Winners & Shortlists

THE GAY BUREAU

TitleTHE GAY BUREAU
BrandTHE PRESS BUREAU [PRESSBYRÅN]
Product/ServiceCONVENIENCE STORE CHAIN
Category A04. AMBIENT MEDIA: LARGE SCALE
Entrant Company ÅKESTAM HOLST Stockholm, SWEDEN
Advertising Agency ÅKESTAM HOLST Stockholm, SWEDEN
Credits
Name Company Position
Andreas Ullenius Åkestam Holst Creative Director
Fredrik Josefsson Åkestam Holst Art Director
Adam Reuterskiöld Åkestam Holst Copywriter
Sara Clewemar Åkestam Holst Account Director
Bella Lagerquist Åkestam Holst Account Manager
Sara Bellafesta Åkestam Holst Graphic Designer
Patrik Karlsson Åkestam Holst Planner
Annamaria Carnemark Pressbyrån Advertiser's Supervisor
Lennart Schultz Pressbyrån Advertiser's Supervisor

The Brief

The gay movement has recently encountered a few setbacks. In the East as well as the West and even in Stockholm. The Press Bureau, a 100-year-old convenience store chain that has always been on the liberal side, wanted to make their point of view clear on this matter. For customers, non-customers and employees.

Creative Execution

Changing name of The Press Bureau [Pressbyrån] in Sweden is like changing the name of croissants in France. So to rebranding the shops gave a clear message about their support to the gay movement, without the need to scream out their view loud.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

The Stockholm Pride festival, packed with journalists, spectators and people in general, was chosen as the perfect opportunity and arena. But since everyone here screams for attention, this old chain chose a different approach. The night before the festival, quietly all over Stockholm city, we rebranded the actual shops into The Gay Bureau. The Dyke Bureau. The Queer Bureau. The Trans Bureau. The Homo Bureau.

Results

The stores were filled with customers, flags and bags ran out of stock and were requested worldwide. People loved this old company's courage and spread the word. Increase in sales after the campaign: 6 %. And a world just a little bit better.