Mentos “Make Art Pop” Media Event
Basco 5 performs for the TV cameras as an assistant readies the next piece.
Objective
In the fiercely competitive domain of gum confectioners, our challenge was to bring the advertising campaign to life, build an emotional link between the consumer and the Mentos brand, increase word-of-mouth and maximize press coverage.
Solution
- Optimum West worked with our offices in Montreal and Toronto to create a media event that was simultaneously executed in three cities. Over the course of three days, a local artist in each market was commissioned to create an original and spectacular piece of art (12′ x 12′) made entirely out of Mentos Gum. Optimum held the event in the atrium of the Burrard Skytrain Station which allowed us to build on planned Skytrain advertising and access a high volume of foot traffic among the target demographic.
- Optimum had a sampling team on-site during peak traffic times to hand out samples of the Mentos Gum. The artistic team and the samplers wore Mentos-branded painters’ coveralls.
- The multi-pronged media relations effort began with sending a media “teaser” invitation inserted into a pack of Mentos gum. This was followed by an advisory, news release and follow-up calls to targeted media and a photo of the finished mural was posted on the newswire at the end of the third day.
Results
- Over the three-day period, media coverage reached approximately 2.1 million people in Vancouver.
- Television coverage was particularly effective with branded stories averaging 1-2 minutes in length airing on CTV, Breakfast Television (CityTV), A-Channel and Fairchild TV.
- Print coverage included a front page photo on 24 hours, a free daily newspaper, as well as a next-day follow up article in the same paper. Reporters from the Vancouver Sun, The Province and the WestEnder also attended the event.
- Radio coverage included mentions on two popular local stations - CKNW and CFOX.
- In-person interactions at Burrard Station totalled approximately 75,000 over three days
Basco 5’s artwork begins to take shape as the pace intensifies