Tag: Valentine's Day

Philippines – Cadbury teamed up with Ogilvy Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore for a Valentine’s Day campaign celebrating the beautifully imperfect nature of real love.

Cadbury’s campaign highlights how the most meaningful love stories often defy clichés and expectations. It embraces the complexities of real relationships—from the rollercoaster of emotions and differing tastes to shared vulnerabilities and steadfast support through life’s ups and downs.

The campaign features a film depicting a couple embracing their imperfections and celebrating the unique differences that strengthen their bond.

Alongside the campaign film, Ogilvy, in collaboration with Bulletproof, has introduced a limited-edition split-heart package design for the campaign. The design, which symbolises two halves of a whole, highlights individuality within relationships, representing contrasting preferences such as music genres and travel destinations.

The packaging visually conveys the campaign’s central message: that love finds harmony in difference, illustrating how two distinct individuals can come together to form a meaningful connection.

The limited-edition Cadbury split-heart packaging was released in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Thailand – This Valentine’s Day, Durex takes a bold stand against the pleasure gap, partnering with Sour Bangkok to champion pleasure equality in its latest campaign.

Created by Sour Bangkok, Durex’s out-of-home campaign highlights overlooked perspectives and addresses inequalities in pleasure, advocating for inclusivity with its ‘ALLgasm’ message.

The campaign brings the conversation to city streets with striking images of women’s lips—though a change in perspective reveals something unexpected. Alongside the bold visuals, it highlights unspoken truths about pleasure, such as how many women find being on top helps them reach orgasm faster, while others believe toys increase satisfaction.

Durex’s campaign underscores the message that ‘sex is a duet, not a solo,’ underscoring the importance of shared pleasure and inclusivity with its ‘ALLgasm’ concept.

In a statement, the campaign stated, “Because let’s be honest—one side is finishing the race, while the other is stuck pretending to run. Over 60% of women have faked an orgasm, and 15% have never even had one. Some don’t want to hurt feelings, some just want it over, and some simply say, ‘It’s complicated.’ But pleasure should be felt, not faked—and ALLgasm is here to change that.”

India – For its latest Valentine’s Day campaign, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk teams up with Ogilvy India to make expressing love effortless, featuring special packaging with heartfelt messages.

Titled ‘Say it With Silk,’ the campaign acknowledges the challenge of expressing emotions. It features limited-edition packaging with pre-written love notes like “You are my love” and “You are special to me,” making it easier to share feelings through a simple gift.

The campaign includes a film about a penguin struggling to express its feelings. When its initial gesture is lost, a Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk Heart Blush becomes the perfect substitute, highlighting how simple acts can convey deep emotions.

Speaking on the campaign, Nitin Saini, vice president of marketing at Mondelez India, said, “Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has always been synonymous with heartfelt gestures and playing cupid for couples on Valentine’s, so this year, we’re making it even easier for young lovers to express their feelings with our campaign, “Say it With Silk”. Through this, we are bringing love to life in two beautiful ways—on pack and on screen. Our new packaging makes expressing emotions effortless, while our film tells a story that resonates deeply with the essence of love. Together, they create meaningful moments that go beyond words, making Valentine’s even more memorable.”

The limited-edition Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk packs will be available in retail stores and online platforms nationwide. The launch is accompanied by a 360-degree communication campaign aimed at highlighting the brand’s message.

Kainaz Karmakar and Harshad Rajadhyaksha, CCOs at Ogilvy India, shared, “Through the years, Silk has been nudging young lovers to express their feelings to each other on Valentine’s Day. Every year, the brand finds new ways to land this message. This year, we decided to put the spotlight on the hesitation and the awkwardness of finding the words. The story is told through two adorable penguins as our lead characters. Set in the penguins’ world, the story comes from a universal emotion which everyone who is or has been in love will be able to relate to. Our penguins are a tribute to the first step of every love story – expressing your love.”

