2. WHAT IT IS
A retrospective collection of fresh creative and strategic communication ideas in Asia that have
caught our eye.
Some are old and some are new – all are creatively intelligent.
3. INDIA
BRAND: LONELY PLANET
CAMPAIGN: BOOKMARKS
AGENCY: DDB
PERIOD: MAY 2011
PROBLEM: Tourists can feel overwhelmed with information when they’re in new places.
INSIGHT: When people feel lost or insecure, they seek refuge with things they know
SOLUTION: Make Lonely Planet the familiar amidst the unfamiliar. Lonely Planet put up giant bookmarks
at must-visit destinations across Indian cities, tapping into tourists‘ inexperience with foreign locations.
Lonely Planet underscored its expertise with the tagline: “Everything you need to know about ______.”
BRAND MESSAGE: LONELY PLANET IS THE FAMILIAR IN THE MIDST OF THE UNFAMILIAR, A SIGNPOST TO
WHICH TOURISTS CAN TURN TO KNOW WHAT’S WORTH SEEING.
Links
http://www.campaignbrief.com/asia/2011/05/ddb-mudra-bookmark-india-for-l.html
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4. INDIA
BRAND: HARD ROCK CAFE
CAMPAIGN: BLIND CAR
AGENCY: MCCANN
WORLDGROUP [NEW DELHI]
PERIOD: JUNE 2011
PROBLEM: 60% of car accidents in New Delhi were caused by drunk driving.
INSIGHT: It’s hard for people to realize how dangerous drunk driving actually is.
SOLUTION: Give people a shocking but relevant visual that shows them the irresponsibility of driving drunk.
The Hard Rock Café drove a car covered in a specially designed black tarp across New Delhi. The tarp was
was opaque on one side but transparent on the other. The message “Drunk Driving Is As Dangerous” was
emblazoned on both sides. As the car drove through town, onlookers gawked in disbelief.
BRAND MESSAGE: THE HARD ROCK CAFÉ CARES ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS. PLEASE DON’T DRINK
AND DRIVE.
Links
http://www.campaignbrief.com/asia/2011/06/driving-blind-at-mccanns-new-d.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S1VPtpKQgU&feature=player_embedded
http://www.hardrockindiablog.com/2011/04/photos-from-blind-car-drinking-and.html
5. INDIA
BRAND: P&G TIDE
CAMPAIGN: DIRT MAGNETS
AGENCY: LEO BURNETT
[INDIA]
PERIOD: MAY 2010
PROBLEM: Many detergents claim to get rid of stains, but few actually get the job done.
INSIGHT: The common perception is that once white clothes get dirty, they can never look new again. ‘Tide
Dirt Magnets’ and their special cleaning properties can change that perception.
SOLUTION: Let readers test out the Dirt Magnets and see the results for themselves. The campaign made
an interactive print ad in magazines where readers could remove “stains” (metal filings) from clothing by
pulling out a magnetized sample Tide tab (filled with real detergent) marked “Pull.” This made it fun for
readers to remove a fictional stain and also receive a sample product to try.
BRAND MESSAGE: TIDE GETS THE STAIN OUT.
Links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjnpp_PzRDs
6. INDIA
BRAND: PHILIPS NOISE
CANCELLATION HEADPHONES
CAMPAIGN: FLIPPED CITIES
AGENCY: MUDRA
COMMUNICATIONS [NEW
DELHI]
PERIOD: MAY 2011
PROBLEM: The world is a colorful and noisy place, but sometimes it’s nice to block it all out and be
immersed in your own world.
INSIGHT: When music-lovers put on a pair of noise cancelling headphones, it’s not just about blocking out
the noise – it’s about escaping into their own world.
SOLUTION: Philips makes a creative visual demonstrating the effectiveness of its headphones and an
understanding of why consumers use noise cancelling products.
