Tag: Marketing Campaign

United States – Popular fast food chain McDonald’s has launched a new campaign catered to anime fans globally, and utilises the ever-popular ‘WcDonald’s’ anime gag being used across multiple anime and manga titles over time.

To do this, McDonald’s has partnered with popular Japanese animation house Studio Pierrot to produce the first official WcDonald’s anime. Four episodic shorts will take fans into the flavorful world of WcDonald’s, where a story about the WcDonald’s Sauce and WcNuggets unfold each week.

It has also teamed up with manga artist/illustrator Acky Bright to design custom WcDonald’s packaging that will take fans deeper into the world of WcDonald’s with every meal. For a limited time, fans will receive manga-inspired packaging featuring WcDonald’s Crew characters, sketched by Acky himself.

A limited edition sauce will be also available, featuring a unique combination of ginger, garlic and soy with a slight heat from chili flakes packs an energetic blast of flavor in every bite.

Lastly, McDonald’s will be launching a multi-sensory dining experience in Los Angeles, California a genre-bending fusion of entertainment and food. Guests will be transported into the WcDonald’s universe through 360 projection mapping and immersive tabletop projections inspired by the four WcDonald’s anime episodic shorts – all while enjoying a set menu of WcDonald’s items. This will go live from March 9-10.

Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald’s USA, said, “Anime is a huge part of today’s culture, and we love that our fans have been inviting us into the conversation for years. The WcDonald’s universe is a reflection of what fans have created. It honors their vision and celebrates their creativity, while authentically bringing it to life in our restaurants for the first time ever.”

Australia – As generative AI continues to be a trend amongst new creative campaigns, Tourism Tasmania has launched a new campaign where they launched an image generator–except that in this case, they actually tapped local Tasmanian artists to turn people’s prompts into actual original art.

The campaign, conceptualised by BMF and Orchard, Tourism Tasmania launched a new platform that invites people to turn their weird and wonderful ideas into very real art, created by very real Tasmanian artists to highlight the Tasmanian way of life and the reasons to visit; it’s craft, passion, realness, and authenticity.

For this campaign, the tourism agency collaborated with nine Tasmanian artists with backgrounds in ceramics, acrylics, oil and crayon, and allowing people to submit their most inspired prompts coupled with a Tasmanian location via the TasmanAi website, in the hopes of receiving their very own, unique, Tasmanian artwork. 

Lindene Cleary, chief marketing officer at Tourism Tasmania, said, “TasmanAi is about highlighting what makes Tasmania different. While AI has its place in the world, the Tasmanian way of life is authentic and creative, where producing original art with meaning takes time, soul, and humanity.”

She added, “These are the things visitors will experience on a holiday in Tasmania – they ‘come down for air’ by slowing down, seeing the beauty beyond the surface, and making real connections. And of course, having a little fun.”

Meanwhile, Casey Schweikert, creative director at BMF, commented, “AI is great, but why let robots have all the fun? We’re excited to remind Australians that Tasmania is the most inspiring place on earth and prove just how creative us meatbags can be. After all, databases of stolen jpegs are no match for Tasmania’s wealth of artistic talent and wildly stimulating views.”

The campaign is drive by HAVAS Red for PR and Starcom for media, and is launched with an online video, in social, and through PR and artist activations.

Singapore – Spotify has announced the anniversary celebrations for ‘K-Pop ON! (온),’ its global K-Pop flagship playlist dedicated to giving listeners a platform to discover and tune in to the best from the genre. 

To commemorate this milestone, the popular audio streaming subscription service will be launching a special series of Spotify Singles headlined by ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (of MONSTA X), and STAYC.

Centred around the theme of ‘My First K-Pop Crush’, these Spotify K-Pop ON! (온) Singles feature covers of songs by the sunbaes (senior artists) who first fueled their love for K-Pop. For Spotify, the campaign not just a nod to every fan’s journey into the genre, which began with that first K-Pop artist who made their heart flutter with their artistry and flair, but also a call to K-Pop fans around the world to join in the celebration of a shared passion for the genre, and the artists who started it all. 

With every single launch, listeners can also look forward to a series of exclusive bonus content on Spotify’s K-Pop ON! (온) Video Podcast and YouTube channels. From performance videos to behind-the-scenes content and more, Spotify will be letting fans in as we unpack the stories of the performing artists’ ‘First K-Pop Crushes,’ the significance behind their song selection, and how the original artists inspired their journey in K-Pop.