“Special mention of our Sr. ECD, Akshay Seth and our director, Harshik Suraiya, along with the broader teams at Ogilvy, Vanilla Films and Mondelez, for leaving no stone unturned to bring this cute, animated story to life,” they added.

Shekhar Banerjee, chief client officer & office head at Wavemaker India, added, “Our campaign moves beyond simple messaging to seamlessly integrate into every stage of the journey of finding love. This Valentine’s Day, we are enabling expressions of love at every touchpoint, from the first blush of attraction to the grand gesture of commitment. By understanding the emotional milestones – the shy glances, the hesitant steps forward, the breathless anticipation – we have strategically aligned Silk with key media channels that resonate with each moment. Imagine live, in-the-moment surprises, authentic influencer partnerships, and content that speaks volumes without uttering a word.”.

India – With Valentine’s Day approaching, BigBasket teams up with Talented to deliver a witty reality check on modern dating and its red flags.

BigBasket’s Valentine’s Day campaign flips the script on modern dating, turning red flag frustrations into fast, green-flag deliveries. With a brutally honest take on romance, the campaign delivers a simple yet powerful message: timing is everything.

Conceptualised by Talented and executed by Potli Baba Mediahouse, the campaign features a series of films highlighting common dating frustrations, from ghosting and unmet expectations to catfishing and empty promises. Using humour and relatable scenarios, the campaign draws a parallel between modern dating struggles and the value of reliability and timing.

Speaking on the campaign, directors Mandakini and Bopanna said,  “The goal was simple: make people laugh while delivering a message that resonates. “The scripts gave us a wide canvas to play with. The red flag-green flag construct has a neat two-punch approach to it that we chose to elevate both in terms of visuals and humour. We wanted to treat the films like everyday tableaus of relationship issues. Hence the unobtrusive production design, framing and staccato rhythm.”

Raagaleena Sripada, marketing head for retail at BigBasket, shared, “Love shouldn’t be a waiting game. At BigBasket, we know that timing is everything—whether it’s a last-minute Valentine’s gift, a grocery run, or a comforting treat after a tough day. No one likes to wait, and they shouldn’t have to! This campaign reflects our commitment to speed and relevance, especially for a younger audience that expects both.”

Meanwhile, Aarushi Periwal, founding member and creative at Talented, said, “It’s really that simple – if they wanted to, they would. Our campaign taps into the frustration of waiting, and that’s where BigBasket comes in – showing up when it counts. We’re a generation that craves instant gratification; good thing BigBasket is into that too. With this campaign, we took the painfully real moments we all unfortunately relate to and turned them into something that shows the brand’s true colours – the greenest flag, indeed. “

“BigBasket has been a trusted grocery partner for decades, but now, the challenge was to position them as a 10-minute delivery app. Rather than just talking about speed, we found a deeper, more relatable insight—no one likes waiting. In a world full of breadcrumbing, BigBasket only bread-delivers,” Krisha Kakad, brand strategy at Talented, added.

India – As part of its annual Valentine’s Day tradition, Cadbury 5 Star has teamed up with Ogilvy India for a bold new campaign that enlists older couples to disrupt the excitement surrounding V-Day.

Cadbury 5 Star’s latest campaign film features a data scientist revealing a pattern: youth trends fade when older audiences adopt them. From skinny jeans to social media, once the older crowd joins in, the youth move on. Cadbury 5 Star applies this logic to Valentine’s Day—if uncles take over, the romance fades.

To put this idea to the test, the campaign directs its Valentine’s Week budget toward older couples, funding their dates to create a visible presence on V-Day. The brand will also amplify romantic content featuring older couples across social media, ensuring their participation is seen both online and offline.

