PARIS, FRANCE — How do you convince young, tech-driven consumers that 5G+ is essential, even when they’re not quite sold on it yet? That was the challenge for Orange, given that only 17% of French consumers currently see 5G as a must-have. So, how do you create major hype for something that doesn’t scream essential just yet?
Simple: You stage an unforgettable, buzzworthy stunt with France’s love for football.
To spotlight the potential of 5G+, Orange and creative agency Publicis Conseil tapped into network slicing – a tech feature that gives users a VIP lane on the network, ensuring they’re always ahead of the pack. The goal? Make it feel like a life cheat code. And where better to do that than with the French national football team?
On March 16th, as the French squad prepped for their World Cup qualifier against Croatia, new recruit Désiré Doué stepped up for the classic initiation rite: singing solo on a chair during the team dinner. But then the real surprise came from some unexpected “new players” who burst into chaotic song and dance, leaving the entire room (and social media) in shock.
The catch? These “newcomers” were actually young actors, planted there to prank the team. The leaked video, rapidly shared by French national team stars like Ousmane Dembélé, Randal Kolo Muani, and Mattéo Guendouzi, as well as former players Blaise Matuidi and Éric Abidal, sparked a massive online buzz.
The following day, fans discovered that the prank was a clever stunt by Orange to promote their Cheat_Code 18_26 5G+ 180GB mobile plan. This bold and original campaign effectively highlighted the power of 5G+ and its dedicated bandwidth, ensuring seamless connectivity even during peak usage. Because, as every young person knows, staying ahead of the game is essential.
This 100% social media-driven activation, conceived by Publicis Conseil, masterfully blended earned media, paid advertising, and pop culture, proving once again that Orange speaks the language of Gen Z.
The video garnered over 2.5 million views within hours and generated significant online conversions. Social media was abuzz with users trying to guess the identity of the mysterious “new Bleus.”
