Build a Bash

Challenge
Koodo Mobile wanted to go beyond their traditional campaigns and engage with mobile consumers across a variety of social media platforms.

Strategic Approach
Espresso developed the Build-a-Bash program, a dynamic contest with a custom $50,000 grand prize. Open to Canadians thirteen and up (excluding Quebec), Build-a-Bash encouraged users to create ‘the best party ever’ with their friends. At the end of the contest period, one winner was drawn at random to actually win their party. BuildABash.ca utilized Facebook Connect, which allowed users to leverage their existing social networks throughout their efforts to build a party with Koodo Mobile.

Execution
Two parties kicked off the Build-a-Bash launch, targeting key influencers from university and college social networks in Vancouver and Toronto. On-site kiosks provided partygoers with instant access to BuildABash.ca while prizing and party favours kept the events running all night long. Secondary to being a contest site, Build-a-Bash was designed to educate users about Koodo Mobile’s offerings while also encouraging them to visit local Koodo stores. With the main premise of the contest being that users want to add more points to their parties (to increase their ballots in the final draw), Espresso created two mechanisms to reward extra points: Koodo-tainment modules and Koodo Codes.

Presented as clever video clips and short trivia questions, the Koodo-tainment modules contained information about Koodo Mobile’s service offerings and points of differentiation from other carriers. After playing through a module—about 15-30 seconds in length—users were rewarded with additional party points.

Koodo Codes, on the other hand, took users offline in their quest to add more points to their Build-a-Bash parties. Espresso distributed the 7-digit codes across Canada: at Koodo stores, events, and even on existing mass media Koodo advertisements.

Espresso also managed a Twitter account: @KoodoParty. The fictitious persona distributed Koodo Codes and interacted with Canadian students and avid party-goers in a fun manner, while answering questions about the Build-a-Bash promotion.

Results
Thanks to its straightforward design and functionality, the Build-a-Bash website experienced significant repeat visits from users and site traffic grew at a steady rate throughout the campaign. The @KoodoParty Twitter account engaged in dozens of positive conversations with curious Build-a-Bash users and, as such, received a higher than average follow-back rate for a corporate account. Photos and stories from the launch parties appeared across Canadian Facebook pages, personal blogs, and Twitter feeds, and Build-a-Bash was covered by Marketing Magazine, Media in Canada, Mobile Syrup, PR in Canada, and more.