BRAND MESSAGE: PHILIPS NOISE CANCELLATION HEADPHONES WILL HELP YOU ESCAPE THE NOISE AND
CLUTTER OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
Links
http://www.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/34465765
7. KOREA
BRAND: WWF
CAMPAIGN: SAVE THE POLAR
BEAR
AGENCY: A AND B2 [SEOUL]
PERIOD: FEBRUARY 2010
PROBLEM: People don’t care about the environment because they can’t see what’s happening to it.
INSIGHT: When you can actually see the problem, you are more compelled to solve it.
SOLUTION: Make people notice a real, tangible, change that occurs when they use energy. Icy polar bears
were painted on storefront windows. When moisture formed from condensation, the paint would “melt” and
the deformed shape of a polar bear would eventually drip off the pane of glass, leaving the message (sic)
“by maintaining right indoor temperature in the winter, polar bears can survive.”
BRAND MESSAGE: SAVE THE POLAR BEARS BY CONTROLLING OUR ENERGY USAGE, BUT ALSO, BE AWARE THAT
OUR ACTIONS HAVE REAL CONSEQUENCES.
Links
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/wwf_high_temperatures_are_killing_polar_bear?size=_original
8. KOREA
BRAND: TESCO HOMEPLUS
CAMPAIGN: HOMEPLUS SUBWAY
VIRTUAL STORE
AGENCY: CHEIL
PERIOD: JUNE 2011
PROBLEM: You’re getting off work after a long day and still have to commute home. The last thing you want
to do in your free time is take a detour for groceries.
INSIGHT: Free time is at a premium. People are busy, and having to take time out of the day to buy groceries
is bothersome.
SOLUTION: Tesco maximized its customers’ time by bringing the supermarket to its customers. Instead
of waiting for trains, customers could use that time to buy groceries. Life-sized image replicas of stores
were placed in subway stations, each ‘product’ featuring a QR code that added it to the customer’s online
shopping cart, to be delivered later. Registered members rose by 76%, and sales increased by 130%.
BRAND MESSAGE: LET’S SAVE YOU TIME AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO GET GROCERIES.
Links
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/outdoor/homeplus_subway_virtual_store?size=_original
9. KOREA
BRAND: 3M EXTRA STICKY
POST-IT NOTES
CAMPAIGN: STICKY TRAIN
AGENCY: CHEIL WORLDWIDE
PERIOD: NOVEMBER 2010
PROBLEM: Post-Its are the original sticky note, but copycats are infiltrating the market.
INSIGHT: Korean students face tremendous pressure to succeed on their university entrance exams, which
makes it hard to see, let alone stick, to their goals.
SOLUTION: 3M and Cheil tied Post-Its to success. Via social networks, they encouraged students to record
their goals on Post-Its and stick them to a train in Seoul. The train was bound for Chuncheon. No Post-Its
fell off during the 2 hour ride, demonstrating that like the Post-Its sticking to the train, students could stick
to their goals.
BRAND MESSAGE: WITH EXTRA STICKY POST-IT NOTES, YOU STICK TO YOUR GOALS.
Links
http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/252121,case-study-3m-helps-korean-students-8216stick8217-their-exams.aspx
10. U.A.E
BRAND: GOLF DIGEST
CAMPAIGN: AN IDEA WITH BALLS
AGENCY: MEMAC OGLIVY AND
MATHER
PERIOD: JUNE 2011
PROBLEM: Golf enthusiasts can get complacent about improving their golf game.
INSIGHT: Enthusiasts need to be reminded to practice.
SOLUTION: Golf Digest used a visual reminder – a faked errant golf ball – to shock spectators at the biggest
golf event in the Middle East. They devised a sticker that looked like cracked glass and stuck half a golf ball
in the middle of it. These stickers were put on the windows of cars parked outside the golf course. Those
returning to the cars were left in a shock that resulted in a 187% increase in sales.
BRAND MESSAGE: GOLF DIGEST WILL MAKE YOU BETTER AT GOLF.
