2016 Silver Retail

Agency AMV BBDO

Client Currys PC World

Campaign summary A very un-subtle hint for what I want this Christmas

Campaign overview

The objective was to put Currys PC World top of mind as people started their Christmas shopping.

Compelling reasons why people should buy were built on the wider campaign about the lengths people go to in order to avoid having to put on a brave face and fake smile.

Strategy

66% of Brits get unwanted Christmas gifts - but are too polite to say what they really want.

The Currys PC World Christmas campaign dramatised how, if you came to the retailer, nobody would have to pretend to like their presents because Currys could help find products everyone would love.

The ‘Drop a Hint’ element of the campaign helped people get what they really wanted for Christmas by targeting their loved ones with not-so-subtle pointers.

With media channels placed in consumers’ hands, Currys gave people a tool to steer their loved one towards gifts they really wanted.

Members of the public could go onto a hub on the Currys PC World website and fill in their details: their ideal tech presents; a present they definitely didn’t want; the person who needed the hint; and where to reach that person with the hint.

Creativity

The ‘Drop a Hint’ campaign was the world’s first contextually relevant, mass personalisation campaign that used broadcast media.

Using the data gathered, highly targeted executions spoke precisely to a primary audience of one. Posters targeted people at their exact location. Some followed them from morning until night with tailored messages. And while some nudged shoppers along, others went heavier handed with their ‘hints’.

Powered by data, the campaign could get even more creative. Local artists created murals of the hints to an ad van finding people when they least expected it. On radio Jeff Goldblum, a star in the ‘Spare the Act’ broadcast campaign, voiced a number of targeted radio executions - telling particular commuters what their loved ones really wanted for Christmas. The idea also extended into paid social and CRM.

Results

Tom Kerr, business director at Posterscope said: ‘It’s been great to work with Currys PC World on the world’s first contextually relevant, mass personalisation campaign.

This is a fantastic example of how out-of-home advertising can create relevance by location.’ This shows how creative use of data and media can lead to unique work that catches the attention of the target audience. It drove engagement on social media, and helped to drive persuasion scores for the retailer.

Team

Stephen Stretton (Creative Director) • Richard Connor (Creative) • David White (Creative)

Contributors

Blue 449 (Media Agency)