Samsung| The Golden Egg

Challenge

Samsung was about to launch the Galaxy SII and was looking for a partner that could help it reach out to its primary target group: mobile phone enthusiasts. This group was the earliest adapter of new technology. But that was the whole challenge: finding the correct content partner for generating the hype and sales for the Samsung SII.

Insight

The brand realised that game developer Rovia’s popular game Angry Birds would be the perfect fit to reach the TG. For Samsung, it was the perfect partnership, because Angry Birds enthusiasts were exactly the kind of mobile pioneers for whom it had tailored the new Galaxy SII.

Solution

In one of the deepest partnerships ever signed by Rovia, Samsung created a secret Golden Egg level which could only be unlocked by coming to Samsung’s co-branded site to find clues.

This was the first time that the wildly popular game had ever allowed a partner to reveal a secret new level to the game. It was also the broadest partnership ever agreed by the developer Rovio which helped Samsung to market directly to millions of Angry Birds’ biggest fans. 

It was just the sort of treasure hunt that die-hard fans loved to follow - and then to boast about when they had unlocked the level. The co-branded site was central to reaching players with detailed messages about the Galaxy SII.

Samsung excluded the Samsung logo from the secret Golden Egg level itself for fear of alienating players, but it gently reinforced the brand by using Galaxy SII colours and graphics throughout. 

And in a masterstroke that greatly extended the length of time users spent on the new level, this level came equipped with a special ‘low gravity’ environment as the Angry Birds were going into space. That meant it was challenging and frustratingly addictive even for veteran players, all of whom had to learn new tricks and techniques to progress.

Banner ads inside Angry Birds directed people to the Samsung site where they could find the clues to unlock the secret Golden Egg level. Samsung bought video pre-rolls and interstitial ads in which Angry Birds characters themselves told players where to go looking. Samsung promoted posts to the game’s Facebook and Twitter followers as well.

On the co-branded site, additional offerings were made to users such as competitions to win Angry Birds toys and merchandise.

Results

The discovery of the secret level generated so much internet chatter that it wasn’t just fans who shared tips on social networks, but also technology journalists who reported on the phenomenon. 

Nearly half a million users came to the co-branded site to pick up the clues that would unlock the secret Golden Egg level and almost 15,000 clicked through to the Galaxy SII product page to learn more. 

The game level itself was played 1.6 million times by the time the promotional activity ended. 69% of players said the level made them think of the Galaxy SII. Brand awareness jumped 10% after the campaign period and purchase intent jumped 4%.

BRAND:

Samsung Mobile

BRAND OWNER:

Samsung

CATEGORY:

Telecoms/Mobile

REGION:

Australia

Austria

France

Germany

Indonesia

Italy

Singapore

Spain

Switzerland

United Kingdom

DATE:

July - August 2011

AGENCY:

Starcom

MEDIA CHANNEL:

Branded Content,Experiential,Digital,Mobile,Online,PR,Print,Retail/POS,Sponsorship,TV