P&G has instructed its roster agencies around the world,
Asia-Pacific included, to formulate campaigns that more effectively sell
the FMCG's range of products.
Agencies, therefore, have a freer hand in creative and strategy. But
failure to perform could could mean being dropped by P&G. Already,
however, the roster agencies are creating campaigns that have radically
altered P&G's advertising style.
Leo Burnett's latest TVC for P&G, China, is a case in point. The ad
simply tries to persuades consumers to wash their hair more often.
It does this by showing a man feeling attracted to a girl he sees
boarding the bus. As she sits down next to him, she flirtatiously flicks
her unwashed hair over her shoulder. Unfortunately, it hits the guy full
in the face.
Disgusted he gets up and leaves.
The tag line reads: "Did you wash your hair today?"
The twist in the entire TVC was that no P&G shampoo brands were
highlighted.
Since P&G is the market leader in the shampoo category, it didn't care
whether the ad helped rivals such as Unilever.
Industry observers said the strategy represented a significant departure
from the P&G ads of just a year or two ago.
In another campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi for P&G's Head & Shoulders
brand, cartoon animation was used. Again, the observers pointed out that
P&G seldom used animation to this extent. It was an attempt, they said,
to regain the high ground.
