"Phone Zombies" campaign

Info

Summary

This campaign focuses on “Phone Zombies”, people absorbed in smartphones to the cost of all else, to make them aware of this unsocial behavior, promote smartphone self-consciousness, change habits.

Goals

  • Widespread adoption and use of the Phone Zombie language term and memes.

  • Reinforce the notion that being called a Phone Zombie is something to avoid

  • Others pay attention because calling someone Phone Zombie is a funny tease

Audience

The campaign is basically targeted to the entire population, but there are 2 groups:

  • Everyone that is effectively a Phone Zombie in how they use their smartphone
  • Anyone that wants to tease, or call someone out as a Phone Zombie if he/she deserves it

Success criteria

Success is hard to measure, especially with no prior experience. But we should define metrics for individual deliverables (no. of shares, likes, etc.).

  • Success criteria will be more closely defined as the campaign comes along.

Retrospective

  • No retrospective has been held yet. The first retrospective is planned at [retrospective date].

Description

Phone Zombies are people who aren’t paying attention to their surroundings because they are focused upon their smartphone (see: Wikipedia). This happens in all kinds of social settings: during a one-on-one talk with a friend, or when in a group. At a brithday party. Or when walking (or cycling) on the street, where zombies bump into other pedestrians.

People are not aware how this erodes the social fabric. ‘Phone Zombie’ is the term to have people snap out of it, and make them feel (slightly) ashamed. When the use of the term becomes more widespread, and the ways to make people aware they are zombies, a self-consciousness will creep in, and people will try to avoid being called the Zombie yet again. This is the point where habits and behavior starts to change. And this is the ultimate goal of this campaign.

Some examples of how it is used in spoken language:

  • “Hey Phone Zombie! Watch where you’re going!”
  • “Ohh, he has turned into a husk. A proper Phone Zombie.. Snap out of it, man!”
  • “This freaking place is full of Phone Zombies. I’m outa here!”

And in social media memes:

  • [Friend keeps responding on FB Messenger, tiring of conversation] –> Send fiend Phone Zombie image as sign to stop ‘conversation’.

Deliverables

Video: Phone Thriller (Idea, Todo)

This very short, funny - but with shock effect - video re-enacts the start of Michael Jackson’s famous Thriller until the moment that Michael is touched at the shoulder and swivels around, showing his zombie face.

Video: Spirited Away (Idea, Todo)

During a social gathering with friends, there is a strange bird sound. One friend changes behavior, becomes distracted, and turns his back to the others. When he is twisted around by his peer, he has changed in a snarling, saliva-dripping (Phone) Zombie, that resists coming back to reality.

Video: All Alone (Idea, Todo)

This is an adaptation of the animated video of Steve Cutts, and not dissimilar to I Am Legend with Will Smith where everyone is a Phone Zombie, and there is no one to have social interactions with

Images

A series of images depicting memes to share on social media, as well as images to use in mastheads and link previews of blog posts and articles

GIF’s

A series of animated GIF’s to share on social media

Strategy

  • Campaign strategy yet to be determined. Details will be in a separate campaign strategy document.

Funding

  • Funding requirements will be determined per individual Deliverable.

Milestones

  • No milestones have been set yet.

Resources

  • This campaign has no additional resources. Please edit or comment to add your relevant links.

Updated: