Background
Iconic mobile phone brand Sony Ericsson is positioning itself to be the most entertainment-driven brand in the current market. Its products enable users to do more than just communicate, inspiring creativity and encouraging participation in experiences that blur the boundaries between communication and entertainment.
Against this background comes the latest offering by Sony Ericsson, the Xperia™ play, which was launched in the Middle East in May 2011. Xperia™ play is a unique smartphone, with the first PlayStation®-certified game control, designed by the PlayStation team to maximize users’ gaming experience.
Challenge
The entertainment and communication challenge was twofold: 1) to enable participants to explore the new launch via inclusive and engaging experiences such as games, applications, and quizzes on social media networks; and 2) to translate users’ awareness of and engagement with the product into sales. The central idea was to encourage visitors to learn about the Xperia™ play through actively exploring the product.
Approach
Flip Media were responsible for managing Sony Ericsson’s social media presence throughout the Middle East. To supplement the on-ground launch of Xperia™ play, Flip Media proposed an online campaign to raise awareness and have a direct bearing on sales. The idea zeroed in on a Facebook application in the form of a simple but engaging quiz competition: Name the Game.
The competition featured a series of multiple-choice questions that required participants to identify the names of video games just from looking at their screenshots. Faced with the thrill of making the right guess and motivated to pit their knowledge of games against others, users were drawn into an inclusive challenge which increased their awareness of and excitement about Xperia™ play. Participants with perfect scores were entered into a prize draw entitling each winner to an Xperia™ play.
Result
The campaign gave Xperia™ play the required attention on Facebook, enabling the region’s target audiences to connect with each other, while rewards incentivised participation in the campaign and put the product into the hands of Sony Ericsson’s target group.
The campaign crowned 10 winners from across the region, including KSA, UAE, Lebanon, and Kuwait. Sony Ericsson Middle East’s presence on Facebook achieved positive traction with an increase of 2,700 fans. Over the entire eight-week duration of the competition, the game was played more the 47,000 times, ultimately ensuring that Sony Ericsson captivated the Middle Eastern audience.
