"I Need To Go" Viral Campaign (client: ING Belgium)

1. Briefing

As Belgian surfers are now heavy users of e-banking services, advertisers in this sector must face a sea change in the way they interact with their customers. ING Bank entrusted Emakina to imagine a groundbreaking viral campaign to promote the Lion Account, an online bank account that is totally free of charge.

Communication objective: position ING as the leader of the "free" world.

Marketing objective: attract forward-thinking, Internet-savvy consumers looking for the cheapest online bank account.

Time period: 22nd October - 31st December 2007

2. The First Internet Toilets!

On the Internet, everything is free: sending messages, reading news, watching video… Everything, but the toilets. Thanks to « I Need To Go », this shortcoming has been definitely rectified. Gents or Ladies, whatever your business, this website will help you. And, on the way out, Madame Pipi will be waiting for you with a small gift. Something else that should be entirely free in a perfect world…

Check out the "I Need To Go" website or watch out the video above on this page for a quick overview.

3. Widget for blogs, Facebook
and MySpace

Bloggers had the ability to embed the Internet toilets onto their own blog through a simple copy-paste of a HTML snippet. You were also able to implement this widget on your Facebook profile or on your MySpace account.

4. Display ad campaign in the Belgian blogosphere

The viral effect triggered by the widget was supported by an advertising campaign on the most influential Belgian blogs. This operation used the portfolio of Adhese, an online sales house specializing in blogs and social media.

Check out an example of banner above and see it in action on Vinch.be or Appelogen.be.

5. PR strategy

As part of the buzz generation, we also launched a PR campaign aimed at mainstream media. This resulted in coverage by major newspapers like a.o De Morgen, De Standaard, Knack or Le Soir. Unexpectedly, "I Need To Go" also catched the attention of international magazines like Contagious (UK) or Marketing Magazine (France).

6. Results

• 420.000 visitors in two months: 350.000 on the widget and 70.000 on the website.
• Media value of PR campaign : 36.000 euro (Auxipress certification).
• More than 300 backlinks to the campaign website in the blogosphere.

• Public Voice's Winner - "Rich Media Avertising: B2C" category, Webby Awards 2008.
• Bronze Award - Interactive Campaign category, Belgian Cyber Lions 2008
• Best Bank Rich Media Online campaign, IAC Awards 2008
• Bronze Award - Advertising Online category, Horizon Interactive Awards 2008