HONG KONG ADWATCH: ParknShop wins with 'have a laugh, save cash' approach

Chinese New Year has always been an active time for advertisers, so supermarket giant ParknShop took the opportunity to roll out its 'Big head' commercial over this period, with the spot eventually topping Media's recall chart.

Produced by DDB, the spot scored a high of 95 percentage points in recall rate. It was the latest TVC in the ParknShop campaign that focused on what housewives were really looking for - ways to save money and cut expenditure - in Chinese New Year.

"When we discussed internally how to write this ad, we put ourselves in the shoes of the average household shopper, who is faced with numerous things to do in preparation for Chinese New Year," DDB chief operating officer Mark Crouch said.

The purpose of the ad was also to highlight the great deals available at ParknShop, especially over the Chinese New Year period.

The spot featured a housewife who was trying to do all the right things for Chinese New Year - clean the house, buy new clothes, get her hair done, prepare lai see etc - but no one in the family is giving her a hand.

The situation gradually gives the housewife a 'Big head', which is only eased when she enters ParknShop and sees the fantastic range of products and savings there.

Crouch explained that the idea of 'big head' came from the countless obligations and preparation that gives people 'big heads', a theme which resonated with the audience. "The use of the very large heads gives a humorous side to a serious situation. Also, the theme music, a famous song by Sam Hui, is so well-known now that it helps with the recognition of this spot," he said.