Nitin Saini, vice president of marketing at Mondelez India, said, “At Cadbury 5 Star, we’ve always championed the virtue of doing nothing. Valentine’s Day often comes with a lot of pressure of putting on a romantic show, but it is certainly not for everyone. We wanted to take a light-hearted and fun approach to disrupt Valentine’s Day—by enlisting the help of uncles, who are often the last people associated with romance. It is a fun way to demonstrate the lengths to which we at 5star will go to by battling anything that gets in the way of doing nothing.”

Cadbury 5 Star continues its tradition of helping people “do nothing” on Valentine’s Day. After last year’s time-travel hack, the brand now aims to end V-Day for good—with the help of uncles.

Sukesh Nayak, chief creative officer at Ogilvy India, shared, “5 Star’s counterculture take on the cringe around Valentine’s Day has been gaining popularity year on year, so it was a no-brainer that we’d come back with something even bigger.”

“While last year we explored technological interventions like time travel, this time Karunasagar Sridharan (ECD Ogilvy) came up with a completely different yet simple and relatable solution. And our Creative Tech team, led by Rajneesh Bolia, helped build the platform to interview and recruit ‘uncles’ who can take this mission forward while rewarding the youth so that everyone who is tired of the mush around V-Day can actively contribute to pruning it,” Nayak added.

Shekhar Banerjee, chief client officer and office head at Wavemaker India, also commented, “Cadbury 5 Star, known for its counterculture play, is turning Valentine’s Day into ‘Destroy V-Day’ this year, with a cheeky, disruptive message. Our multi-platform strategy targets a digitally native audience through engaging content on Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, while extending reach through strategic TV placements for broader reach. The campaign is amplified through strategic partnerships across cinema, retail, and sports, ensuring maximum impact and resonance. Supported by a unique KOL strategy that mirrors the playful, counter-culture spirit of our brand.”

“In a sea of predictable Valentine’s Day messaging, Cadbury 5 Star is poised to disrupt the norm and own the conversation,” Banerjee continued. 

Those looking to take part in Cadbury’s mission can nominate an uncle they know at www.destroyvalentinesday.com. Selected nominees will receive a “date allowance,” while nominators earn a small “commission” for their participation.

Japan – SKYN Condoms teams up with independent creative agency UltraSuperNew Tokyo for its latest Valentine’s Day campaign, transforming an awkward tussle over the last packet of condoms into a hilarious showdown.

SKYN’s latest campaign film explores Honne to Tatemae, the Japanese concept of balancing true feelings (honne) with socially appropriate behaviour (tatemae).

Titled ‘Soft Competition,’ the ad follows a man and a woman reaching for the last packet of SKYN condoms in a convenience store. Their inner honne sparks a comical showdown of expressions and emotions, but they quickly rein it in, reverting to their composed, socially proper tatemae selves.

Annie Hou, associate director for sales and marketing at MAM LifeStyles, said, “This marks a monumental milestone for SKYN. After almost a decade in Japan, we are thrilled to announce that our products are now available in the highly competitive Konbini Market—a space traditionally dominated by big-name brands. This step allows us to bring SKYN closer to you, ensuring both our loyal fans and those discovering us for the first time can find our soft textured product not only in drugstores but also in select konbini locations nearby.”

Yousuke Ozawa, creative director for UltraSuperNew Tokyo, added, “This time, we decided to take a fresh approach by casting the characters as rivals instead of couples, adding a whole new dynamic to the brand. We also made the protagonist a woman, something only SKYN could pull off since the product is designed for both men and women. Instead of the usual submissive or cutesy portrayal of a Japanese woman, we made her a confident, charismatic go-getter. Through this, we hope to shift the image of Japanese women in a more empowering direction while also letting people know that SKYN is now available in convenience stores.”

Philippines – Jollibee is once again creating emotions with two new #MyKwentongJollibee short videos, ‘30 Dates’ and ‘To Love Again’, which are intended to capture the spirit of love this Valentine’s season. The beloved brand continues to strive to tell true love stories by sourcing narratives directly from the people involved, imbuing the films with authenticity and passion.