Jungjoo Park, head of music for Korea at Spotify, said, “Beyond the celebration of our commitment to helping K-Pop travel the globe and connecting Korean artists with fans and new audiences, Spotify’s K-Pop ON! (온) First Crush campaign is also a powerful expression of how K-Pop touches lives, spreads positivity, and unites listeners regardless of where they are from or the language they speak.”

She added, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, and STAYC to bring the first-ever Spotify K-Pop ON! (온) Singles to the world, and kickstart the movement in celebrating the shared love for the genre.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – RHB Bank has released their latest Chinese New Year film, which was conceived and created by creative agency FCB SHOUT, which tells the life story of Beatrice Leong, an autistic rights activist and filmmaker who only found out she is autistic when she was in her 30s.

Titled ‘Acceptance’, the film was directed and narrated by Leong herself and shot entirely from a first person’s POV, allowing the viewer to see the world through her eyes and better understand how an autistic person processes the things around them.

The film talks about Leong struggles in coping with being different, constantly feeling unwanted and unaccepted by the world that simply couldn’t understand her. After learning about her diagnosis, her life dramatically turned around, taking great strides as an autism activist, becoming a beacon of hope for people who are autistic – especially women in Malaysia.

Her new purpose led to the foundation of her NGO called ‘Autism Inclusiveness Direct Action Group’, which champions representation for the autistic community in media spaces and policy-making.

Talking about the film, Abdul Sani Abdul Murad, group chief marketing officer of RHB Banking Group, said, “At RHB, we are committed to making progress happen for everyone, and our various Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (‘DEI’) initiatives are testament to this. This heartfelt and personal film by Beatrice Leong reaffirms our commitment to continue supporting the neurodiverse community and serves as a timely reminder during this festive period to embrace and celebrate one’s true self.”

Meanwhile, Tjer, head of creative at FCB Shout, commented, “It was really exciting to produce a film that was shot from a first person’s POV, but we did it not just because we wanted to do something different; there’s actually a deeper meaning behind the technique. Beatrice spent much of her life hiding and running away from the world. That inspired us to tell her story without actually showing who she really is, right until the very end.”

“Doing so also allows us to let the viewers experience what being an autistic person is like in an immersive manner, so that they can have a better understanding of this condition and begin to embrace and celebrate the differences in people,” added Tjer. 

‘Acceptance’ was released on January 29, 2024, and is running across all RHB Bank’s social and digital channels in conjunction with the Chinese New Year festive celebration, which starts on February 10, 2024.

Singapore – With the launch of its anticipated Galaxy S24 Series smartphone lineup, Samsung has worked alongside BBH Singapore to launch a new campaign signalling a new age of communication, creativity and collaboration through mobile AI.

With Galaxy AI leading the way in this new era of mobile AI, the S24 Series offers a new way to connect, create and get things done. The campaign began with a teaser film, Galaxy AI is coming, which celebrates Samsung’s long history of pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, from pioneering TV phones in 1999 to foldable phones in 2019.

The official film introduces one of its hero features, ‘Circle to Search,’ developed with Google. Following this, Samsung is also unveiling a series of seven films spotlighting Galaxy S24’s most revolutionary features.

Developed in partnership with Google, Samsung’s ‘Circle to Search’ flagship feature provides a new way for users to intuitively search for anything on their phones with only a simple gesture, and without switching apps.

The series of films also involved a multitude of production houses, which includes Academy Films UK, Albert Park Production, Final Cut, Fuse Adventures in Audio, Fuse Asia Sdn Bhd, Globetrotter, Immigrant, MJZ, ProdCo, Room 121 Seoul, Strings & Tins, TenThree UK, The Lift Mexico, The Mill LA, The Mill Seoul, The Mill London, and The Quarry.

Sonia Chang, VP at Samsung Electronics, said, “Samsung is ushering in a new era of mobile AI with the release of the Galaxy S24 Series, which makes everyday experiences more epic. From awe-inspiring creativity to barrier-free communication, what better way to showcase the different ways Galaxy AI ignites new possibilities than with the launch of a multi-faceted global campaign.”

Meanwhile, Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer at BBH Singapore, commented, “Partnering with Samsung Electronics to launch a global campaign at this scale makes us very proud. This campaign ushers in a new era of mobile, but also a new era of advertising from this region, proving that world-class work can originate here in Singapore. Singapore’s talents, its diversity, cultural sensibility, and its drive for innovation is a unique advantage when it comes to launching products that debunk the status quo.”

The multiple film launch is part of BBH Singapore’s continued work for Samsung following its takeover of The Sphere in Las Vegas during CES 2024.

