2012 Gold Best use of experiential

Client Carte Noire Instant Coffee

How did the campaign make a difference? To overcome the perception that Carte Noire is dark, bitter instant coffee, this campaign showcased the reality of the product by creating the perfect environment in which to try it. Over 23 days, 53,905 cups were served (20% higher than target) and 50,115 dry samples and coupons given out (11% higher than target).

What details of the strategy make this a winning entry? Sampling could help overcome the core barrier for Carte Noire: target consumers thought it was a dark and bitter coffee and an aloof brand. Carte Noire has a penetration of just 8%. The target audience is much broader: someone already drinking competitor brands, busy, AB, at a middle family life-stage, 35-55 years old. She’s currently very happy with her choice of coffee so it was necessary to understand the exact role it plays in her life. Snatching a moment to savour a premium coffee is a great luxury for busy women. Research unpicked the different dimensions; it’s an escape: the busy day broken by a few pages of a book, listening to music or indulging in a bit of TV. 'Me time' is individual and personal.

How did creativity bring the strategy to life? To conjure an oasis in the midst of high-footfall environments and also allow escape into a personal moment, the creative team started by looking at previous Carte Noire activity. That stand had been a quiet, dark, enclosed space; women took their coffee in and were read book excerpts by a (hunky) actor. This approach worked, but only offered a single experience, not a choice. Historically, the brand had played in the territory of seduction; men would still feature, but this work had to go further. The breakthrough was the realisation that by being able to choose, people feel they’ve personalised the moment. This led to a split stage with separate acts performing at once. In addition, the biggest distraction from calmness is noise. By cutting out the noise of the busy surroundings, women would be able to sink into their me-time. The idea evolved to have all performers silent, with soundtracks played through noise reduction earphones. Visitors chose their performance, had their delicious coffee served by a seductive waiter, and sat back and escaped watching a great act: the perfect environment to savour velvety rich Carte Noire.

Results Over 23 days, 53,905 cups were served: 20% higher than target. The silent performances attracted many people who were given 50,115 sachets and coupons, exceeding target by 11%. A real buzz at the events generated 900,000 OTS. The activity has been shown to pay back in 18 months.

Team Michelle Whelan - Client Service Director, Claire Jeens - Board Account Director, Cathy Dean - Account Director, Tammy Owens - Senior Account Manager, John Atmore - Planning Director, Garry Munns - Creative Director, Dan Kennard - Art Director, Simon McLoughlin - Operations Director