The short films “#MyKwentongJollibee: 30 Dates” and “To Love Again,” directed by Paolo Villaluna, follow two real-life couples as they negotiate the challenges of life and love.

“In ’30 Dates,’ the story centres on two friends, Kristian and Coleen, who have very different views on love. Kristian wants to start his own family, while Coleen is doubtful and believes that love only exists in movies and television. 

In celebration of Coleen’s birth month, Kristian decided to treat her to 30 days of meals at Jollibee, knowing it was her favourite spot. Will this heartfelt and unique gesture ignite a deeper connection and significance within their friendship, or will it potentially lead to an awkward situation between the close companions? 

The story of Hazel, a single mother who had closed off romance and devoted all of her time and energy to her child, is told in “To Love Again.” Ronald, on the other hand, was instantly drawn to Hazel upon first meeting her. 

Ronald was eager to show Hazel that he was sincere, even in the face of resistance from her family, because he felt deserving of her affection. Despite the scars from her past, can Hazel have the strength to accept Ronald and open her heart again? 

Speaking about the films, Dorothy Dee-Ching, marketing head at Jollibee Philippines, said, “We all have our own Kwentong Jollibee – from memorable birthday celebrations, to going on a first date, and even that unforgettable marriage proposal. While there’s no doubt that Jollibee has impacted the lives of so many Filipinos throughout the years, we’re still pleasantly surprised with the stories that we’ve received. What better way to tell these stories than by letting the real people themselves share their own stories in their own words, thus the birth of #MyKwentongJollibee.” 

She added, “From hundreds of stories, we hope that these two heartwarming tales will touch your hearts and inspire you to share the joy of love this season.” 

Meanwhile, NJ Mijares, group creative director of McCann Worldgroup Philippines, said, “The challenge for this year’s My Kwentong Jollibee is to find stories with topics that people will want to discuss with their peers. We feel that this is a step above what Kwentong Jollibee is and what it means to people. Because apart from just watching true stories, we now give them the opportunity to participate by sharing their own thoughts and feelings.” 

Paolo Villaluna, director of “30 Dates” and “To Love Again”, said, “For us Pinoys, Jollibee is already part of our daily lives: for every celebration of love, family or success, Jollibee is the emotional language we use to express ourselves. Being able to capture that in films was truly fulfilling not only as a filmmaker but as a human being.” 

Australia – Bowel Cancer Australia has teamed up with creative advertising agency Clemenger BBDO in their latest social and PR-led campaign that involves ‘Irregular Chocolates’ and spreading awareness on the topic of bowel cancer. 

Coinciding with Valentine’s Day, this unconventional campaign leverages the day of love to encourage important conversations about poo and bowel habits between loved ones. 

In partnership with chef and food designer Ryan L. Foote, the campaign will use exquisitely designed, 3D-printed ‘Irregular Chocolates’ that represent the bowel cancer symptoms. The four bespoke chocolates were Jammy (blood in your poo), Gooey (an obvious change in your bowel habit), Airy (weight loss you can’t explain), and Chunk (lump or swelling in your abdomen). 

The premium chocolates are also made up of exquisite flavour profiles that abstractly reflect the symptoms people should look out for when it comes to bowel cancer.

Clemenger BBDO and Bowel Cancer Australia’s campaign aims to promote the idea of getting comfortable with your loved ones when talking about awkward things, such as bowel habits. With this, you or your loved ones can potentially save lives if they detect the onset of symptoms of diseases or terminal illnesses. 

Also part of the campaign is video content featuring Elise’s heartfelt lived experience. The contents of the campaign were deployed on social media, as well as activation and influencer packs, to drive awareness and reach younger Australians. 

Free boxes of the limited-edition boxes of Irregular Chocolates with information cards will also be available as part of a giveaway leading into and during the Valentine’s Day celebration.

Furthermore, TikTok has also joined the campaign, providing pro-bono support to amplify the message, reaching a younger audience, and encouraging them to have an unconventional conversation about the importance of symptoms, given the rising rates of bowel cancer in people under the age of 50.

