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Marketing Featured South Asia

Whisper crafts a campaign to break the stereotypes about periods being ‘impure’

Mumbai, India – To avoid the misinformation about menstrual periods being ‘dirty and impure’, feminine-care brand Whisper under Procter & Gamble has released a campaign to shed light on the biology of periods and explain that it’s a natural process that happens in every woman.

Conceptualised with advertising agency Leo Burnett, the fourth edition of the #KeepGirlsInSchool campaign showcases ‘The Missing Chapter’ film. This aims to teach the biology of periods and enlighten both mothers and daughters on menstrual hygiene and using sanitary pads during monthly cycles. 

The campaign also comes after a study revealing that 1 out of 5 girls in India drop out of school every year due to lack of period education, whilst 7 out of 10 mothers are not aware of the biology of periods, seeing it as ‘dirty or impure’.

Girish Kalyanaraman, vice president and category leader of Feminine Care at Procter & Gamble India, said that the brand is dedicated towards period education to spread awareness about menstrual hygiene and giving sanitary pads to girls across the country. Therefore, they aim to educate mothers about the biology of periods and right sanitary products.

 “Our aim is to empower young girls to achieve their dreams by completing their school education without any gaps and to stop them from dropping out of school because of a biological process as natural as periods. Our consumers can make a huge difference in helping us bridge this gap,” Kalyanaraman added.

Whisper started to launch its #KeepGirlsInSchool campaign in 2020 to address all girls in India and enlighten them about the true science behind the said cycle. Moreover, Whisper has been conducting school and community programs to teach period education and give free pads to girls and mothers.

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Marketing Featured South Asia

Lee Jeans launches flagship store in Bengaluru through #TheRealDenim campaign

Mumbai, India – Denim brand Lee Jeans, in collaboration with integrated marketing solution provider CupShup and advertising agency Leo Burnett India, launches ‘#TheRealDenim’ campaign to announce the inauguration of its flagship store in Bengaluru.

The campaign started with week-long activation across multiple locations, including the #BrothersInBoxers initiative where four young boys wore boxers inside the stadium whilst holding placards saying that they ‘won’t be wearing any jeans until the real denim arrives’.

Moreover, the campaign also created a ‘friendly brand war’ to counter Lee’s competitive brand store. 30 ‘boxer brothers’ went around Brigade Road whilst holding placards. During the launch, they gathered in front of the competitor’s store.

In the post-launch phase, influencers and regular walk-ins participated in the campaign. They were asked to discard their old denim on Brigade Road and walked into Lee Jeans’ store dressed solely in boxers. In exchange, received ‘the real denim’ from Lee for free.

Moreover, the launching was graced by the presence of India’s famous content creator Jordindian who participated in unveiling the store.

Lokesh Kataria, CMO at Lee and Wrangler India, said that they executed the campaign and launch with a fun, disruptive idea, which successfully brought ‘party’ to the city whilst witnessing the crowds rally and cheer for the cause. 

Sourav Kumar, co-founder at CupShup, added, “Lee has always been a fun & friendly brand. We leveraged their tonality and translated it into a fun disruptive campaign that was in line with it. This gave the customers something to smile about and arouse their curiosity about the brand.”

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Marketing Featured Global

Beauty brand Lux’s latest campaign encourages sports media to do better in covering female athletes

Durban, South Africa – Whilst media coverage on sports gives athletes essential exposure, they also become the root of objectifying women due to camera angles that focus on female athletes’ certain body parts.

These tendencies in media encouraged Unilever’s global beauty brand Lux, a brand that aims to support women against everyday sexism, to release a campaign that encourages sports media to do a more responsible coverage by focusing on female athlete’s winning shots and strengths during competitions, instead of highlighting their certain physical attributes.

Done in collaboration with Wunderman Thompson Singapore, the ‘Change The Angle’ campaign is associated with a 66-second ad highlighting the statements of female athletes that encourage audience and media to see their strengths instead of objectifying them. The ad also shows statistics on sexist sports coverage, revealing that there are 2500 pictures that objectify female athletes during 2021 Olympics.

