CCCP-McCann Nicaragua Creates “Where The Streets Have No Name” Campaign

Managua, Nicaragua’s capital city of 1.5 million people, has lacked a system of street signs since the devastation wrought by the 6.2 earthquake that struck in 1972. For the last 45 years, Managua’s residents have guided themselves by using reference points, such as trees, buildings and even referring to places that only exist in their memories, making it mandatory for all visitors and part of the population to ask for directions when walking around in the city.

 

This unique and surreal aspect of Managua’s life caught the attention of, and inspired, Bono Vox, the lead singer of global supergroup U2, to compose the hit song “Where The Streets Have No Name” after visiting Managua in 1986. The song is the opening track from U2’s smash 1987 album “The Joshua Tree”.

 

El Gallo Más Gallo, Nicaragua’s biggest home-appliance chain, aware of the social and economic role it plays in the country’s economy, has partnered with CCCP-McCann Nicaragua to create a campaign that has given back to Managua its street signs. The campaign is aimed at rebuilding the confidence of citizens, business and community groups and also serves to show Gallo’s proximity to people all across Nicaragua.

 

“Where The streets Have No name” is an ambitious integrated campaign that uses out of home, digital and social media actions. The campaign has focused on Managua’s 30 most relevant locations in both the physical world and the digital realm, adding street signs to the streets and identifying these locations on Google Maps by tagging them with historical information.

 

The effort promptly gained traction in social media and the press, which praised Gallo Más Gallo for rescuing a part of the city’s history and making life easier to everyone.

 

“That way we were able not only to strengthen the link between the brand and its surroundings, but also created an information platform capable of helping both Managua’s inhabitants and its visitors, while also helping future generations to better navigate in the city,” says Wilbert Carmona, CCCP-McCann Nicaragua’s Creative Director.