Cannes crepêrie Les Fistons increases its footfall by 426% by using targeted mobile ads via vi
Last Saturday, using only mobile advertising technology, video intelligence (vi) helped a local crepêrie increase its footfall by over 400%. Queues of locals arrived to sample its crêpes, having heard about the bistro on their mobiles.
Les Fistons, a small, unassuming crepêrie in Cannes, usually hosts 15 – 20 people a day. According to new owner Franck Monpoix, Saturdays are particularly quiet, as people spend their time on the beach or prefer to have lunch at home with family. Under Franck and his wife Mathilde’s new ownership, they rebranded the restaurant to Les Fistons in May 2017, so no-one had heard of the new place.
How did it work?
video intelligence wanted to conduct an experiment that would prove the effectiveness of its targeted mobile advertising technology. The crepêrie offered the perfect proof point – if vi could drive customers to a brand no one had heard of, at one specific location, at a specific time on a specific day, imagine what it might do for recognised brands. Franck and Matilde jumped at the chance to use a modern way to promote their venture to local young people in Cannes.
For the Les Fistons project, vi geo-targeted an ad unit locally in the Cannes area. The campaign used inventory ranging between lifestyle apps, utilities and messaging to target local young people, with interests in culture and food.
video intelligence commissioned illustrator Romy Blümel to develop a new creative universe for Les Fistons. Inspired by the salon culture of Lautrec-era Paris, Blümel’s imagery was designed for a 360 degree panorama on a mobile device, drawing the viewer into a beautiful, entertaining world of cafe culture, cavorting dancers and business deals over crêpes.
On Saturday 17th, over 60 people who had seen the ad descended on Les Fistons to try its new crêpes.
Franck was blown away by the success: “We couldn’t believe the amount of people we had through the door. To be honest, I didn’t think the mobile phone thing would work. But when I saw what was possible with the video technology and cool illustrations we thought, well, it’s worth trying it. It seems more like entertainment than advertising. So we thought we’d give it a go. I’m glad we did.”
Says Tilman Eberle, head of marketing and communications, vi: “Smart mobile branding campaigns have a real impact. The fact that we used an amazing illustration concept flies in the face of those who think mobile cannot be creative.”
Maison vi
For Cannes Lions 2017, video intelligence has taken over Les Fistons and renamed it Maison vi. With the bars and hotels barred to those without a delegate pass until 8pm, as a welcome to everyone, delegate or not, video intelligence will be dishing out crêpes, wi-fi, coffee and cocktails all day, 19th – 21st June – today is the last day.
It’s a two minute walk from the Palais and Lions attendees can sign up to the Facebook Group to come along. Franck will be serving breakfast and coffee from 10am, crêpes from 3pm, and wine from 5pm at Maison vi, 9 Rue Buttura, 06400 Cannes.
Maison vi
Les Fistons
9 Rue Buttura, 06400 Cannes (view on Google Maps)
10am – 7pm daily
19th – 21st June
Free crêpes, coffee, wi-fi and cocktails