2017 Silver Best use of the moving image or audio

TMW Unlimited

Client: Durex

Do Not Disturb

Campaign overview

Could a digital detox save your relationship?

It’s a question Durex went about answering with six real-life couples, as they headed to Sri Lanka for an idyllic holiday with a twist.

Strategy

Durex are synonymous with sex. But rather than just being about the physical aspects of a relationship, the brand wanted to associate itself with couples connecting on an emotional level.

TMW Unlimited set out looking for a behavioural obstacle to connecting with your partner that would resonate with couples across five continents.

As mobile technology plays an increasingly large and addictive role in our lives, it's beginning to take its toll on relationships around the globe.

Working with Centre for Sexual Dissidence at the University of Sussex, TMW Unlimited sourced academic reports suggesting that couples spend more time per day looking at their phone screen than at each other.

This insight into modern relationships was a truly universal one.

With no script and no storyboard, the aim was to capture a fly-on-the-wall documentary that would preach the benefits of turning off your tech and turning on to your partner.

Creativity

Do Not Disturb was the first ever digital detox social experiment with couples. The film that lay at the heart of the campaign documented the experiences of six real couples, flown to Sri Lanka for a luxury holiday.

Three couples had to give up their phones, tablets and other devices.

Three couples got to keep theirs.

With 22 hidden cameras positioned around the resort capturing the action over several days, combined with extensive interviews, TMW Unlimited gathered thousands of hours of raw footage. From this, they created a two-minute, 40 second social video with a coherent and compelling narrative.

The YouTube campaign ran over a three week summer period across 25 markets globally.

In addition to the YouTube video, this ambitious social experiment formed the basis of TV advertising, PR activity, a webpage, social content and in-store promotional material.

Results

The mini-documentary was viewed over 24 million times on YouTube. It also garnered huge press and editorial pickup around the world, totalling over 1.3 billion PR impressions.

Crucially, this social reach translated into real business results for Durex.

The campaign led to market share growth versus the previous year in every country the activity featured, including: 6.5% in UK, 6.0% in Spain, 6.9% in New Zealand, 2.9% in United States and 8.3% in Greece.

The campaign also had real cultural resonance.
Hundreds of viewers proactively declared their intention to go tech-free to reconnect with their partner, and search traffic for digital detox holidays increased by over 40% during the campaign period, versus the preceding month.

This suggests Durex is starting to be seen as an authority on relationships, with its finger firmly on the pulse of issues affecting couples in the modern world.

Team

Michael Wells (Business Director) TMW Unlimited - Mariya Tarakanova (Regional Marketing Category Manager) Equity RB - Volker Sydow (Global Category Director) RB - Graeme Noble (Chief Creative Officer) TMW Unlimited - George Bell (Creative Director) TMW Unlimited - Tom Harman (Creative Director) TMW Unlimited - Simon Butcher (Planner) TMW Unlimited - Natalie Price (Producer) TMW Unlimited - Dr Sharif Mowlabocus (Senior Lecturer in Digital Media) University of Sussex - Kirsty Lane (Producer) Firecracker - Jeremy Groman (Executive Creative Director) Firecracker - Lawrence Francis (Director - Client Strategy) Premier - Christina Williams (Director, Special Projects) Premier