Nescafe: Play Button

It all starts with a Nescafe' is used to express the brand's purpose in China and is understood to mean that Nescafe is the trigger for good things to happen. As the brand competes against a variety of local coffee brands, as well as China's preference for tea, it was important for Nescafe to reinforce this unique messaging. At the same time, Nescafe wanted to run pre-rolls; a media buy in China that's disliked by more than 9 out of 10 people. Nescafe decided to buy the long-form pre-roll, but replace it with a 5-second ad, which was simply a play button within the iconic Nescafe red cup, leading viewers on Youku, China's YouTube directly to what they wanted to view, with only the message 'it all starts with a Nescafé.' Instead of interrupting the experience, Nescafe facilitated the experience. And as the buy included over 3,000 'play buttons' between 7am-9am, it really did all start with a Nescafe.