This story appears in the April/May 2016 issue of strategy.

Gold: Small Budget, Big Impact

Reviveaphone, a European repair kit for water-damaged phones, was set to launch in North America, targeting 24- to 35-year-old men with an interest in technology.

To introduce the product, the brand used a strategy based on a trend observed during Apple product launches. Some social media users would push the new Apple products to their limits by exposing them to weather or physical shocks. Reviveaphone and Lg2 saw the opportunity to be part of those discussions online and decided to take advantage of the highly-anticipated release of the iPhone 6.

Canadian musician Michael Mooney was flown to Australia, spending 22 hours on a plane so he could be among the first to purchase an iPhone 6. He then dunked the new device into a pitcher of beer. The challenge was to revive it within 24 hours using Reviveaphone’s repair kit. The entire experience was captured on camera and the agency created a four-minute video showcasing Mooney’s journey. The film was posted on YouTube 36 hours after the launch of the new iPhone.

The team used a seeding strategy to fuel word-of-mouth online, leveraging content hubs, tech blogs and social media influencers to share the story. A special promotional package, with free shipping for a limited time, was developed.

All 300 units were sold online and, during its first week, the video helped drive 25,000 unique visitors to the website. North Americans viewed 73% of the four-minute video and it tracked 250,000 views in the first week of its launch. It was also shared 12,000 times on Facebook, 2,000 times on Twitter and was featured on more than 100 websites.

Credits
Advertiser | Reviveaphone
Marketers | Jeff Carrier, Francis Desrochers, Karl Janelle
Agency | Lg2
VP, CD | Marc Fortin
Designer | Philippe Comeau
Digital strategic planner | François Royer Mireault
Producer | Johanne Pelland
Director | Anthony Ayotte