Bubble-popping versus burlesque: Perrier's first China ad invites liberation of another kind

The brand may be trying to overcome a negative perception among Chinese consumers that sparkling water tastes bitter. The drink is currently available only in very high-end outlets in the tier-one cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou. The 'Liberate and Win' campaign, by Ogilvy & Mather Advertising (O&M) in Shanghai, touts the beverage as a spontaneous and bubbly form of refreshment.

The campaign centres on a "highly fun and engaging" bubble-popping game that encourages players to "open up themselves and let out their inhibitions" in the hot summer months, it marks the Perrier brand’s first advertising launch in China after being in the market for 20 years. 

The game aims to "bring players under the spell of addictive bubble-popping", with the goal to burst as many bubbles as possible. Hidden in each bubble is a chance to win a wide variety of prizes ranging from Perrier-branded drinking glasses, fixed gear bikes, dance lessons, DJ courses to personal styling sessions. The player to burst the game's one-billionth bubble in the game will win a grand prize that remains undisclosed.

The winners’ experiences will be documented in a film on Perrier China’s Weibo account.

“We hope players will enjoy our first digital campaign in China as they experience Perrier’s fun and refreshing brand personality both in-game and in real-life,” said Teresa Leong, international brands marketing manager at Nestlé Sources Shanghai.

Live through 5 September, the simple game is designed to appeal to young white-collar professionals in China who might feel like they are living in a bubble being constricted by work and social pressures, added Graham Fink, chief creative officer of O&M China. "It gives them a chance to virtually liberate themselves through bubble-popping and physically open up through the arts in fashion, music, dance and photography.”

We could not resist comparing this to a 2010 campaign also done by Ogilvy & Mather (in Paris), where Dita Von Teese encouraged consumers to be as uninhibited as herself. The China initiative is rather tame by comparison.

Credits:
Project Title: Liberate and Win
Client: Perrier®
Creative Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, Shanghai
Chief Creative Officer: Graham Fink
Creative Director: Fiona Chen
Art Director: Li Ning, Stephen Zhong, Davide Rossi, Dean Yu, Omi Chen
Copywriter: Martin Latham, Deng Xiaoyan, Nicole Ma
Account Service: Thorsten Orth, Cory Turner, Andrea Tan, Tom Wan
Agency Producer: Charlie Macpherson, Jimmy Fang
Media Agency: Mindshare
Production House: The Sweet Shop, Resn/Pandemic, JT Productions
Producers: Claire Davidson, Aywei Wong
Exposure: Online, OOH