Xfinity Mobile, a new kind of mobile network combining America's largest, most reliable 4G LTE with the most WiFi hotspots nationwide, launched across the country and kicked off its entry in the Philadelphia market with an event at a newly opened Xfinity Store. Since the network was designed for a mobile-savvy target, we had to do something disruptive to get our audience to engage.
Our solution? Transform our retail event into a social phenomenon, igniting the entire country's love for Philly and activating fans nationwide.
The event centered around the network itself, using Xfinity Mobile to bring the digital world to life. First, we tapped into a data-heavy mobile behavior — Snapchat — to crowdsource drawings from across the country, encouraging people to submit their favorite Philly monuments or icons. Then, we used the network to transfer the drawings to the real world, inviting locals to join us for the unveiling of the world's biggest Snapsterpiece: a mural made entirely from user-submitted Snapchat doodles.
To engage fans across the country as well as Philly residents, we partnered with the king of Snapchat art himself: Shonduras (Shaun McBride). Shaun traveled to iconic locations across Philly collecting drawings from locals at the Rocky Steps, Pat's & Gino's, Independence Hall, and more. Shaun extended the activation to his followers, giving people nationwide a chance to participate. He posted Snaps for people at home to screenshot, doodle on, and send back, increasing brand relevancy across a broader audience.
Throughout the day, Shaun selected his favorite doodles and used the Xfinity Mobile network to send them to a team of muralists at the Xfinity Store. The team communicated in real-time using the power of the network, elevating the digital art to a physical installation.
After the Snapsterpiece was complete, we invited fans to the Xfinity Store to join us for the big reveal. Shonduras signed autographs, took photos with his fans, created a video for his YouTube channel, and painted the final doodles on the artwork himself.
The Snapsterpiece garnered 2.5 million impressions from local media, and reporters followed Shaun along his journey as he collected Snaps and unveiled the mural. Our Snapsterpiece reveal resulted in a 423% increase in store traffic. We received over 10K doodle submissions from users all over the country, featuring Snaps of noteworthy Philly landmarks as well as cheesesteaks, water ice, and other symbols of local pride.
By showcasing digital art in the real world, Xfinity Mobile transformed a retail event into a social media phenomenon. It was a new kind of art, powered by a new kind of network.
