THE EARLY END

TitleTHE EARLY END
BrandSECTOR ALARM
Product/ServiceSECTOR ALARM
Category B01. Use of TV & Other Screens
Entrant ÅKESTAM HOLST Stockholm, SWEDEN
Idea Creation ÅKESTAM HOLST Stockholm, SWEDEN
Media Placement ZENITH Stockholm, SWEDEN
Production ÅKESTAM HOLST Stockholm, SWEDEN
Credits
Name Company Position
Hugo Wallmo Åkestam Holst NoA Art Director
Petter Nylind Åkestam Holst NoA Copywriter
Jesper Ander Åkestam Holst NoA Account Director
Leila Widgren Åkestam Holst NoA Agency Producer
Henrik Sjödin Åkestam Holst NoA Planner
Albin Muji Åkestam Holst NoA Production Manager
Kenna Magnusson Åkestam Holst NoA Motion Designer

Why is this work relevant for Media?

With a simple 30-second film, made especially to fit this exact placement during the very first commercial break, we made the classic Christmas movie Home Alone end after only 20 minutes. And by doing so, we could demonstrate the greatness with a modern connected home alarm to all swedes sitting at home watching, putting a smile on their surprised faces when they realized that the film could have ended right when Kevin had found himself being home alone.

Background

In Sweden, watching Home Alone on tv during the Holidays is just as much a tradition as dancing around the Christmas tree. But the classic film is getting old. If it was a story of today, many things would probably turn out differently for Kevin and his family. Sector Alarm is Sweden’s second largest home alarm company, offering their customers connected state of the art home alarm solutions. With a budget of barely €6000 put on a 30 second TVC and some creative media spend, we moved the Home Alone story into a modern context, turning the Christmas classic in to a short film.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

If Kevin had been left home alone today – and the McCallisters would have had a connected home alarm from Sector Alarm – his poor parents would have noticed that he was still in the house as soon as he would have stepped down from the attic. He would’ve activated one of the sensors connected to the alarm and his parents would then have gotten a notice in their app, and a call from Sector Alarms long before their flight to Paris had left the ground. By making a TVC that looked like the end credits for the film, and placing it as the first spot in the first commercial break during the film, we could get our point through to everyone watching.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

With a budget of barely €6000 euros, we wanted to break through the massive wall of TVC:s communicating sales in the name of the Christmas spirit. To do so, we had to really use the media in the right way to make something disruptive enough to make the Swedish people take notice – right in the middle of all that’s going on during the holidays with relatives, good food and Christmas gifts. So, we put all of our money on making one custom-made spot, and then buying one specific placement in one specific commercial break during one specific film.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

When Swedish TV3 aired Home Alone during the holidays, we ended the film after just 20 minutes by letting the credits roll. This early end was precisely timed with the scene when Kevin steps down from the attic where he slept, and discovers that he is home alone – right when a connected home alarm could easily have averted the miss, and have everyone in the McAllister family enjoy a peaceful Christmas in Paris together. Our 30 second TVC rolls credits that in both style and music feels just like the end credits of Home Alone. But we ended ours with a message saying: With a connected home alarm. The film would have ended here. Followed by the Sector Alarm logo and the line: Secure your home for Christmas at sectoralarm.com

List the results (30% of vote)

Our €6000 TVC production and media spend reached roughly 300.000 swedes on Christmas Eve. The custom made spot created quite the buzz in Sector Alarms social medias, claiming this should be a new tradition (and some urging them to raise the salaries for their “pr-people”, which hasn’t happened as of yet).