Y&R, FCB and Vodafone are going to leave some poor bugger on a raft in Auckland this winter while their best friends are soaking up the sun on a Fijian Island. It’s part of an edgy campaign to promote Vodafone’s Best, Best Mate new set of prepaid mobile plans for young kiwis.
The campaign is running now and Vodafone’s Delina Shield says they’re searching for: “one extraordinary kiwi willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, so their friends can take a tropical island holiday in Fiji.
“Would you take a skinny dip in the ocean mid-winter? Eat the hottest chilli in the world, to win your mates a tropical island experience in Fiji?
“Knowing what we do of the fickle youth market and how they consume media and engage with brands, we had to approach this launch differently. Understanding this audience demands something in exchange for their time, and that social media and content is their personal currency, our media strategy was shaped in a way that both mirrored and fuelled this behaviour.
“The Edge was the perfect partner for Vodafone NZ’s Best Best Mate campaign activation due to their ability to reach and engage with this audience across multiple platforms as well as the opportunity to access their talent in order build credibility through endorsement of friends and influencers. As a result we have a truly integrated media partnership and we can’t wait to see it come to fruition,” she said.
Shields believes they’re onto a winner. “This is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for an amazing group of kiwi mates. Vodafone Mates is all about celebrating what’s great about kiwi friendship, and we’re going to have a lot of fun bringing that to life through this search.”
Vodafone Mates is offering four kiwi friends the chance to enjoy an all-expenses paid tropical island holiday in Fiji at Beachcomber Island for up to six nights. The catch is one of the mates will have to earn the trip for them, by staying behind in New Zealand and marooning him/herself on a barge anchored in the middle of Waitemata Harbour.
“They’ll be sleeping in a tent, and the longer they stay on the barge – the longer their mates can stay on Beachcomber Island. The Best Best Mate will also be asked to do a series of challenges, like taking a skinny dip, just so their three friends can enjoy extra experiences in Fiji, like a fishing trip, or a snorkelling adventure.”
Throughout the week, the maroonee will feature in shows across The Edge. Listeners will also be able to join in, winning cash for themselves, or choosing to give up the money to do something in support of the maroonee, in order to make their stay on the barge more comfortable.
“The person we’re looking for is going to be someone fairly extraordinary – someone who’s willing to put themselves on the line, and take one for the team,” Shields said. “That’s what great kiwi mateship is all about.”
People have until August 19 to enter the search for NZ’s Best Best Mate. To enter, tune in to The Edge daily and listen out for the cue to call (conditions apply). During The Edge Breakfast Show with Jay-Jay, Dom and Randell, on Monday 22 August, a name will be drawn out of a hat to identify the mate who will be marooned on the barge and transported by boat into the Auckland Harbour. Meanwhile, their three mates will be flown to Fiji.
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