TBWA\Zurich and Stop Piracy launch fake campaign against product piracy
How do you sensitize a generation to the dangers of online retail whose attention span is shorter than any bumper ad? With a targeted influencer campaign, TBWA\Zurich addresses Gen Z via Instagram.
Closed store doors mean that online trade is booming. Cyber criminals have found a perfect target to sell their fake products via amazingly real-looking stores. With 500 million users a day, Instagram has become a veritable shopping paradise for fake branded goods. This is precisely where younger shoppers like to be tempted to buy sneakers, clothes and accessories.
Together with Stop Piracy, a non-profit association to which the Swiss branded goods association Promarca also belongs, TBWA\Zurich has reacted to the currently wildly discussed problem and developed "Fakefluencer" - an Instagram campaign aimed at sensitizing Generation Z in particular to the dangers of counterfeit products online.
"Fakefluencer" did exactly what usually only scammers do: they copied the identities of well-known Swiss influencers and diligently advertised watches, perfumes and nutritional supplements that were not available for purchase at all. Potential online shoppers, however, did not end up in dubious online stores, but rather on the Stop Piracy website, which informed them about the problem of fake products.
Influencers* involved in the campaign Elvira Legrand, Gabirano, Adela Smajic and Lerocquemusic along with their agency Kingfluencers were in on the action, making followers aware of copyright infringement online while speaking out in support of Stop Piracy's work.
Thanks to the reach of the bloggers, the campaign reached at least 693,000 followers. The campaign ran from March 07, 2021 to March 31, 2021 and, according to initial evaluations, exceeded its goals by a full +760 percent.
Responsible at Stop Piracy: Anastasia Li-Treyer (President and CEO Promarca), Eveline Capol (Head of Office). Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Tizian Walti, Isabelle Benz, Lisa Bolte, Pierre Copsey, Aron Meier (creation), Danijel Sljivo, Sabrina Iseli, Sascha Djabbari (project management). Responsible at Kingfluencers: Fabian Plüss (CCO & Co-Founder), Selina Gabriel (Senior Campaign Manager).
