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Media
July 31, 2023
TV
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A case study by Funky Monkey and MediaPlan Consulting: How to create AR integration for Volya Show
A carbonated drink brand has integrated a new can with a winking monkey mascot into a TNT show using augmented reality.
Major foreign brands had withdrawn from the consumer market by spring 2023. Following the departure of carbonated drink giants, Pepsi and Coca-Cola, it was important for the Funky Monkey beverage brand not to miss the chance to win the battle for consumer attention and stand out among the new cola-flavored beverage brands. Equally important, the brand needed to get a foothold in the comedy space and to introduce a new product line in the brand portfolio. The project was implemented by MediaPlan Consulting and OMD Fuse, part of OMD OM Group. The project team shared the methods they have implemented to achieve their goals.
About the company
Funky Monkey drinks are distributed by Perspektiva LLC. The company’s portfolio features major beverage brands, such as Laimon Fresh, GreenMe+, Genesis and Jaguar. Funky Monkey is a dynamic brand with its own distinctive identity and character that is expressed through its mascot—a playful, post-modern monkey on the packaging that stands out thanks to its unique concept. The slogan “Turn on the fun” encourages people to be what you want to be, not to restrain their inner child and enjoy life.
Challenge
The now vacated soft drink market began to experience fiercer competition. The response had to be swift, noticeable and innovative so that consumers would keep the brand in mind, retain a desire to buy the products, and be able to identify them on store shelves. It was decided not to fight for SOV (Share of Voice—a company’s share of mentions compared to that of its key competitors) and to employ a rifle approach.
Actions taken
Funky Monkey, MediaPlan Consulting and OMD Fuse outlined the goal of forging a robust emotional connection between the consumer and the brand. Initially, they looked at packages of sponsorship bumpers in various programs and on appropriate channels that were in tune with the brand and opted for TNT. The brand’s target audience is young people, aged 18 to 35, who love music, appreciate humor, express themselves without fear, and are open to new things. The attributes also align with the viewers of the TNT channel.
Together with the client, the team chose the TV program Volya Show and the celebrity sponsorship format to better represent the vibrant image of Funky Monkey. The show and the brand are similar in tone: fun, entertaining, and humorous. The advantages were the atmosphere of an evening talk show and the fact that the program premiered quite recently. The Volya Show slot could be filled with as many integrations as possible, which was another positive side benefit.
We preferred to avoid using clichés in the brand integration. More emphasis was put on the humor in Pavel Volya’s verbal mentions of the brand, while Ilya Sobolev’s news section was spiced up with creative integrations in the mischievous manner typical of our mascot. So, each appearance of the product on camera was inventive, funny and aligned with the style of the show.
Integration mechanics
From the outset, the client had rejected any standard memorized lines and gave free rein to “unleash creativity and fun.” Together with the TV channel, we piloted the integration using AR technology. During the Funky Monkey joke cutoffs, as the camera zoomed in on the drink, the mascot would wink from the can’s dynamic logo and start dancing. Eventually, we got an experimental format that gave the show a little more of a mischievous feel.
TV sponsorship is perfect for brands that are just entering the market or launching a new product line. In addition to quality exposure, it provides the brand with the opportunity to reach out to the target audience and communicate the values that set the brand apart from the competition. We love to think outside the box and were very excited to experiment with Funky Monkey in Volya Show. To convey the vibrant and optimistic aspect of the brand, we animated the can and incorporated jokes into the integration, delivered by TNT stars. The result was a cheery and unobtrusive integration.
Results
The brand was smoothly embedded into the show and harmonized well with its identity attributes, such as its humorous style, jokes and the personal style of the hosts, Volya and Sobolev. All the shows have already aired, and the results are more than positive. For example, the number of brand search queries, compared to that the week before the start of the project, rose by 60%.
The integration ratings of the first Sunday program surpassed all expectations, showing nearly +150% of the planned figures for the target audience. On average, the Volya Show integrations demonstrate over-performance by 40% for the target audience throughout the campaign.
Sponsorship on Volya Show was an excellent alternative to direct TV, as a single campaign enabled a powerful output and boosted brand awareness.
Conclusions and analysis
The resulting integrations were lively and humorous, as the mix of jokes, emotions and charismatic presenters creates an effective formula for today’s television. It was humor that helped put the product in the spotlight and, according to the client, make it stand out, highlighting the optimistic and vibrant brand image.
The FMCG market should embrace unconventional ideas more often and adopt a bolder communication strategy to achieve its goals. We have chosen this path—to be on the same page with consumers, to set the tone, and to make them fall in love with us. As a result, we ensured brand awareness and increased Runet hits. And we will build on the experience in our future planning.
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