen Marin
Date
End of 2014
Background
Vodafone wanted to democratise the ownership of smartphones by showing how useful they could be especially now 4G was moving from a premium service to market standard.
Idea
The challenge was to find a real-life problem which only technology could solve. That turned out to be finding two sweet little old ladies living in Bucharest Tanti Ani and Marcela, sisters who loved to cook. And putting them in touch with penniless students who loved to eat.
The grannies were shown how to create Facebook pages for themselves and as they started to upload recipes, so they began to acquire followers. Every Sunday a few of their hungry followers could book a seat at the table for lunch.
A documentary film was made, showing how technology had transformed the grannies' lives. They got their own TV show and their sweets made it into the stores.
TV ads encouraged grannies everywhere to get their own smartphones and get involved. And they did, ending days of loneliness by creating their own pop-up lunches.
Results
Over 380m media impressions, for a 98,7% reach. Over 430,000 fans for grannies on Facebook. SM adoption rate tripled among people over 65.
Our Thoughts
People over the age of 55 control 75% of the wealth of the world. Yet get less than 5% of all advertising directed at them even though they are growing as a demographic group. So well done Vodafone Romania in identifying an audience waiting to be marketed to and well done McCann Erickson Bucharest for doing it in a way that is utterly charming. And, to be honest, it didn't go unrewarded at Cannes. Three bronzes. But Gold in our book.