A Promotion Becomes a Movie, Wins Gold at Cannes / NOBLEX "THE CEO" (El Gerente)

The problem

Noblex is an Argentine TV maker that competes with the likes of Sony and Samsung, and it was already known for its over-the-top promotions. In 2017, with Argentina's national team on the verge of missing out on World Cup qualification, Noblex declared that if the team failed to qualify, it would refund customers the full price of their TVs. The team squeaked through at the last moment, and Noblex avoided bankruptcy. The company's CEO became a national celebrity on Twitter, and the whole saga even ended up in a marketing book.

The insight

This episode had grown into more than just a TV promotion—it had become a story the whole country knew. What Noblex saw was that the true story itself had enough drama to become a movie.

The idea

Four years later, Noblex turned this true story into a feature film called "El Gerente." The plot follows a manager on the verge of being demoted who bets the TV business on the outcome of the national team's games. Noblex partnered with Paramount+ to release it simultaneously in theaters across Argentina and on streaming. Paramount+, which was still not very well known at the time, rode Noblex's popularity to pick up subscribers.

What happened

The campaign won Gold in the Entertainment category at Cannes Lions 2023, and was named Branded Entertainment/Content Campaign of the Year at Ad Age's 2024 Creativity Awards.

Afterthought

Joaquín Cubría, CCO at GUT, said that someone deciding to make a feature film—and having it actually succeed at the box office—is one of the hardest things to imagine as the outcome of a campaign. I feel exactly the same way. A promotion turning into a movie and winning Gold at Cannes—who could have ever predicted that?

Awards

• Cannes Lions Gold 2023

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