Moreover, Lux has also collaborated with South African Volleyball Association and sports broadcaster SABC to organise a volleyball game where female players wore sports attires with QR codes on it, which are the same areas that are usually shown by sports broadcasters. When the QR codes are scanned, it will be directed to the Change The Angle campaign.

Severine Vauleon, global brand vice president of LUX, said that when they discovered that athletes, especially women, are more likely to be objectified due to the camera angles in sports coverage, they realised that they need to act on it.

“At LUX, we believe that beauty should be a source of strength, and that the focus should be on celebrating the beauty of their strength, skills and achievements in sport,” Vauleon added.

“The ‘Change The Angle’ campaign website offers six simple guidelines to effect change in how female athletes are portrayed – and we hope that everyone who’s keen to see change will spread the word,” Marco Versolato, CCO at Wunderman Thompson Singapore added.

With its commitment to fight sexism, Lux has released DE&I training programme last year which aims to stop bad behaviour in the workplace. A certain course in the programme named ‘LUX Allies Against Workplace Sexism’ is designed to help counter sexism in the workplace.

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Marketing Featured Southeast Asia

RHB Bank’s film for Raya shows that even small things can have bigger purpose

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia To commemorate the celebration of Hari Raya, Malaysian bank RHB Bank has unveiled an inspiring film to prove that even the smallest things can be an instrument to create a bigger purpose. The ad was done in collaboration with ad agency FCB Shout.

The 4-minute film titled ‘Pengembaraan Sempurna’ (A Perfect Journey), features the real-life story of Ramli Aziz, a retired police officer who lost one of his legs due to vascular failure. Due to the current lack of bicycles in the market that are suitable for people with disabilities like himself, Aziz was inspired to create disabled-friendly bicycles using recyclable items.

Eventually, he meets his neighbour who is also a disabled boy that loves bicycles, Aziz similarly becomes a beacon of light and hope by roping in the young boy and working with him to create the said special form of bicycle.

Abdul Sani Abdul Murad, chief marketing officer of RHB Group, said that as a bank that fulfills ESG commitments, the story is personally important to them because they believe that recycling and repurposing are the ways to create a sustainable future for everyone.

Meanwhile, Tjer, FCB SHOUT’s head of creative, added, “This story is as much about environmental sustainability as it is about humanity, and to be able to shine the spotlight on both with such a charming and relatable true story was not an easy feat.”

“While Hari Raya is a time where we look forward to new beginnings, perhaps Pak Cik Ramli’s story can inspire us to also look deeper into the things or people around us that have been left behind by the world, so that we can find a newer and even greater purpose for them to keep progressing,” Ong Shi Ping, FCB SHOUT’s Co-Owner and chief creative officer, added.

Recently, FCB Shout has also crafted a Raya campaign for Pepsi to encourage people to minimise screen time and spend more time with their families.

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Marketing Featured APAC

What does ghosting your friends actually look like? Heineken’s latest ‘spooky’ ad shows us what

Singapore – Whether navigating a hybrid, virtual, or purely physical work set-up, attaining work-life balance will always be a challenge for employees. This is why beer brand Heineken, which can be considered a mainstay in workers’ happy hours, has launched a simple but true-to-point ad about the struggle of employees to be ‘present’ in their social lives. 

In collaboration with advertising agency Le Pub APAC, the beer brand’s 48-second clip titled ‘The Ghosted Bar’ shows a group of friends having a fun time at a bar. Shortly after, paranormal activities take place where glasses of beer move on their own as well as a chair – with no person on it – sliding from one place to another. Towards the end, it is revealed that the movements are indeed manoeuvres of their friend who is currently stuck at the office but is still present in spirit – as a ghost – amongst them. 

And as if the brief narrative couldn’t get more exciting, it is graced by Heineken ambassador, Korean actor Park Hyung Sik. In the end, the beer brand reminds to don’t ghost your friends and to work responsibly.

