How advertised to the best marketing agencies in Iran
We challenged the conventional idea of advertising in Iran
COMMUNICATION CHALLENGE
We at Zigma8 branding and advertising agency were proud to be given the opportunity to partner with the internationally run Global Synergy business forum. This gathering would be the most attended business gathering in Iran to that date. With close to two thousand attendees expected and an online audience of tens of thousands of business enthusiasts, we were keenly aware that this opportunity to present our strengths should not go to waste. To do this, we’d be taking on not one but two challenges: firstly, to promote and brand the event, and secondly, to promote the Zigma8 brand at the event.
Success in selling tickets for an event about marketing in Iran
So how was it that we were able to sell out the conference—while also reaching an even greater audience than anticipated—and impress the local business community in such a way that we’d sell ourselves?
COMMUNICATION SOLUTION
To reach the local business community, we chose to run a PR campaign that would highlight the event’s international might while also showcasing the event’s international guest speakers. We employed a targeted approach and shared content across social media in Iran at a high frequency. By doing this, we were able to gain a lot of interest among the budding business community. Our strategy was to help the videos go viral by creating valuable content that our audience would want to share. We achieved this by showing snippets of inspirational speeches from their previous events.
How we succeeded with marketing and advertising activities in Iran
For the promotion of Zigma8, we needed a strong strategy, so we chose to make the event unlike anything ever seen in Iran. By doing this, we’d significantly increase both the event’s audience as well as ours. One way in which we achieved this outcome was by providing a live feed for our newly-acquired audience on social media. No advertising agency in Iran had used this technique up to that point, so we used it as a point of differentiation.
Exploring new ways with our advertising campaign in Iran
We knew that we’d need to be distinctive with our distinction, so we created an unforgettable campaign—entitled ‘ATL, BTL… RIP?’*—that played with the word “LIVE” while challenging the market’s complacency with traditional advertising and media. In doing this, we’d reach a wider audience with a memorable message that would prove our innovation.
ATL, BTL, RIP?! Campaign:
- Entrance decor: three funeral styled limousines; decorated with flowers
- Entrance Samplers: visitors engaged; gifted white funeral roses gifted
- Live interior decor: zombie sampler gifting promo-scrolls from casket
- Gift and CSR: Zigma8 book on advertising given for charitable donation
- Flashmob: Choir sing in front of the funeral decor; influencer engagement
- Viral video: live social media broadcasting; attendees filming and sharing
COMMUNICATION RESULT
Although we were pleased that the event sold out within a short time of being announced, running social media campaigns is something we comfortably do. Beyond the fact that our Synergy Forum posts went viral—gaining up to 78,000 views per post—we were just as pleased by the fact that our faux-funeral flashmob achieved the desired effect of being shared by the attendees and guest speakers alike.
Award-winning marketing and advertising in Iran
We enjoy getting results for our customers, and we’d be lying if we said we don’t enjoy winning awards for those results. This marketing and advertising campaign in Iran got both! At the 2020 ACEF Global Customer Engagement Award, this campaign won us the Most Admired BTL Agency for Customer Engagement. As if that wasn’t enough, the campaign also won another award for Top Experiential Marketing. Well done to us, but more importantly, well done to our team — without them, it wouldn’t have been possible.
*Above the line - advertising on media that is for the most-part publicly free to access: billboards and TV for e.g.
**Below the line - advertising on media that is accessible through paid access: in-store and in magazines for e.g.
