CURIOUS CONNECTIVITY
BRIEF
In October 2017, Vodafone underwent a global brand refresh, introducing a revamp of its iconic Speechmark logo and new positioning, The Future is Exciting. Ready?
Some seven months later, CeBIT Australia 2018 — Asia Pacific’s largest and longest-running B2B technology exhibition — presented an ideal confluence of opportunities for the perennial telco challenger:
to showcase its new look and feel on a regional scale
to shift perceptions amongst key business leaders unaware of innovative technologies outside consumer mobiles
to announce its move towards becoming a total business communications provider
STRATEGY
The telco space is full of clichés and tired jargon. Add to that the expected conventions of the convention space (that a stand should be open and visible at all times) and you have a very predictable formula.
If Vodafone truly was becoming a technology innovator, we had to rise above the expected and transcend towards the unexpected — to zig when other zag — with some tried and true reverse psychology.
As official strategic sponsor of CeBIT Australia 2018, Vodafone wanted attendees to know that, with its leading Internet of Things (IoT) product range, its stand was what the future of business technology looked like.
SOLUTION
By deliberately enclosing our space, the idea was to arouse people's interest enough that they simply had to know what was inside, and were therefore compelled to queue up to enter.
Based on a speakeasy, our ambient metropolis was an exercise in constraint and measure: clandestine, silhouetted and designed to pique curiosity through a translucent membrane that embodied the gentle art of enticement.
Under a sheer crimson chiffon veil, a premium futuristic experience awaited, whilst outwardly, silhouetted technologists interacted with Vodafone Global SIM powered products in a relaxed, intimate and exclusive atmosphere.
'CURIOUS CONNECTIVITY' MOOD BOARD
CONNECTIVITY
As custodians of all things ‘future’, Vodafone needed to strike a balance between tech and humanity while connecting guests to each other and the things they love.
To make them understand how its smart tech would benefit their lives, we showcased the six new tech products in a way that flexed Vodafone’s network muscle through the metaphor of an intriguing sanctuary that opened up exciting possibilities for businesses of the future:
Smart Hard Hat by Engidi
Pod 3 by POD Trackers
Multisensor by Oysta
Smart Sensor by CCP Technology
SmartLink+ by Securenet
Vodafone One Net Business
EFFECTIVENESS
The target for staff was to initiate quality conversations with relevant people, book 250 appointments from prospects, and generate business leads for future sales.
The other logistical challenge was that the stand location changed from 2017. Albeit positioned in the centre of Darling Harbour’s ICC Sydney, the significantly smaller footprint (9m x 8m) meant we would have to vie for the attention of over 15,000 tech professionals over 3 days amidst 300 other exhibitor stands — so a big idea was needed to cut through the clutter.
As a challenger telco, we had to create a sense of mystery and intrigue. Of entry into an almost-sacred space that wasn’t, at first glance, for everyone. But rather, reserved for the chosen, the truly worthy — the curiously connected.
MEDIA
Agency: Urban • Role: Creative Direction, Creative Development, Copywriting • Production: DisplayWise