Perhaps the folks at Espresso watch too much reality TV, jokes Jacquelyn Corbett Cyr, the integrated marketing agency’s CEO on her reference to MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 when speaking about Koodo Mobile’s new ‘Build-a-Bash’ campaign. But if there’s one thing the brand’s 18- to 24-year-old target likes to do it’s party and post pictures of said party on Facebook – two elements present in Koodo’s new virtual campaign anchored on BuildaBash.ca.

To bring the ultimate party to the people, Koodo Mobile has hired Espresso to create the Build-a-Bash microsite and the social media campaign to promote it. Open to Canadians aged 13 and up, BuildABash.ca encourages users to virtually build their own dream party (valued at $50,000) and earn points toward a chance to make it a reality. ‘We have put together influencer lists,’ says Corbett Cyr, ‘so we’re targeting that demo – student unions, key retail locations, employees.’ The contest will be promoted through some of Koodo’s mass media, including print, which is handled by Taxi and Media Experts.

But the move to soc media for a big campaign is new for Koodo, says Corbett Cyr, and the goal for Espresso was to build a prize that wouldn’t just be valuable to the user, but to their entire network as well. After logging on through Facebook Connect, which eliminates another log-in as a barrier, partiers earn points by finding Koodo codes, voting on party elements and participating in Koodo-tainment-activities that range from word games to visiting a local Koodo kiosk. ‘We’re targeting 20,000 users on the site, so we get a bunch of parties running and people are building them up,’ she tells MiC.