Nippon targeting high-end market

Primarily airing in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the campaign heavily promotes Nippon Paint's advanced formula, 3-in-1 Star.

Leo Burnett Guangzhou brand director Anthony Yeung said the campaign aims to speak to both men and women aged between 25 to 40 years. "They have already invested substantially in their homes, the property, the interior design, the furniture," said Yeung. "Therefore, they should not compromise on paint - they need to add value to their homes and to reflect their perceived image."

Nippon Paint's major competitor in China is ICI. The main strategy of the TV campaign is to focus on the paint's functional benefits, including waterproofing, protection against hairline cracks and washability. Each of these benefits were woven into ancient Chinese folk stories with a twist, delivered with humour and insight.

The spot titled 'Yu', for example, tells the story of a man entrusted by the imperial government to oversee and control the Yangtze River floods that frequently devastated vast areas.

A shining example of personal sacrifice, Yu was asked how it was that he felt so confident as to neglect the care of his own home. He explained that his house was painted with the highly-waterproof Nippon Paint 3-in-1 Star, so he had no reason to worry.

Another spot, entitled 'Qin & Chu', is set 2,300 years ago, when China was divided into seven states, which were all at war. The Qin and Chu states were the most powerful and often bullied the smaller states into submission, forcing them to frequently shift their alliance - in fact, a Chinese idiom describes this as "siding with Qin in the morning and supporting Chu at night".

In this spot, a man who owns a teahouse on the Qin-Chu border ensures his survival by variously painting the name of either the Qin or Chu leader on the wall of his establishment. Thanks to Nippon Paint's washability, the names could easily be washed off and repainted without either army ever knowing.