“The MMA Smarties are an important part of the awards calendar in recognising marketing for digital and emerging technology platforms,” says joint CEO Jarred Cinman.
Cinman adds, “We are particularly impressed with the rigour of judging and forward-thinking categories they provide. It is of course an honour to receive recognition as an agency but most of the thanks must go to our brave, inspiring and ambitious clients, in this instance Nando’s. Without them, there is no work and so for us winning is a celebration not only for the amazingly talented people on our team but also of these clients who make it all possible.”
About The Work
A response to South Africa’s load-shedding woes, Nando’s ‘Bright Sides’ campaign allowed South Africans to order free sides with any full chicken order, with the number of sides corresponding to the level of load shedding the country was on at the time. For example, if the country was on level two, customers could order two free sides with their meal.
The offer was available exclusively through Nando’s app or e-commerce website, which VMLY&R developed.
The brand says that it is simple in theory, but with Eskom’s fluctuating load-shedding calendar, it required built-in agility so that the deals could update in real-time. Developers, tech teams and two creative agencies had to coordinate with precision in order to bring it to life.
The campaign was supported by PR efforts and strategically placed ads across multiple channels, including ESP — the go-to app for dejected load-shedding victims.
The result was a digital execution that embodied VMLY&R’s brand promise of creating work that lives in people’s lives. It increased sales, drove more customers to the Nando’s app and website and generated positive PR value.
More importantly, it gave South Africans a reason to smile, by bringing an element of lightness to something that was getting the country down — a hallmark of the Nando’s brand, the group concludes. All this made ‘The Bright Sides’ a worthy winner at the SMARTIES Awards.
In total, VMLY&R’s wins on the night include the following:
- Gold: Real time marketing
- Gold: Cross Platform Digital Only
- Gold: Brand Experience
- Gold: Integrated Commerce Innovation
- Silver: Instant Impact
- Gold: Agency of the Year, and
- Gold: Best in Show.
For a complete list of winners, individuals can view it here.
For more information, visit www.mmaglobal.com. You can also follow MMA Global on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.
VMLY&R South Africa SMARTIES Awards VMLY&R South Africa wins at the SMARTIES Awards VMLY&R VMLY&R Nando’s campaign Nando’s campaign Nando’s Bright Side campaign
