GOODBYE DUMLE LOLLIPOP

TitleGOODBYE DUMLE LOLLIPOP
BrandFAZER
Product/ServiceDUMLE
Category B01. Social Engagement
Entrant FAZER Copenhagen, DENMARK
Idea Creation PUBLICIS MEDIA Copenhagen K, DENMARK
Media Placement PUBLICIS MEDIA Copenhagen K, DENMARK
PR PUBLICIS MEDIA Copenhagen K, DENMARK
Credits
Name Company Position
Sebastian Jensen Publicis Denmark Creative Director
Kathrine Lund Publicis Denmark Client Lead
Maia Schwartz Publicis Denmark PR Consultant
Nadia Christensen Publicis Denmark Performance Specialist

Why is this work relevant for PR?

When it was decided on a Nordic level to terminate the production of the Dumle Lollipop, we decided to turn it into a publicity stunt in Denmark. A country where it was a cultural icon linked in childhood nostalgia. Instead of a silent departure we created a national farewell campaign packed with humor and emotions. The "farewell" stretched an entire week mixing PR with Social platforms and Influencers. The lollipop’s departure became a top-5 trending piece of news. On the back of which sales of Dumle Products was lifted with 41% on avg. for a period of 10 weeks.

Background

Increasing difficulties with the production line (dating back to 1960) a decision was made on a Nordic level to terminate the production of the Dumle Lollipop. In Denmark however, the lollipop had become synonymous with childhood memories like birthdays, Fastelavn (a yearly costume event like Halloween) among other things. We immediately saw the opportunity to create a hyperinflated “Proust-moment”: a nostalgic trip down memory lane, by staging a high strung, but super humorous, "farewell" to a piece of candy. If we imagined and pretended that this occasion - farewell beloved lollipop – was bigger than the Super Bowl and a stateman’s funeral, Combined! ...well we figured the Press and the Danes would play along with us. And they sure did.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

We staged a national Farewell Lollipop Week. A simple farewell ceremony wouldn't do - we are talking about a lollipop here: The ending of an era. Mixed with film clips of ceremonial firing of cannons and fighter planes in parade we let beloved influencer and tv celeb Micki Cheng (former winner of the Great Danish Bakeoff) confirm the sad news to the Danes on social media following a Press Release the day before. Micki would then invite all Dumle fans to post and share their memories with the lollipop, and to join a Facebook live event on Sunday of the campaign week. The live show ended when the last Dumle Lollipop was carried away into the evening sky while a string trio was playing the music from Titanic. Everything was over the top, and that was the point.

Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)

The campaign was designed to steal headlines and crash social media timelines by a well thought out mix of PR, Social Content and Influencers. Key Message "For 60 years the lollipop has been a part of our culture. But now it's over" We let the national media break the news, while we were already set up and prepared to recycle customer reactions and user generated content and feed these back to the press. The product went for sale on DBA (equivalent to Ebay), Auction Houses played along with valuation experts, etc. The Facebook Live event was a way to implement a clear call to action in the social part of the campaign: "Join the farewell show". This way we could harvest the accumulated interest. We had influencer Micki Cheng ready to host the event and "soften the blow" by sharing his very special recipe for a DIY caramel lollipop.

Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)

Day 1: Pitching the story to the press. It immediately got picked up as national news. Dag 2: After a day of suspense we confirmed the news on Dumles social channels and invited all to join the national Facebook Live event ”Farewell Dumle Lollipop – Live w. Micki Cheng” Day 3-6: Fazer joined nothing less than 7 national radio interviews where they unfolded the story of the lollipop and the products remaining on the shelves. Day 3-6: The Danes produced their own goodbyes, shared and liked. We fed these reactions to the press. Dag 3-6: Daily posts on Dumles channels to boost recruitment for the live show. Dag 7: Liveevent on Facebook w. Micki Cheng: A mix of memories, users stories, competitions, recipes, co-creation of DIY lollipops and the final goodbye.

List the results (30% of vote)

PR: Estimated coverage: +3,5 mio. Danes (+60% of population) (EB, BT, TV2, DR, Se&Hør, Radio 4, P1, P3, Helt Væk m.fl.) That's a mix of national tv networks, tabloid media and the top 5 daily newspapers). 25 articles in one week. 7 national radio features. 5 with interviews where the CEO of Fazer Denmark could explain the decision, Fazer commitment to quality and the new Dumle products in the pipeline (in front of as many listeners as +700.000 listeners in "P4 Morgen" (National radio most listened morning radio show). Social and Influencer: Reach: 1.4 mio. Total Post engagements: 700.000 Engagement rate on Live Event: 493% Brand Study proofed remarkable Message Recall: 71% of participants (widest possible target audience) could answer why Dumle had just been mentioned in the news. Sales of the Dumle Portfolio continuing on the shelves: Lift in sales of 41% on avg. during 10 weeks after the campaign week. 198.806 more units sold compared to same period the year before.