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Unit9 helps brighten smiles on Bebo
Media Therapy asked Unit9 to help leverage the internet for Pearl Drops' product launch of ‘Instant White. The case study reveals how this was achieved.
Instant White is an innovative temporary direct application teeth whitener to be launched spring 08.
The Brief
Introduce the new innovative Pearl Drops product, ‘Instant White’ to plugged in teenagers and young women who are part of the digital generation.
Unit9's Response
1. Develop a product micro-site www.instantwhite.co.uk that has detailed information on the ‘Instant White’ product.
2. Create a campaign on the social networking site bebo that introduces the ‘Instant White’ concept and product to teenagers and young women by;
a. Creating an ‘Instant White’ bebo application that uploads your photos and ‘virtually’ whitens your teeth.
b. Set up a bebo profile as a make up artist to communicate how to use the ‘Instant White’ product. (This is to support the actual story line and product placement activities negotiated by Media Therapy that are actually going to be in bebo’s new online soap called Sophia’s diary).
Matt Groves, Partner, Creative Services Director at Unit 9: "Many social networking apps are disappointing to use but the virtual ‘instant whitener’ is a great example of how a brand or product can cleverly tap into this new discipline."
Unit9's Creative Approach
The application and microsite were designed to be rich and elegant to convey the product’s premium cosmetic branding yet simple and inviting to use.
To emphasize the Instant White’s placement as a cosmetic product, Unit9 felt it important to avoid a simple ‘product demo’ and instead create a make-up tool, where users are able to apply lipstick and Instant White to their image to create that ‘perfect smile’. The application should encourage users to tell their friends about it or send friends enhanced pictures from the application to spread awareness.
How do you design an interface that reflects the product such as Instant White? This was the major design consideration pivotal to the success of the 'make-up tool'. Unit 9 incorporated the application into an all-inclusive circular interface, representing a cosmetic compact mirror.
The target audience for Instant White is females aged 15 to 35, and so the application was developed as a Bebo widget, where age groups are typically teen to early twenties, and a microsite to attract a more sophisticated audience.