Australia – BIG4 Holiday Parks, a popular Australian holiday park chain, has rolled out an extension to their ‘GO BIG’ brand platform via Pangea. This campaign introduces the BIG4 Park Ranger and a series of ‘Top Tips’ videos showcasing those often-unspoken-but-uniquely-Australian behaviours and traditions that accompany holidaying in a BIG4 park.

The videos are accompanied by an in-park treasure hunt which asks BIG4 guests to find all 10 Top Tips hung on plaques around branded BIG4 parks this summer. Those guests who find all 10 go in the running to win a bunch of BIG4 prizes. 

Tash Prendergast, head of marketing at BIG4, said, “We are doubling down on our GO BIG brand platform. We launched our GO BIG campaign with a focus on the pre-stay excitement that comes with booking a BIG4 holiday. The natural next step was to continue that “GO BIG” feeling beyond the booking moment. So we took the opportunity to shine a light on the unbeatable BIG4 in-park experience that so many Aussies know and love.”

Prendergast added, “These videos are so much fun and hit all the right notes in our humble and human, cheeky and cheerful tone of voice. But what makes this one truly special is that the campaign extension also lives and breathes as part of the holiday experience for thousands of guests staying in BIG4 Holiday Parks around the country this summer.”

Meanwhile, Tommy McCubbin, creative director at Pangea, commented, “When you forget someone’s name, just run with mate. We all do it. So when the team wanted to extend the ‘GO BIG’ platform, we worked with Park Owners to bring real stories from real Aussie holidaymakers to life. The outcome was a series of tips which practically wrote themselves, because they’re based on stories we can all relate to.” 

The series of spots are running across BVOD, YouTube, social media and on big4.com.au over summer. 

Singapore – In conjunction with the recently-concluded Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Samsung has launched a publicity campaign which allowed to take them over the iconic Las Vegas Sphere on January 8, depicting a portal to a new galaxy inspired by Marvel.

Conceptualised alongside BBH Singapore alongside The Mill Los Angeles and Fuse Adventures in Audio, the stunt featured Doctor Strange from Marvel Studios’ “What If…?”, all episodes now streaming only on Disney+, it teased a new era for mobile and provided a glimpse of an upcoming feature that will allow users to make epic discoveries just by drawing circles. 

https://youtu.be/5DaJN5nY6ds

Just as Doctor Strange discovers new portals of endless possibilities, the new Galaxy capabilities will enable discovery in a whole new way. 

Moreover, the spectacular Sphere display comes after Samsung released an official teaser announcing the impending arrival of Galaxy AI. Called ‘Galaxy AI is Coming’, this was also produced with BBH Singapore.

Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer at BBH Singapore, said, “Like the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Galaxy users will have a multiverse of possibilities at their fingertips. They’ll be able to open new worlds with the simplest of actions. Everything will change, just like that.”

All will be revealed at ‘Galaxy Unpacked,’ a biannual event unveiling Samsung Electronics’ newest devices, including smartphones, tablets, and wearables. After ‘Galaxy Unpacked,’ a series of films developed by BBH Singapore will be released globally over the coming weeks. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Nando’s has announced the launch of a new marketing campaign, “Intense Flavours That Make You Lose It”, for its new product, PERi-crackle. While people freaking out over food usually strikes fear in the hearts of those working in F&B, this campaign puts a twist on what ranting and raving will be like with this new menu addition. 

Nando’s PERi-crackle is a topping made with toasted sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, garlic, shallots, and PERi-PERi. Not to be confused with a sauce, Nando’s calls it a ‘flavour topping’ that you can add to your favourite foods. Chicken, sides, and everything in between. 

The campaign, conceptualised alongside The Chariot Agency, features Malaysian actor and lifestyle influencer, Harris Annuar, screaming compliments to Nando’s TRX employees for serving him an intensely flavourful PERi-crackle with his ¼ Chicken with 2 Sides order. 

A series of ads followed this as they collaborated once again with Jared Lee of Grim Films, who brought freak-out moments up a notch. In one video, one could see cosplayers drop their carefully curated characters. In another, a trio of championship-winning mimes go berserk and lose their cool. It’s all the PERi-crackle effect, brought to mouth-watering life with food styling by Shen of Boldz Studio.

