Vodafone has joined the game...

After a long period of investing in the relationship with the gaming community through branded content, the time came to create very commercial content to target this hard-to-reach audience. We were posed with the challenge to make a commercial which does not evoke revulsion but actually reinforces the relationship between brand and target group. To prove that Vodafone is the network for gamers.

We met this objective by creating a manifesto, in which we pay a tribute to all gamers. We address them directly but in a specifically honest and unpolished manner. We understand that the last thing they would like to see is that commercial, but we also want to tell them that Vodafone can add something valuable to their existence as a gamer. And not just in the form of a good internet connection. For example, their partnership with ESL, the organiser of big international gaming tournaments, offers customers many free extras. To get this commercial message through their heads, we have mixed it with meme's, jokes and game-related Easter eggs that match their culture. And that was something they appreciated.

Normally, views on YouTube only mean something when they have been obtained organically because anyone with money can buy views. What is interesting in this case, is the relationship between the number of comments and the average viewing time. With 4,400,000 paid views, a watch time of 82% on a video with a duration of 1:15 and 1300+ likes & comments is exceptionally high for an advertisement. That is a result we are quite proud of.