2021 Social & Influencer

DON'T HATE. IMITATE. - THE SUPER BOWL CLAPBACK

TitleDON'T HATE. IMITATE. - THE SUPER BOWL CLAPBACK
BrandAUDI NORWAY
Product/ServiceAUDI E-TRON
Category D02. Challenger Brand
Entrant POL Oslo, NORWAY
Idea Creation POL Oslo, NORWAY
Production EINAR FILM & FORTELLINGER Oslo, NORWAY
Credits
Name Company Position
Robert Radoli POL Oslo Creative / Copywriter
Thorbjørn Ruud POL Oslo Creative / Art Director
Petter Bryde POL Oslo Account Executive
Shirin Pakzamir POL Oslo Project Manager
Ole Jakob Skattum POL Oslo Designer
Tommy Jensen Audi Norway Client
Elin Rosnes Sinervo Audi Norway Client
Aksel Hennnie Einar Film Director
Guri Neby Einar Film Executive Producer
Nicoline Helgø Einar Film Producer
Rut Solli Einar Film Producer
Sebastian Andrés Knutsen Einar Film Production Manager
Pål Ulvik Rokseth Einar Film DoP
Cyril Boije Einar Film Post Producer
Ida Fiskerud Shortcut Post Producer
Magnus Evensen Shortcut Offline Editor
Eirik Aarnes Vik Shortcut Online Grade
Petter Fagelund Shortcut Composer
Geirr Johnsen Bråkmaker Case Video Editor

Why is this work relevant for Social & Influencer?

Audi Norway’s “Don’t Hate. Imitate – The SuperBowl Clapback” was a series of social videos made in response to competitor GMs SuperBowl campaign launched just days before the big game. Our response was produced and launched within 48 hours and was a challenge to change targeted back at GM and their hired gun Will Ferrell. By challenging GM and Ferrell with entertaining responses, we achieved our target: Social sharing and being at the center of the conversation in connection with the biggest sporting event. Using social media was key to get our response spread in time for the SuperBowl.

Background

For this year's Super Bowl campaign Audi’s competitor, General Motors, promoted its electric vehicles with a series of teasers and a lead spot. “Why does Will Ferrell hate Norway?” was GMs big question. The spots featured Hollywood star Ferrell declaring his hate for Norway and waging war on the nation up north. His “hatred” was apparently fueled by the fact that Norway is selling more EVs than any other country in the world. As the best-selling EV-brand in Norway, Audi felt the need to respond swiftly and challenge back in true Norwegian, salmon-slapping style with the best Norway have to offer. With just days left to the Super Bowl, we had to act fast to win the EV-battle of The Super Bowl. It was the little "Norwegian David" versus the big "American Goliath", so the scene was set for a comeback of biblical proportions.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

“Don’t Hate. Imitate” was the creative idea, the perfect response and challenge to change directed at GM and Will Ferrell’s for their “hate” for Norway. We challenged them to follow our lead, rather than hate. We recruited influencer, Game of Thrones star and proud Norwegian Kristofer Hivju (aka Tormund Giantsbane in GoT) to defend our country and spearhead our clapback against GM and Ferrell. GM wanted to set a new agenda and disrupt the auto market with their giant EV-push, but Audi Norway had other ideas. We disrupted the disruption with a bold “newsjacking”-idea.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

GMs campaign was first launched in social media, so it made sense to hit back in social media. With just days left to the big game, it was key to respond as fast as possible and target GM and Will Ferrell directly and get together all the ingredients for a great, shareable social video response. And so, we did: By putting influencer, Game of Thrones star and “archetypical Hollywood-Viking-Norwegian” Kristofer Hivju, up against the “American-Hollywood-comedy-icon” Will Ferrell, we had the fuel to make it take off in social media. Two big stars and two big brands in a public “back and forth” war, national pride, the biggest sporting event on the planet and hilarious video content that made people laugh, talk and share in their social media – all with a clear challenge: Don’t hate. Imitate.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Our videos starred influencer and Norwegian Game of Thrones star Kristofer Hivju. We plaid around with key elements and storyline from the GM ads and hit back with a humorous twist. In GMs ad Ferrell, in his determination to hate Norway, punched a hole in a globe where Norway is located. We turned the crushed globe, the symbol of his hate to Norway, into one of the key elements in our response. Ferrell also prank ordered 5 million pizzas to Norway and mocked the history of Norway. All in which we used to create the perfect comeback. Our response videos where spread on facebook, youtube, Instagram and earned media and seen by millions Produced and launched within 48 hours and just in time for Super Bowl. We fought back in true Norwegian style with tailor-made, social video responses to GM and Ferrell with one simple challenge: Don't Hate. Imitate.

List the results (30% of vote)

Our social response videos got over 3,4 million views in 3 days. It generated 1257 news stories, 1,2 billion earned and social media impressions - media coverage worth 8 million euros. With a fraction of the spend of the GM campaign, we punched way above our weight. We “won” the battle of EVs on the biggest day of TV advertising with a series of social videos. The ultimate mark of success: Our response created so much attention GM had to address it publicly. In the words of the official GM statement: “It’s been incredible to see the high-profile creative responses to our SuperBowl ad and Audi Norway’s video series is a favorite at GM. The goal is to create a movement toward EVs and it’s natural for us to look to Norway, the leading EV-country.” - Sounds to us like they accepted our challenge and “stopped hating and started imitating."

Please tell us about how the work challenged / was different from the brands competitors

“Don’t Hate. Imitate.”, was a direct challenge and response to our competitor GM, and the auto industry in general. We challenged GM and all other auto brands to follow Audi Norway’s lead into the new era of electric vehicles. When GM, one of the biggest players in the industry, went all-in to disrupt the market with a historical shift to electric vehicles, we simply couldn’t outspend them - we had to outsmart them. We disrupted their disruption with a bold “newsjacking”-idea that stole the attention on the biggest stage – The Super Bowl. Automotive ad campaigns, and especially Super Bowl automotive ad campaigns, are usually a product of long thorough strategy- and production processes. We produced and launched our response in just 48 hours. By doing things differently and being agile, we challenged GM with a friendly counterattack and an open invitation to change.