Elaine Chiew, head of marketing at Nando’s Malaysia, said, “At Nando’s, we’re always looking for new ways to bring South African heat to Malaysian tastebuds. PERi-PERi is more than just an ingredient to us, it’s the magic that makes Nando’s uniquely Nando’s and with PERi-crackle, we now have a new way for our fans to enjoy PERi-PERi – in the form of a chilli oil topping and not just a sauce or basting. The experience of eating PERi-crackle can get intense as it’s spicy, crunchy, savoury and you just can’t believe how well it goes with so many different things.”

Meanwhile, June Lim, account director at Chariot Agency, commented, “We injected a comedic approach to the campaign that hinges on real human behaviour when eating – a common one is when you eat something so good that your body just does this little shake. PERi-crackle is made with powerful, textured ingredients that get your mind and body shaking furiously.”

Lastly, Christyna Fong, creative director at Chariot Agency, said, “The flavours of PERi-crackle are so enjoyably intense, it just fires up everything in your body all at once. We wanted to capture the feeling of completely losing yourself to the intensity. From the stunt to our ads, PERi-crackle’s flavours and textures will have you dropping any act or pretences and just lose your cool. So watch yourself around it.”

Singapore – Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) low-cost subsidiary, has announced the launch of “Scoot With Heart,” a campaign that promotes the value of human connections and encourages meaningful reunions through travel. 

Physical distances and the growth of digital media are blamed for the rise in social isolation since they reduce the need for in-person encounters. In response, Scoot’s most recent campaign seeks to create meaningful connections and meaningful dialogues in order to initiate positive changes in communities across its network.

During its first campaign, Scoot worked with The Smart Local and other community-based social service organisations like Lions Befrienders and the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST) to plan two families’ very touching reunions. Pelago provided funding for the families’ on-the-ground activities in Singapore, and Mercure covered one of the families’ hotel stays as part of their support for the campaign.

Speaking about the campaign, Agatha Yap, Scoot director of marketing, communications, marketing partnerships and loyalty, said, “Travel is more than just getting to a destination; it is about connecting cultures and people we love. Scoot With Heart is also more than just a marketing campaign; it is our way of encouraging the community to treasure the human connections they have in their lives.” 

She added, “Whether it is making an effort to put your mobile phone aside at the dining table to have a genuine chat with a loved one, or to ring up a friend just to check-in and re-connect, we hope that this campaign sparks off such meaningful conversations once again.”

Singapore – Australian low-cost airline JetStar has announced a new brand platform, urging travellers to ‘Make It Count’ in 2024. Notably, this marks the next chapter of an ongoing partnership for Jetstar and The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) crafting the airline’s brand platform, with the last brand proposition, ‘Because You Can,’ created over seven years ago.

The ‘Make It Count’ campaign hopes to encourage people to overcome planning procrastination and put intention behind travel, emphasizing the importance of purposeful journeys. Reflecting strategic shifts in the travel landscape, the campaign also rallies travellers to emphasize the quality of their experiences and the importance of understanding why they travel rather than just where they’re going.

The creation of the new brand platform is accompanied with a new brand toolkit, complete with a library of assets for use across digital, social, and various destinations and occasions. 

This includes a film that takes the audience on a visceral adventure, where viewers will journey through a visual scrapbook, capturing the essence of meaningful travel experiences that linger long after the journey ends. The film, shot in hot travel destinations across Asia featuring Jetstar’s crew, aims to resonate with modern travellers living out their journeys with intention and purpose.

Belinda Allen, regional manager of group marketing and direct sales for Asia at Qantas and Jetstar Airways, said, “Jetstar has always been about more than just reaching a destination; it’s about the journey and the many stories we create along the way. ‘Make It Count’ is not just a campaign; it’s a commitment to meaningful travel experiences, encouraging our passengers to embrace the why behind their journeys, and ensuring every trip is a chapter worth remembering.”

She added, “We are committed to giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy these meaningful travel experiences affordably and to rediscover our destinations over and over again. We’re excited to continue the partnership with The Secret Little Agency to bring this to life – as the creative agency that created our brand platform 7 years ago, we knew there was no better partner to help us in this new wave of travel.”

Meanwhile, Mavis Neo and Nicholas Ye, co-chief creative officers at The Secret Little Agency, commented, “Our goal was to craft a platform that transcends the ordinary, resonates with the modern traveller’s mindset, and showcases Jetstar’s commitment to a new era of purposeful travel. ‘Make It Count’ is not just a tagline; it’s a creative journey that takes the audience beyond the destination, making every moment a canvas for memorable experiences.”

The brand platform launches in celebration of Jetstar’s 19th birthday sale happening 12 December 2023, and is expected to run well into 2024 across digital programmatic, social, and OOH including iconic billboards across Asia Pacific.