Dockers Clothing: "IPHONE SHAKE" Promo / PR Ad by OMD

Category: Best Use of Other Digital Media, including Mobile Devices
Advertiser: DOCKERS
Product/Service: CLOTHING
Date of First Appearance: Mar 13 2009 12:00AM
Entrant Company: OMD , New York, USA
Director Ignition Factory US: Jonathan Haber (OMD)
Director Ignition Factory East Coast: Paul Leys (OMD)
Project Manager Ignition Factory: Trevor Guthrie (OMD)
Channel Planning Director: Alix Hamilton (OMD)
Associate Director of Strategy: Carrie Davis (OMD)
Senior Strategist: Jacqueline Thames (OMD)
Chief Executive Officer: Eric Litman (Medialets)
Senior Account Director: Amy Griffin (Razorfish)
Senior Account Director: Linsey Mounger (Razorfish)
Media placement: Mobile - iPhone Mobile Ad Network - 13/03/2009

Results and Effectiveness
The agency’s proprietary buzz tracking tool indicated a dramatic 300% increase in positive conversations among the target on social media platforms. The campaign garnered approximately 150 press coverage pieces, 2+ billion impressions and 350%+ media value, recognising Dockers as a mobile innovation leader, including mentions in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Advertising Age, and Washington Post. New performance indicators were defined as a “shake” and became a new metric of brand engagement. The campaign experienced positive brand interaction with users shaking dance moves for nearly one minute and roughly half of the audience returning for an encore.

Creative Execution
The iPhone accelerometer (motion-detecting sensor) had never been used within an ad until Dockers pushed the boundaries and leveraged this technology to engage their consumers. In doing so, Dockers created the first-ever interactive “shakeable” advertisement, adding a new dimension to advertising: actual movement. The ad unit ran within a custom-built ad network of iPhone applications. Dockers didn't have to build and promote an application from scratch and then rely on paid media to build a user base, but rather distributed the app-like ad across a custom-built ad network. The Dockers iPhone ad featured freestyle dancer Dufon Smith a.k.a. "Orb" from the popular Seattle dance group “Circle of Fire.” To control the shakeable ads, which were embedded between levels of popular iPhone applications, users shook their phones to initiate different dance moves.

Insights, Strategy & the Idea
Much in the same way that Xerox and Kleenex became generic product references, Dockers had become commoditised and synonymous with the pleated office pant. Dockers wanted to take khakis beyond the cubicle and into the weekend, to be modern, relevant and revolutionise the category. But how do you get people excited? How do you get them to not just think about your brand, but talk about it? Dockers has long been a brand that targets younger men. Research indicates that this target has measured very high in gaming, use of mobile entertainment, and iPhone ownership. Given the importance of technology devices among the younger target, it was essential to use emerging media in a unique manner in order to create excitement around the Dockers brand. The communication strategy was to engage our target through the creative use of an emerging media that would get people talking about Dockers.