Links
http://www.bestadsontv.com/ad/37359/Golf-Digest-An-Idea-with-Balls
11. CHINA
BRAND: GREENPEACE
CAMPAIGN: CHOPSTICK FOREST/
“I WAS ONCE A TREE”
AGENCY: OGILVY CHINA
[BEIJING]
PERIOD: DECEMBER 2010
PROBLEM: Chinese go through 45 billion pairs of wooden chopsticks - 25 million trees - each year. At this
rate, China’s forests will be gone in 20 years.
INSIGHT: People don’t think about dead trees when they pick up a pair of chopsticks.
SOLUTION: ’I Was Once a Tree’ is a public awareness campaign carried out through the creation of a “forest”
made of disposable chopsticks at The Place in Beijing. Two hundred students from 20 universities helped
collect 80,000 chopsticks used in building the forest. The chopstick forest will be transported and displayed
at schools and art galleries across China.
BRAND MESSAGE: SAVE TREES WITH GREENPEACE.
Links
http://advertising.chinasmack.com/2010/charity-non-profit/greenpeace-plants-disposable-chopstick-forest-in-china.html
http://act.greenpeace.org.cn/kuaizi
12. CHINA
BRAND: SAFEGUARD
CAMPAIGN: THANKS,
MOM (SAFEGUARD 20TH
ANNIVERSARY)
AGENCY: ARKR DIGITAL
PERIOD: MARCH 2011
PROBLEM: Chinese sons and daughters have trouble directly expressing their appreciation for their moms.
INSIGHT: Chinese sons and daughters need a platform to thank their mothers.
SOLUTION: Safeguard appealed emotionally to soap users through childhood memories of their mothers. A
video on Youku linked to a Safeguard site where consumers could leave written messages and videos to
show their love. A snippet: “Every morning my mom would pour me a glass of water; everytime I was sick
she would take me to the doctor’s. Thanks for enduring the hardships -- I hope my mother will remain
forever healthy and beautiful.” Over 11 million users have visited the Safeguard event page.
BRAND MESSAGE: SAFEGUARD IS ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU, LIKE YOUR MOTHER
Links
http://www.thanksmom.cn/
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjUxNTc3OTk2.html
13. CHINA
BRAND: LOTUS LIGHT
CHARITY SOCIETY
CAMPAIGN: UMBRELLA BAGS
AGENCY: GREY [HONG KONG]
PERIOD: NOVEMBER 2009
PROBLEM: Water is in short supply in the drought-stricken areas of North-West China, but is taken for
granted in Hong Kong.
INSIGHT: In a developed city where drinking water is in abundance, it’s easily forgotten that much of the
world doesn’t share a similar luxury.
SOLUTION: Remind people they are lucky to have access to clean water. “Umbrella bags” show clear
measurements of how rain water can be used to help those less fortunate - a bucket, bowl, or cup. These
umbrella bags were placed where people spend money (i.e., shopping malls). Donations in Hong Kong
were able to support the building of 5,300 new water cellars.
BRAND MESSAGE: LOTUS LIGHT CHARITY SOCIETY BRINGS WATER TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.
Links
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/the_lotus_light_charity_society_umbrella_bag
14. SINGAPORE
BRAND: SILKAIR
CAMPAIGN: SILKAIR
EXPLORER
AGENCY: JWT [SINGAPORE]
PERIOD: JULY 2010
PROBLEM: The travel bug has caught on in Asia, but most people tend to choose safe holiday destinations
instead of exploring places which are more exotic.
INSIGHT: Travelers trust advice given by other travelers.
SOLUTION: Silk Air asked travelers to share their travel experiences at any of Silk Air’s 33 destinations via
virtual journals on their website. Journal entries could be shared via Facebook and Twitter. Some journals
were made into full-size installations featuring elements of sight, sound, smell and taste that passers-by
could experience.
BRAND MESSAGE: SILKAIR FLIES TO UNDISCOVERED PLACES IN ASIA THAT ARE WORTH EXPLORING.