Prior to releasing the ad, Park Hyung Sik shared an Instagram video of the said spooky encounters which served as a teaser for the said campaign. It seemed to have piqued fans’ curiosity with it garnering more than 4 million views in 24 hours.

Bram Westenbrink, global head at Heineken Brand, said that Heineken has always encouraged socialisation and healthy human connections where workers have a balanced social and leisure time.

“We’re thrilled to bring this platform to Singapore and Malaysia as a reminder to leave your duties on time and not let your social life fall behind,” Westenbrink added.

Bruno Bertelli, global CEO of Le Pub, added, “Heineken’s Ghosted Bar campaign reminds us to leave the office after an honest day at work to live your social life at its fullest. This is what #WorkResponsibly is all about.”

Park Hyung Sik also expressed his thoughts, saying that employees must enjoy social life and not let work impede their leisure time.

“Through this meaningful project by Heineken, we want to encourage employees to start working responsibly,” said the Korean actor.

‘The Ghosted Bar’ is, in fact, partially attributed to findings by a YouGov study which revealed that almost half of the employees in Singapore and Malaysia are guilty of ‘ghosting’ their friends. 

This latest campaign by the brand is the third ad released under its #WorkResponsibly campaign. It follows the launch of The Closer and The Office Cleaners which were both unveiled in 2022.

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Marketing Featured Southeast Asia

Spritzer proves that drinking water can be a part of the skincare routine via campaign with FCB Shout

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Drinking water is essential for daily activities, especially if people want to be refreshed and hydrated. But natural bottled water brand Spritzer proves in its latest campaign that they are more than just a thirst-quencher drinking water, showcasing that its product can make skin look healthy and youthful because it was made with Silica.

In collaboration with advertising agency FCB Shout, Spritzer released a 60-second video ad titled ‘Nourishing Youthful Skin from Within with Silica’ which showcased the benefits of Silica, a mineral which is scientifically proven to boost collagen production to make the skin look ‘youthful’. 

Malaysian celebrities Ayda Jebat and Merqeen served as the stars of the campaign.

Shiao Chan, Spritzer’s head of marketing said that Silica has a key role in producing collagen that makes the skin beautiful, therefore, it’s a key to change the perception of the consumers towards Spritzer mineral water as a merely thirst-quencher drink.

Syahriza Badron, general manager of FCB SHOUT, added, “After all, we live in a world where skincare is rapidly ascending on the consumers’ list of priorities, as evidently seen in the extensive routines they are willing to go through each day to ensure good skin health.”

Other works from the campaign will be shown across all media channels.

In 2021, FCB was tapped by Spritzer to handle its creative mandate.

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Marketing Featured Southeast Asia

Queen of jazz Sheila Majid brings ‘legendary vibes’ to Raya via new campaign of noodle brand Mamee Chef

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  To bestow blessings on Malaysians this Raya season, Malaysian noodle brand Mamee Chef, in collaboration with global content studio Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), has released a film featuring a song titled ‘Sinaran Syawal’, a song that implies a bright celebration of Syawal, which is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar following the holy month of Ramadan.

The 94-second clip features its brand ambassador and Malaysia’s queen of jazz Sheila Majid together with groovy Malaysia indie-rock band Kugiran Masdo performing the song whilst showcasing Mamee Chef’s two special flavours for the year – lontong and rendang – and how they will enhance the experience during Raya celebrations. 

Mandar Wairkar, creative director at MBCS, said that the collaboration with the Malaysian singer like Majid will bring legendary vibes for Raya, whilst featuring Kugiram Masdo band who adds pleasant surprise in connecting with the youth and introduce the go-to convenient meal for the festivities.

How Yuan Yi, chief marketing officer at Mamee-Double Decker (M) Sdn. Bhd. said, “As a brand by Malaysians for Malaysians, we really wanted to bring Mamee Chef’s authentic flavours to our fellow rakyat in an exciting relevant way this Raya, and MBCS has come through on that promise in a culturally, and pop-culturally resonant way.”

