The existence of filter bubbles and echo chambers on social media platforms presents a wide variety of challenges to brands and people interested in reaching a wide audience across political allegiances and cultural divisions. The nature of the web is to reinforce what we already know and like. Algorithms are designed to show us content that aligns with our own predispositions, and people’s historical behavior online tends to prevent them from seeing or accessing material from opposing viewpoints and perspectives. This leads to customized internet experiences for everyone that rarely stray into the unexpected. Telekom Romania wanted to turn this tendency on its head. As a brand built on sharing content, it worked with Leo Burnett Bucharest to devise an attention-getting stunt that would open up young people’s eyes to communities and perspectives far from their ordinary inclinations. The brand launched Vloggers’ Swap. Vloggers’ Swap was built on a deep analysis of the data of different Vlog channels on Youtube. LB/Bucharest identified Vlog channels whose audiences did not overlap at all. These groups of young viewers had very little in common, and their viewing habits led them to inhabit very rigid filter bubbles. For one day, Telekom Romania initiated a “swap” of these Vlogs with their polar opposite vlogger, helping to introduce each specific audience to a perspective and vlogger far out of their normal comfort zone. This stunt drew massive interest in Romania, and helped Vlog channels to broaden their appeal to audiences they normally wouldn’t reach. Launched to coincide with Telekom Romania’s offer of unlimited video, this work serves up a fantastic example of how brands are helping people to build wider audiences in spite of the algorithms that would limit their reach and appeal. By helping millennials to broaden their viewing diet, Telekom Romania is cultivating a younger audience of viewers who cannot be restricted by the constraints of filter bubbles or echo chambers. As Telekom Romania has championed for years, “life is for sharing.” Digital advertisement created by Leo Burnett, Romania for Telekom Romania, within the category: Electronics, Technology.

Film advertisement created by Ogilvy, Romania for Anim'est, within the category: Recreation, Leisure.

Ambient advertisement created by BBDO, Romania for Domestic, within the category: Media.

Direct advertisement created by Mercury 360, Romania for Romanian Police, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.

Digital advertisement created by McCann, Romania for ROM, within the category: Confectionery, Snacks.

Film advertisement created by Saatchi & Saatchi, Romania for United Way, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.

URL: http://www.romaniansaresmart.com/ If you search the internet with the phrase “Romanians are”, the suggestions automatically generated by Google are extremely negative for Romanians: “Romanians are rude”, “Romanians are thieves” etc. We decided to change this until December 1st, when it’s actually Romania’s national Day. This can be changed if we have as many people as possible – from Romania and abroad – searching the internet for “ Romanians are smart” or “Romanians are beautiful” or other such positive phrases. Digital advertisement created by McCann, Romania for ROM, within the category: Confectionery, Snacks.

Digital advertisement created by MSPS, Romania for Piraeus Bank, within the category: Finance.

In order to draw attention to the large deforestations of fir trees around Christmas, a renowned Romanian Choir interpreted a modified version of "Oh, Christmas Tree". The famous carol was rewritten in tone with the reality of cut-down forests in Romania and was interpreted during their Extraordinary Carol Concerts, inside a full-house Romanian Athenaeum. Content advertisement created by Friends, Romania for Fundația Conservation Carpathia, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.

Film advertisement created by Saatchi & Saatchi, Romania for United Way, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.

Without a law regulating headphone use in Romania, traffic accidents related to headphone use have tripled in the last 6 years. Radio 21, Romanian hit radio station, changed its content to promote a new behavior: use just one headphone so you can hear the traffic around you. Working with famous Romanian artist Claudia Pavel, the radio station launched the Go Mono Anthem, the first song that has different genres in each headphone: rock if you use the left headphone and acoustic if you listen to it in the right headphone. Audio advertisement created by McCann, Romania for Radio 21, within the category: Media.

Experiential advertisement created by Handsome, Romania for Vox Technology Park, within the category: Professional Services.

Ambient advertisement created by Publicis, Romania for Renault, within the category: Automotive.

Ambient advertisement created by McCann, Romania for Renaestara Romania, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.

Film advertisement created by Mercury 360, Romania for Romanian Traffic Police, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.

In Romania, a Hunting Law allowing, among others, the slaughter of song birds, was close to silently pass through. Many foreign hunters would come to Romania to shoot larks and sell them to European restaurants. Lark tongues are a 5 star dish. The lark is a symbol of Romanian music, many of our composers being inspired by this small, yet fascinating bird. People were not aware of these changes, so we wanted to create a public debate around the subject. The campaign generated huge PR and free media. Artists joined our campaign and donated parts of their songs for the cause. Digital advertisement created by Jazz, Romania for Salveaza Ciocarlia, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.

We launched a massive fundraising campaign to collect 100,000 texts for 2 euro/each from people so we can build a flat for parents with children with cancer that are treated in Bucharest. So far, the campaign is a huge success and has rallied tens of thousands of people to support it. One of the most important aspects of the campaign is that we set up a chair and a hospital bed in downtown Bucharest and we are asking people to sit on that chair until we reach our goal of 100,000 sent texts. Hundreds of people, including celebrities, journalists, TV stars have taken a sit.o far, in just a couple of days 40,000 texts have been sent, so we still have a long way: 60,000 texts. For this we are kindly asking for your help to help us tell our story to the world.

Ambient advertisement created by Heraldist & Wondermarks, Romania for The National Romanian Opera, within the category: Recreation, Leisure.

Film advertisement created by GMP, Romania for TVR, within the category: Media.