How Three is Harnessing the Power of Memes and Snaps with its ‘Puggerfly’
Last week Three UK launched its latest ad campaign to celebrate the launch of its new partnership with Snapchat. The app is now included in Three’s Go Binge offering, meaning Three customers can now Snap, chat and share as much content as they like without using any of their data allowance.
The ad created by Wieden+Kennedy London and The Mill also introduces a new animal that we’re not even sure the world is ready for – Puggerfly, half pug, half butterfly. Puggerfly is not only the star of the new campaign, it is also the focal point of several experiences created in partnership with Snapchat.
The campaign calls Puggerfly “the world’s first Snapchat augmented reality pet” and it is currently starring in a new lens every day on the app, following its story as it transforms from Puppyfly to fully-fledged Puggerfly during the course of a week. Snapchatters can feed their pet bones, clear up its rainbow poo and even watch it twerk as part of the various creative lenses.
To add to the ‘realism’, if you want to interact with your favourite new pet after 10:00pm, or take it for an early morning walk before 7am, beware because it’s likely to be fast asleep. No matter how hard you try you will only be able to watch your Puggerfly snoozing in its bed during this time in another world first - a 24-hour lens.
Then there’s the campaign film, which is bonkers and features the formidable meme-power of ‘Africa’ by Toto as the soundtrack.
LBB’s Alex Reeves checked in with Jolene Sicklemore, head of communications and marketing execution at Three UK, to find out why what the world needs now is a majestic Puggerfly.
LBB> How did the partnership with Snapchat come about and why was it the best choice for the campaign?
JS> This campaign is a true partnership; we didn’t want to work with a brand that just wanted us to put a logo on an outdoor ad. We’ve worked tirelessly with Snapchat to devise a truly integrated campaign from inside out, starting with Puggerfly, and all the world firsts that we’ve created within the app.
LBB> What does Puggerfly, the star of the campaign, represent for Three and and its users?
JS> Snapchat has more than 12 million UK users, it’s huge. It encourages endless, uninhibited fun. According to our research the millennial audience spends more than two hours on their phone every day and 50% of that is on chat and social apps such as this. So, we’ve removed the barrier that holds people back from snapping freely and Puggerfly enables them to be as expressive and creative as they wish on the platform, without worrying about their data allowance.
LBB> Why Toto's Africa?
JS> We have a history of resurrecting dormant classics that people love! It’s the internet’s favourite song and it’s a banger! It also has its own meme culture in its own right (see here!). It was perfect!
LBB> There's something about the Tamagotchi to this idea! But for a new generation... What are your thoughts on putting a virtual pet into the world of AR? How does this take the idea forward in a new way?
JS> We know that millennials in particular use AR practically every day. According to our research the millennial audience spends more than two hours on their phone every day and 50% of that is on chat and social apps such as this. So we wanted to create something that enabled them to use AR to its full potential and also brings it to life across multiple touchpoints. It’s a reflection of the old physical Tamagotchi from yesteryear and taps into the modern AR world of today.
LBB> Your partners on Go Binge (Snapchat, Netflix, Apple Music, Deezer, TVPlayer, Soundcloud) are carefully selected. Why those?
JS> Go Binge is an open platform that is all about putting our customers first by offering the option to enjoy even better access to data streaming services. Our customers have a vast and growing appetite for data and we continue to do more than any other network to respond to that. Go Binge and the services we are offering within it, is yet another way we’re helping customers get the most from the internet on their devices.
