"I expected it to go well, but I didn't expect it to seduce so much"

How do you make a real time marketing campaign of proportions in just a few hours, based on important decisions and responsibilities? Starting from a single principle: NO LIMIT, he says Andrei Nebunoiu, Neversea brand manager. The festival team reacted quickly and surprisingly to the news that Nicki Minaj canceled his concert in Romaniajust hours before he took the stage, and opened the gates of Neversea to everyone.

“The engine of the festivals are the people”, posted Neversea on Facebook and invited all those who missed the festival to spend the last night together. Then followed the rush of organization against time, logistics, approvals for the last hundred meters, pressure and mobilization of all departments.

“That evening was the culmination of a SERIOUS year of work, we were delighted by over 278K participants, it honored us with the 23rd place in the DJ Mag Top 100. It will remain tattooed in my soul. And not only that, I thank the whole team Neversea”, says Andrei Nebunoiu.

The reactions were on point, in online & offline, many other brands joined the initiative, the campaign had an unexpected echo. What happened behind the scenes, how the idea rolled and turned into a viral campaign, tell in the lines below Andrei Nebunoiubrand manager Neversea.

Real time marketing

It was very, very short. 30 minutes before that moment I had just plucked up the courage to send a message of gratitude to Bogdan, Edy and Bogdan, the 3 founders.

I was a pure fan of festivals, not missing from all editions of UNTOLD and Neversea until 2019. A few and Electric Castle. I was super charged with great emotions, it was already a super successful edition, passed through many, many challenges, so I felt like thanking them for the trust they gave me. Among many other nice words I received from them, they told me that any cool idea I have, NO LIMIT, to come and tell them. A few minutes later…

Idea

The announcement came that Nicki Minaj is canceling the show 3 hours before Saga. I went back to my festival slippers and realized that it was unpleasant and that someone could actually do something for them.

It would be absurd not to admit that in addition to the festival slippers I also had the marketer’s hat.

So I went back to the 3, asked them since when the NO LIMIT option is valid, that I have something in the pipeline, told them the idea, discussed the approach and got the ok to implement.

I returned to the SM headquarters and told Iulia Boloca (Nomazi Advertising)

“We do it! We need to come up with a post proposal that’s about people and festivals, not bluntly that it’s not about that.”

The next 15-20 minutes were for me about administrative and logistical aspects, getting OKs from other departments, during which Iulia Boloca, Andrei Stănișteanu, Alexandra Radu, Călin Drob (Nomazi Advertising) and Ana Pogonariu (Social Media Manager UNTOLD ) gave way to arms, empathy and inspiration.

Iulia wrote the text, Călin gave an excellent touch, Alexandra and Stăni worked on the visual, Pogo suggested it be pink (like the panther).

That evening was the culmination of a SERIOUS year of work, we were enjoyed by over 278K participants, honored with the 23rd place in DJ Mag’s Top 100. It will remain tattooed in my soul. And not only that, and for that I thank the entire Neversea team. I’ll let you guess what the file name means.

The message

Fix what Iulia managed to create and type, with trembling fingers. We wanted to delight those left without the opportunity to have fun, to reward the super brave. And let’s show that there is room for everyone under the sun, regardless of the choice they make.

The staff are all people, we know what pressure is put on in such moments and how well a spontaneous decision catches you with a dance at sunrise.

About the 22:30 train

I put sand in my head with the greatest love, in all that commotion I do not I checked the information.
I know someone said that the next train is at “half past ten”. All the stars above us testify that it was not a knowingly published false information. Even now we don’t know. It’s people’s choice whether they believe us or not.
But dozens came with Blue’s cars and dozens more on their own.

Online reactions versus offline movements

I expected it to go well, but I didn’t expect it to seduce so much.

I received thousands of messages exclusively positive. Messages from colleagues from the first job, from friends who moved to Barcelona, from people who have never been to a festival, from former foreigners. I am infinitely grateful to them.

Offline reactions – I posted at 10 p.m., until you decide, until you find transport, it’s at least 11 p.m. By the time you get to the festival grounds, it’s 2 a.m. and you still have time the last 4 hours of the last day of festival. I didn’t think more than 10-20 beautiful crazy people were coming.

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-TWO unseen arrived between 02-04, on their own or with the help of those from Blue. Moreover, 3 Blue drivers stayed to see the sunrise with us. “Journeys, not races” indeed. Chabeau!

I returned to Bucharest and met people who talked about it at the barber shop. It went beyond pixels.

Other brands in action

It was like a huge compliment. Kudos to all who stuck with direct or indirect initiatives. The fact that they have or that there are people willing to contribute or ride the wave on Sunday night is all the more valuable.

Blue responded within minutes of the post and picked up dozens of passengers.

Among the commercial partners, Becks & Alexandrion offered a welcome gift, enough to cool off or (re)stimulate the party mood.

There were many other brands that commented on our post or on people’s shares, rent-a-car companies that offered special deals & so on.

It was their initiative, with our consent. It was the last day of the festival, fatigue had set in, we had to communicate super efficiently with the security, access, check-in and ticketing departments. They all mobilized in record time, I’m leaning here too.

Especially here.

Teachings

I learned that some aspects pay, others reward.
I relearned that generosity is well received and has the same viral potential as a controversy.
I reconfirmed that people are still beautiful (hello and thank you, Subcarpathians!).
I rediscovered that I am crazy, but with such a motivated, dedicated, beautiful and clever team, I am a strong and living crazy.

Neversea moments

The NO LIMIT moment

The moment when Tujamo agreed to greet a part of the marcomm + partnership team at the SM headquarters, after telling us that we are doing a good job

Top row: Andrei Stănișteanu, Alexandra Radu, Călin Drob, Dragoș Grigore, Cristina Bunea, Matthias Richter, Paula Furir, Flavia Gherman, Lucian Popescu, Rodula Șofan, Bogdan Popescu.

Bottom row: Rareș Lica, Tavi Grigore, Iulia BoLoca, Ana Pogonariu, Alexandra Chinzăruc, Andrei Nebunoiu

The moment I took a group picture with the most beautiful team of my life