Schweppes: Turning a social audio experience into a social revolution

Image supplied. Schweppes' The Social Sound activation in Cape Town transformed a routine Instagram live-stream call-to-action into a real-life treasure hunt

The activation took place on Friday 29 December, in Cape Town and through a ground-breaking collaboration with Amapiano sensation Daliwonga transformed a routine Instagram live-stream call-to-action into a real-life treasure hunt.

The only way to uncover the event’s secret location was for fans to make their way to one of two pick-up points in the city, grab a pair of headphones, listen and follow the music.

A musical breadcrumb trail

Fans were teased with a snippet of Daliwonga’s hit Howa You.

As fans roamed the streets of Cape Town, their headphones became a 3D soundscape navigator. The music’s volume and clarity changed based on their location, guiding them towards the pulsing heart of the event.

The closer they got, the louder and more immersive the beat became. It was like following a musical breadcrumb trail, leading to an exclusive live performance by Daliwonga, supported by DJ Le Soul, Scorpion Kings (DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small) as well as Fizz and Shai-A.

Guests were also treated to Schweppes beverages, bespoke cocktails and canapes.

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A social icon

A survey by the music lifestyle brand Sol Republic shows that 73% of people use headphones to escape. As a brand, Schweppes encourages people to live as they were born, social.

The activation made headphones become more than just audio devices. With Schweppes, every beat was a step towards a new social experience.

The Social Sound is described as where music met the streets, and headphones became personal guides to the city's heartbeat and place to live as we were born: social.

“As an icon of any socialising occasion, Schweppes wants to restate the importance of getting together in real life, says Pietro Pio Cirsone, global creative strategy director at The Coca-Cola Company.

“The idea is to disrupt one of those moments - screens’ over-scrolling - encouraging people to rediscover the joy of genuine socialisation in real life instead of on their phones,” he explains.

Real-life connections

"Schweppes has always celebrated the joy derived from real-life connections," adds Ramokone Ledwaba, senior marketing director at Coca-Cola Africa.

"Indeed, we are inherently social creatures. We urge everyone to break free from the norm's confines and embrace the exhilaration of new experiences."

"The Social Sound was our invitation to step out, explore, and rediscover the thrill of togetherness in the beautiful city of Cape Town,” says Ledwaba.

More than audio devices

The campaign and experience were created by WPP Open X and led by Grey. Yessian handled sound engineering for the project.

“We broke down Daliwonga’s track into layers, each part revealing itself as fans moved closer to the destination. The journey was not just a walk but a build-up of excitement, anticipation, and music that led to an electrifying live show,” says Yessian.