Links
http://www.silkairexplorers.com/light/view-journal.php
http://www.campaignbrief.com/asia/2010/07/create-your-own-travel-journal.html
http://www.jwt.com/content/443566/silkair-singapore-pte-ltd-silkair-airlines
15. JAPAN
BRAND: PANASONIC EVOLTA
BATTERIES
CAMPAIGN: ROBOT WALKS
FROM TOKYO TO KYOTO
AGENCY: HAKUHODO
PERIOD: NOVEMBER 2010
PROBLEM: Consumers believe that all rechargeable battery brands are the same.
INSIGHT: When someone has his expectations exceeded, he’ll be impressed.
SOLUTION: Panasonic created a spectacle to demonstrate the battery life of the Evolta. The batteries
powered a robot 500 km, from Tokyo to Kyoto, on only one charge per day – a challenging task, even for a
human. Viewers could watch a live stream of the journey online.
BRAND MESSAGE: NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE OR THE CONDITIONS YOU FACE, EVOLTA BATTERIES WILL
CONSISTENTLY PROVIDE FOR YOU.
Links
http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/259087,case-study-how-a-trailblazing-robot-helped-build-a-battery-
brand.aspx
http://news.panasonic.net/archives/2010/1122_2941.html
16. RUSSIA
BRAND: 100000 BOOKSTORE
CAMPAIGN: BOOK
FRESHENERS
AGENCY: VOSKHOD
PERIOD: JUNE 2011
PROBLEM: When’s the last time you read a book? With the number of distractions around us, the general
public is reading less and less.
INSIGHT: The one place where people are always scrambling for reading material is the bathroom. No
magazines or books? Toothpaste labels and soap boxes will have to do.
SOLUTION: Covertly give reading material to people when they want/need it. 100000 bookstore created
air fresheners with excerpts of famous literary works printed on the can. The cans were placed in the
bathrooms of malls, business centers, offices, restaurants, and household stores.
BRAND MESSAGE: NOTHING TO READ? GO TO 100000 AND PICK UP A BOOK.
Links
http://www.adverblog.com/2011/06/03/read-more-no-matter-where/
17. INDONESIA
BRAND: PANADOL EXTRA
CAMPAIGN: LIVE PECKED
AGENCY: GREY [JAKARTA]
PERIOD: JUNE 2011
PROBLEM: Some headaches are so bad they just don’t seem to go away.
INSIGHT: Consumers can relate to others who are in pain.
SOLUTION: Grey Jakarta erected billboards featuring the head of a person whose facial expression made it
clear he was in obvious pain. They sprinkled birdseed at the top of his head. When real birds flocked to eat
the birdseed, it appeared as if the birds were pecking at the person’s head.
BRAND MESSAGE: PANADOL UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE A HEADACHE. TAKE SOME PANADOL
TO FEEL BETTER.
Links
http://www.bestadsontv.com/ad/37563/Panadol-Extra-Live-Pecked
18. NEW
ZEALAND
BRAND: YELLOW PAGES
CAMPAIGN: YELLOW
CHOCOLATE
AGENCY: COLENSO BBDO
[NEW ZEALAND]
PERIOD: JANUARY -
FEBRUARY 2010
PROBLEM: The internet has made the Yellow Pages obsolete; the Yellow Pages need to reinvent its role in
the digital space.
INSIGHT: If you try, anything is possible.
SOLUTION: The Yellow Pages commissioned an average guy, Josh, to create a chocolate bar that tasted
of Yellow. He was only allowed to use businesses from the Yellow Pages to develop the flavor, packaging,
manufacturing, distribution and marketing. The resulting product was the fastest selling chocolate bar in
New Zealand, outselling Snickers 2-1 and was the most talked about ad campaign in the nation.
BRAND MESSAGE: THE YELLOW PAGES CAN HELP YOU FIND INFORMATION QUICKLY AND EASILY.
Links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSmt-lne1jY
http://www.campaignbrief.com/2010/02/yellow-chocolate-hits-nz-shelv.html