Speaking on the campaign, Julien Wiggins, CEO of Bowel Cancer Australia, said, “We are grateful to work with Ryan and Clemenger BBDO on this unconventional campaign, which aims to overcome the poo taboo and raise symptom awareness in younger people, as bowel cancer is the deadliest cancer for people aged 25–44.”

Richard Williams, executive creative director at Clemenger BBDO, also commented, “To turn around perceptions of bowel cancer, we need to smash stigmas and normalise talking about poo, especially among younger demographics who think bowel cancer can’t affect them. What better way to reach and engage with them than via social. And what better time to launch a chocolate-driven campaign than in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day? Because if you really love someone, you can talk about anything.”

Meanwhile, Ryan L Foote added, “Art is an incredible driver of conversation. It’s inspiring to see Bowel Cancer Australia and Clemenger BBDO lean on unique creativity and design in educating and engaging the public on such an important yet under-represented topic. I’m honoured to be a part of it all.”

Manila, Philippines – Toothpaste brand Closeup has launched its latest campaign, with a film that features a fresh rendition of the iconic song ‘Closer You and I’ by Filipino singer Gino Padilla.

Conceptualised by MullenLowe TREYNA, Closeup’s campaign reimagines the song in 2024 for a new generation with singer Adie’s vocals and the love team of Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano, affectionately known as DonBelle, in the film. 

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Close Up’s history, seamlessly blending nostalgia with contemporary charm. The new version captures Closeup’s classic ‘kilig’, resonating with both long-time fans and newer audiences.

Through this campaign, the brand aims to display its unwavering commitment to portray love’s joyous moments, captivating hearts in 2024 just as it did back in the 90s.

Commenting on the campaign’s rendition, Padilla said, “The new version sounds great, and I have to congratulate Adie for doing such a wonderful job. He was able to inject his own style and represent his current generation. It’s a great privilege and honour to be part of the Close Up brand. Up to now, people associate my name with the song, and it really is a great blessing.”

The release of the new single featuring Adie and the DonBelle tandem has garnered over a million views, signifying a new chapter in Closeup’s legacy of fostering connections through the power of love and music.

Bangkok, Thailand – KFC has unveiled its limited edition ‘Fried Chicken Rings’ collection as part of its Valentine’s Day campaign and 40th anniversary celebration in Thailand.

The world’s first ‘Fried Chicken Ring’ is a ‘heartfelt gem ring’ masterpiece created by blending real KFC fried chicken with a stylish design.

Created in partnership with organic matter conversion specialist GEMORIES Lab, the unique collection transformed the iconic crispy fried chicken into real gems through a virtual scientific process, simulating the natural gem formation process under extreme heat of 1,800 degrees and 11 hours of pressure. 

Furthermore, the fried chicken ring represents KFC and Colonel Sanders’ celebration of a heartwarming 40-year love affair this Valentine’s Day. Comprising only 11 rings, this precious gem collection is infused with exclusively finger-lickin’ delicious romance.

KFC will choose the lucky couples who will receive the limited edition ring this Valentine’s Day. Couples will only have to share their KFC love stories on KFC Thailand’s Facebook page. The lucky couples will also be given a set menu of delicious fried chicken meals to pair with the ring.

The campaign aims to highlight KFC Thailand as a place where love stories, laughter, and shared moments have filled buckets with joy for dating and loving couples. It is where every crispy KFC meal contains sweet moments and memories that are just as finger-lickin’ good as their chicken.

Suhayl Limbada, chief marketing officer at KFC Thailand, said, “Valentine’s Day at KFC is one for the books this year—it’s not just about serving good meals; it’s about celebrating the love among us and being a part of every Thai’s unique love story. This year, we’re taking it a step further by offering everlasting love through ‘The Fried Chicken Ring—another first for our KFC fans.”