CASE STUDY: Docomo joins forces with Darth Vader against Apple in Japan

Background

Ever since portable mobile numbers between carriers was introduced few years ago, Docomo's position as market leader in Japan has been slipping, especially following the launch and subsequent media focus on new Apple products iPhone and iPad.

Aim

Docomo wanted to regain its status as market leader. 

The brand set out to launch a campaign positioning the mobile phone as your 'other-self' rather than just a gadget. The campaign was centered around the concept that you and your phone are one. The phone talks to you, plays with you and its always with you, whenever and wherever.

Execution

In the launch campaign, world famous Japanese actor Ken Watanabe portrayed a young man's mobile phone. In the second phase, someone appointed Darth Vader as his mobile phone, a personification of the Android phone Galaxy S. A subsequent search was launched to find the owner, prompting all participants to ask who owns Darth Vader?

The teaser maximised the noise in the market to anticipate the mystery in the main campaign titled ‘Walk with you’, which reveals Darth Vader's boss. 

The search was announced nationwide across nine cities running across print, OOH, staged events showing Dart Vader walking through the streets, You Tube, Twitter, online and mobile. The creative featured a picture of Darth Vader with the caption ‘Who is my boss?’.

Those looking to claim Darth Vader were sent to a dedicated website to enter their name and upload a photo. A short video was then automatically generated that shows Darth Vader encountering the profile. After reading aloud the name (which must be entered in kana), he says, “Sorry, but you are not my boss.”

Darth Vader’s boss was eventually revealed on nationwide TV.

Results

The website, including online and mobile, received 396,400 page views.

9,417 tweets were sent.

The campaign created huge buzz on-air and online nationwide.

The number of phones sold during the quarter in which the campaign ran increased five per cent over the previous year, marking the first increase in three years.

1,770,000 new users joined in this quarter, 400,000 more than forecasted.

The campaigned model Galaxy S sold out throughout the nation.

Credits

Brand NTT Docomo
Campaign Walk with you.
Title Who is my boss?
Agencies Tugboat, Dentsu, NTT Advertising
Exposure TV, print, OOH, online, events, Twitter