Tell us about your role in the creation of this work.
I’m Juan Pablo Garcia, COO at MullenLowe SSP3 and I also run all the integrated team for the Aruba Tourism Autorithy, from brand strategy, media, social, web, ecrm, pr to the rest of communication disciplines. Aruba is our largest integrated team in Latin America.
Give us an overview of the campaign, what is it about?
One of the most romantic moments that keep some clichés is a proposal. So, for the very first time, a destination created a movement to empower women in love and ask them to propose to their boyfriends, but it had to happen in the most romantic scenes of the Caribbean: Aruba. The campaign is called #HeSaidYes, using the traditional hash tag used by women when they accept the proposals, and it was aired in 6 countries in Latin America, reaching more than 3.600 women interested, USD 370.000 in PR Value, +11% outbound to partners and more than 18 million people reached.
Tell us about the creative brief, what did it ask?
Romance is one of the main business niches in tourism, especially among all the Caribbean destinations, but Aruba is mainly well known for family trips, so they asked us to create a campaign to take the people´s attention around this topic and also promote conversion trough partners web sites (airlines, hotels and others).
Which insight led to the creation of this piece of work?
Woman role in society has been evolving exponentially every year and women have built a new identity in social, economic, familiar and professional aspects, changing paradigms and stereotypes about what was considered as men territory, during the last decades. However, there is still one topic in which genre clichés are imposed: Love.
Can you share with us any alternative ideas (if any) for this campaign? Why was this idea chosen?
We were so lucky because it was our only one shot! We had several reviews before but, we only came with the same idea. And they approved the idea because it was fun but also it was based on a cultural tension (the women empowerment) where the brand could have a real position through its essence: the happiness.
How did the client initially react to this idea?
The idea brought different opinions to the table, some were scared, others saw its potential, but everybody (even those who didn’t like it at all) laughed.
What was the greatest challenge that you and your team faced during development.
We had the final approved 20 days before the launch, and more than 70 people started to work day and night to get this amazing campaign on air, implemented in all the markets and with more than 50 partners involved in our web page.
What did you enjoy most about seeing this campaign through? Did you learn anything new from the experience?
People like to have fun, doesn’t matter how, and is great to see that a simple post can bring a nice moment to someone. For example, it was amazing when we were taking a flight and the spot was aired on the plane’s screens and then the hall plane was laughing. We truly believe in create ideas with emotional connections and this piece is a great example of it. And also, this invitation to every woman who wants to propose not only pretends to break stereotype regarding marriage, but also wishes to create new conversations in society everyday nature which help people finding their own way to express love.
Where do you see this campaign going in the future?
We are already working in the next big play for romance which will be aired in 2019. I swear is going to be funnier and bigger than #HeSaidYes, but always bringing new ways to express love.
If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go? Why and have you been there before?
Maldives. I one to be the one who is taking pictures of those beaches instead of keep being the one who like them at Instagram.