31 YEARS CELEBRATING THE POWER OF IDEAS
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SELECT WINNERS YEAR
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Corporate Name of Client: Swedish Tourist Association
Head of Client Services: Magnus Ling
Client Supervisor: Jenny Engström
Client Account Manager: Johanna Murray
PR Company: Cohn&Wolf Stockholm, Stockholm
PR Company: Grey PR New York, New York
PR / Marketing Executives: Tero Marjamäki/Johanna Lindqvist
Agency Senior Account Executive: Joachim Ewert
Agency Strategic Planner: Julia Blomquist
Agency: INGO Stockholm, Stockholm
Executive Creative Director: Björn Ståhl
Copywriter: Magnus Ivansson
Art Director: Gustav Westman
Idea As the first country in the world Sweden, as a country, got its own phone number. When people call it from abroad they get connected to a random Swede, and in the name of freedom of speech, they can talk about anything. Every phone call created an unique picture of Sweden. The Swedish Number created immediately involvement all around the globe. The calls were coming in by the 100.000. And more than 34.000 Swedes enlisted as "telephone ambassadors". Major Media blew it up big, numerous called the number and spoke to random Swedes in live broadcasting on TV and radio. Background Sweden is known for being an open country where people can speak their mind. And in the year 1766 Sweden was the first country in the world to abolish censorship. So during the anniversary 250 years later, when The Swedish Tourist Association wanted to make more people visit Sweden, they decided to give the outside world the uncensored truth. The Swedish Number gave the control of the image of the country to the Swedes themselves. Nothing was censored or pre-arranged. In the name of freedom of speech - what ever opinion you may have, it matters. In a digital world where people hide behind key boards, The Swedish Number created numerous of wonderful person to person meetings with Sweden and Swedish values in focus. By using something old fashioned and analog - a simple telephone. The Swedish Number is open for anyone to call just by using a normal telephone, but only from abroad. Swedes register as "telephone ambassadors" simply by downloading an App. Strategy The Swedish Tourist Association is an organisation with deep roots in Swedish tourism since 1885, running hotels and hostels all over Sweden. Their main objective is to develop tourism and to encourage both Swedes and foreigners to discover Sweden as a country. The world is getting more uncertain, countries are shutting down ways of communication. The Swedish Tourist Association wanted to to the opposite - they wanted to sell Sweden with its peoples values and opinions, whatever they might be. Since every Swede has his/her own perception of his/her country, every call becomes a unique description of Sweden. On the web page theswedishnumber.com, you get the simple background, i.e. The Swedish Number film and statistics in real time regarding the campaign - number of calls, latest calling country, avarage calling time etc. Execution The hub of the campaign was a tailor made sophisticated cloudbased switchboard. One of the largest in the world. The switchboard made sure that calls can only come in from outside Sweden and the it connects it to the next Swede in line to answer. That person is then moved to last in line. If you have a Swedish phone number (+46) you can download The Swedish Number App from App-Store. Register your email and phone number, that's it, then you can start taking calls. The call shows up in your phone lika a normal call. Results The Swedish Number instantly spread rapidly across the globe. People from all countries found it on tens of thousands Live TV-Shows and News channels, Live radioshows, in newspaper articles, in bloggs, on Twitter, on Facebook. Calls came in by the 100.000 and the Swedish people answering represented all parts of society - geographically, ages and opinions. Nothing (ZERO!) was spent on bought media or seeding. The results: Total calls: 187.954 Swedish Phone Ambassadors: 34.069 No of countries calling: 186 (194 in the world) Accumulated calling time367 days. Longest call: 3h 42min Total media impressions: 9.324 billion. Media Value: 147 million dollars (US).