Kenco…established in 1923, opened their first coffee shop in Sloane Square purveyors of the Really Dark, Really Smooth and Really Rich coffee brands – an aristocratic, slinky brand if ever there was one. So when we heard that one of the Kraft coffee brands getting a makeover was Kenco we immediately started formulating a campaign.
Coffee has a great deal going for it when it comes to promotional aspects – it’s cool, sensual, slightly mysterious, rich, dark…in fact it is very much an advertising dream.
So where do we start?
The first stage of our campaign would be centred on creating an initial buzz. We’d start this with simultaneous city centre launches of our operations. At a prearranged time (most likely 5:45pm on a Friday for maximum exposure) we would have film crews and models descend on prominent city centre monuments – think Nelson’s Column – and quickly erect what appeared to be a film set.
The models would be dressed exclusively in evening wear and, for preference, would make any conversation with the camera crews in French (romantic and mysterious y’see). They would be directed to drape themselves over parts of the monument whilst drinking beautifully presented coffee. Crews, cameras and clapper boards would be reasonably subtly Kenco branded.
Rather than discourage the public as with normal shoots, the crew chief (large, showman, Italian for preference!) would encourage them to watch affairs and film the event on their mobile phones. Furthermore, whilst this went on brand operatives would be circulating in the crowd distributing Kenco taster cups.
These initial filming incidents would be backed up later in the evening (again, a Friday is perfect for the opening of the campaign) with smaller scale operations around prominent bars and nightspots – they would take the exact pattern of the earlier activity.
Follow up buzz activity would take a slightly different tack and would be based in well-frequented, packed cafes and bars. Here the actor/model balance is slightly different – one being drop dead gorgeous and the other somewhat more plain (this could work in both directions as it were – male/female and female/male).
The pair would not appear to be together and would, in fact, be sat at tables a distance apart – both in full view of the majority of the clientele. The plainer of the pair would order a coffee and would turn his nose up at the establishment’s serving.
Publicly and theatrically he would then remove from a briefcase all the items required to make a cup of coffee – bone china cup, thermos of boiling water etc. Finally he would remove a jar of Kenco and, placing it prominently on the table, mix a cup of coffee. By now all eyes should be on him. This is the cue for the stunning model to leave her table and shed her coat – which has been disguising her slinky, expensive, little black number.
She would then prowl toward him (there can be no other word for it) and, when sure that all eyes were on her as she reached his table, kiss him passionately, write what appeared to be her phone number (though it would actually be a Kenco hotline in case enterprising types noted it down and rang) on his briefcase and leave immediately. By now everyone in the venue would be looking at him – and so a raise of the cup, wink and pat of the Kenco jar should finish the theatre off nicely.
This buzz generation would take place over the course of one week and would immediately be followed by stage two of our campaign.
This would take the shape of a day/night exercise over the course of a week. The day operations would consist of roaming operatives on the morning tubes, trains and buses across the country. Perfectly dressed as butlers or maids (and once again they have to be superb physical specimens…it does make an impact) they would dispense small shots of strong coffee from the kind of delivery systems normally reserved for tequila.
The disposable cups would be Kenco branded and have a hotline number. At the bottom of the miniature cup would be a number – and instructions urging the recipient to phone the hotline to find out what the number meant…naturally it would be a prize
But this prize would have to be staggeringly cool and desirable – a three-week tour of the world’s major cities and their top casinos with all casino funds paid for and flights being exclusively first class and hotels five star as an example (what? It’s our campaign – we’re making the rules and setting the budgets here! Sometimes a huge international impact requires a significant financial outlay!).
The evening ops would take place in popular or busy spots – squares, outside popular bars and the like. Here a group of well-trained staff would appear and rapidly set up several tables, apply tablecloths, set them for coffee and add candlesticks and chairs. They would then move on just as a group of butlers arrived, lit the candles and began preparing coffee. By now people will be staring…so the models that are arriving at this point should have a crowd to work with. Each model would pick a random member of the public from the crowd and invite them to have coffee there, in the street. They would then make small-talk with only occasional reference to Kenco.
At a prearranged signal the original team would return and rapidly pack up as the models said their goodbyes and presented their “dates” with Kenco branded goodies – a small book of coffee recipes, a jar of Kenco and an ornamental coffee caddy perhaps – and, of course, a number for the prize draw. Then they would move on to another locale and repeat the exercise.
Concurrent with this would be the setting up of a website to enter the competition for those unlucky enough not to be able to take part in the experiential campaigning.
At the end of this week of activity – which would be accompanied by copious literature and advertising setting the date of the announcement of the prize winner – a Kenco advert would run on prime time TV that consisted simply of the winning number, the text “You’ve Won. Phone Now.” and the telephone number to claim the prize.
After that, well, we’d let the media do the rest! We expect that this campaign, whilst expensive, would recoup all its costs through the massive media coverage we are sure it would gain. It would be a once in a lifetime operation with, we feel, incredible results.