This year, Mediabrands Content Studio has also teamed with Listerine Malaysia to craft its Chinese New Year campaign.

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Marketing Featured East Asia

Local creatives Sniper Digital tasked to entice Hong Kong residents anew to pay Macau a visit

Singapore As travel restrictions come to an end, Singapore-based creative design agency Sniper Digital was recently engaged by a Macau destination company to craft a campaign that would help bring back the excitement of Hong Kong residents to visit Macau again and experience its iconic landmarks and rich culture.

The campaign titled ‘Ola Hong Kong, Macau Awaits You’ showcases the unique cultural offerings and attractions in Macau whilst emphasizing its close relationship and shared history with Hong Kong.

Moreover, the campaign materials, associated with eye-catching vibrant colours, bold typography, and illustrations, featured Macau’s iconic landmarks such as Our Lady of Carmel Church and Taipa Village’s traditional shophouses, as well as the gastronomy, art, culture and lifestyle experiences. 

To further entice the tourist, this campaign comes with promos including incentives and rewards, such as instant dining, shopping and lifestyle privileges and chances to enter a lucky draw to win a free night of luxury accommodation for their next visit. 

According to the agency, the campaign was embraced by both Hong Kong residents and wider travel industry. Majority of audiences shared their enthusiastic responses, with most commenting on the campaign’s effective and modern approach that helped to differentiate Macau from other nearby travel destinations. 

Sniper Digital is a newly opened creative design agency in Singapore that specialises in branding, graphic design, print media and digital marketing.

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Marketing Featured Southeast Asia

This ad by an Indonesian skincare brand shows it’s possible to calm an angry skin cell

Jakarta, Indonesia Whilst some individuals get anxious from suffering skin issues, Indonesian skincare brand Somethinc reminds everyone that there’s a solution to easily handle skin issues by unveiling newest products in its latest ad.

In collaboration with advertising agency TJT Creative Lab, the 90-second quirky ad showcases the skincare brand’s newest product line, Calmdown® Series, which is designed to provide relief and comfort for people who have calm sensitive, angry, and irritated skin.

This also features the products’ patented active ingredients and technology that instantly soothe irritated skin. The innovative range of products is an idea of Irene Ursula, who founded Somethinc skincare brand.

Irvine Prisilia, executive creative director at TJT Creative Lab, said that they want to elevate the skincare brand beyond a product story and create something that would resonate with audiences, therefore, they decided to craft this quirky ad.

Calista Primalia, creative director at Somethinc, added, “We love the quirky story of showing our skin cell as an angry skin cell and creating havoc in our skin. It is one of those ideas with legs a mile long. Allowing us to expand our messaging across channels and platforms.”

Other works from the campaign also include over 30 billboard spots all over Indonesia to reach a wider audience and promote the benefits of the new product range.

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Marketing Featured Southeast Asia

Oat-based milk brand Oatbedient sees mascot ‘Oatdit’ reminding benefits of plant-based products

Singapore – With its vision to provide oat-based products that are good for its consumers and environment, Oat-based milk brand Oatbedient, in collaboration with independent creative agency GOVT Singapore, has launched a new brand film that sees its mascot – the bubbly little oat ‘Oatdit’ – reminding consumers of the health benefits they’ll gain from choosing plant-based products. 

Titled ‘Oat My Goodness’, the 30-second clip is associated with uplifting music and colorful illustrations to present the series of plant-based Oatbedient products that are authentically healthy with no nasty ingredients, junk, or fillers.

The campaign also aims to show that Oatbedient brings ‘goodness’ to life whilst reminding that being healthy can also be delightful.

Elaine Teo, Co-founder of Oatbedient said that consumers are often exposed to a variety of products that have low or no nutritional value. Therefore, their vision for Oatbedient is to create delicious clean labelled products that can feed families.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Neo, group creative director of agency GOVT Singapore, added, “Oatbedient is a fun and quirky brand that is already likable. So our job was to make sure we help paint the journey of Oatdit introducing the products in an entertaining way.”

All works from the campaign will run across multiple channels including social media and digital.