Campaigns · India · 2009
Vodafone: The ZooZoos
White, egg-headed characters explained Vodafone’s services during the IPL, and became a national craze.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readOgilvy IndiaCampaigns · Branding · Content & Social
- Brand
- Vodafone
- Market
- India
- Year
- 2009
- Category
- Campaigns
- Agency or team
- Ogilvy India
- Channels
- TV during the IPL, digital, merchandise
The context
Vodafone had just rebranded from Hutch in India and needed to explain many value-added services during the IPL, with ads that wouldn’t tire viewers.
Many services needed simple explanations through a long tournament.
The move
Ogilvy India created the ZooZoos: actors in white suits with simple, expressive faces, each starring in a short film about one service.
How it was executed
- Created characters in white suits.
- Made short films for each service.
- Extended into merchandise and social.
White, egg-headed characters explained Vodafone’s services during the IPL, and became a national craze.
What happened Reported facts
The ZooZoos ran in dozens of short films, became merchandise and memes, and were among the most talked-about ads of the season.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
A simple character system explained many products without tiring viewers.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01A character system can explain many products.
- 02Simple, distinctive characters travel into culture.
- 03Short, repeated formats suit long tournaments.
Indian brands can build character systems for long campaigns.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Vodafone India; Ogilvy India. Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Vodafone.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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