Our 2016 social campaign set out to engage our worldwide audience on the platforms they care about and integrate sponsors through unique fan-focused EMA social opportunities.
Our 2016 MTV EMA sponsors, èvos and Listerine, had distinct visions that were thoughtfully weaved into our co-branded social campaign.
Our main international sponsor èvos aimed to use the scale of 2016 MTV EMAs to help launch a new line of premium headphones. We set out to give fans unprecedented access to the MTV EMA backstage with a custom èvos backstage activation that helped tell the brand's 'Born Backstage' story and showcase the product. During the commercial breaks, we invited fans to tune into Backstage with èvos via our site and Facebook. The segment hosts Sway Calloway and Becca Dudley interviewed the industries hottest stars – Shawn Mendes, Martin Garrix, DNCE and Jacy & Jack, to name a few. Throughout the seven broadcast-quality Facebook Lives èvos product was seamlessly integrated into conversations with artists, a Facebook Bot poll, and silent disco prominently featuring the headphones.
Leading up to the show fans had the chance to win a trip to Rotterdam for a VIP experience at the 2016 MTV EMA including exclusive backstage access. Key international markets promoted the sweepstakes across local social accounts using co-branded èvos content.
Listerine's new 'bring out the bold' slogan aimed to infuse customers with confidence, making them the perfect Red Carpet sponsor. Hours before the show started we got fans buzzing by giving them access to the Red Carpet like never before via broadcast-quality Facebook Lives. Fans clamoured to see all the boldest Listerine moments, like a freestyle rap between Shawn Mendes and Jack & Jack and a surprise performance from Anne-Marie. We also developed a Twitter Amplify campaign on the night of the show that showcased and amplified the boldest EMA moments from the red carpet and main show.
In the campaign lead-up we harnessed the power of the super fandoms by pitting the groups against each other in a MTV EMA social vote category, Best Look. The category highlighted the boldest ladies in the music business. We asked fandoms to vote by liking the social post featuring their favorite bold artist. We kept things interesting by switching up which platform you could vote on each week, resulting in hundreds of thousands of social votes (and lots of interesting comments). We also hosted 'screamer auditions' a week before the show where the biggest fans showed off their best moves for a chance to be in the fan pit by the Red Carpet. Fans had a chance to experience èvos' new headphones and take photos with them in a branded photobooth. The auditions were covered on @MTVEMA's Instagram Live and Snapchat accounts.
Fans from around the world viewed and interacted with The 2016 MTV EMA's in more ways than ever before. Both the Listerine and èvos sponsored Facebook Live videos helped us garner 10x social video views compared to last year's total as well as a 117% viral uplift for èvos and 99% viral uplift for Listerine. Through integrated co-branded content sponsors were able to reach fans in a unique, natural way.
