2005 BEST STRATEGIC LAUNCH CAMPAIGN WINNER

CAMPAIGN - The Day After Tomorrow

AGENCY - Publicis Media

CLIENT - 20th Century Fox

SPONSORED BY
sbs

OBJECTIVE

The international marketing brief from Fox in Los Angeles said: Make this the biggest film of all year, if not of all time. Given that people don't appreciate disaster movies the way they used to - they've got the feeling they've "seen it before" - Publicis needed something massive.

CAMPAIGN

The Day After Tomorrow's launch coincided with the Brad Pitt epic Troy, and there were no A-lister megastars. On a positive note, Publicis had the insight that people do believe sudden climatic change is a real possibility, and want to see movies they can relate to.

So, in a world first, Publicis Media froze the Big Brother house.

Building the anticipation among viewers over a week, the campaign shocked the housemates by creating widespread climatic change - a terrifying cyclone which dropped a few feet of snow - right on the Gold Coast.

The reactions were broadcast to hundreds of thousands of regular cinemagoers, who then saw the housemates who were treated to the global premiere of the movie, giving it rave reviews. A world first for an advertiser, with unprecedented editorial collaboration.

RESULTS

The Australian box office outperformed the US on a pro rata basis by 11%. The opening weekend box office was higher than Troy. An online survey of 400 people was conducted pre and post the event - in each, 50% were recent Big Brother viewers. The BB viewers far exceeded others in responding "Don't want to miss it" and "Must see movie".

JUDGE'S COMMENTS

"The campaign tapped into insight and integrated into adopted vehicle very well."