MAS: a beautifully executed, clean, simple and engaging sales promotion campaign. However, as a piece of sales promotion, so inviting were the mechanics and online viral mechanisms that I had already entered the competition without even seeing the ads in print. And incidentally, without realising the campaign was from MAS.
The McDonald's TV campaign for Greater China seems like a fairly typical McDonald's ad for anywhere in the world. A fairly polished production packed with people dancing around with smiles on their faces and McDonald's in their hands. At any other time, this may succeed in instilling the warm, fuzzy, happy-happy feeling in viewers. As a piece of branding, it is strong. If only the product really made you feel this good, there may be a connection.
Even though I don't watch much TV I didn't have to play the FedEx reel to know the ads. I played the reel anyway because I like the ads - they are eminently watchable. Which is exactly what good ads should be. The agency here has cracked a really tough brief, motivated an internal audience, moved across continents with ease and seamlessly delivered the FedEx brand values to the core target groups. Doesn't everyone know they 'Live to Deliver'? This campaign can go on and on. Not only is it a pleasure to watch, but you remember the brand and you like it.
Hero Honda employs a human touch with some nicely-shot footage of kids role playing their nation's cricket heroes. The combination of children, cricket heroes and a mass brand should ensure success but the execution feels disjointed, with Honda as an add-on and no relevant connection achieved.
I also wonder how many other brands in India are using the same sport and heroes? For this to work, you have to achieve some degree of relevance, and not just be one of the crowd to ride on the back.
As for the beautifully shot and art directed campaign promoting Maharashtra, this is certainly engaging and would stop you in the right environment.
I want to know more though. What is the Deccan Odyssey? It took a while to realise that the images are a metaphor of a train journey through a region of India. Maybe not everyone would be prepared to work as hard and would be captured by the images without ever knowing what it is about.
Perhaps the ambiguity and intrigue is all part of the journey itself but a little more copy would help the story but not spoil the overall effect.
The Cinemax campaign answered the very difficult brief in the strapline 'The movie channel with a difference'. If all ads could do that and achieve their objective we'd all be out of business. The trouble is I really am not sure what the difference is. Maybe the liberal use of movie genre art direction?
1. MAS
Project: Choose your dream holiday
Client: Malaysia Airlines
Brief: drive sales by showing all the destinations the airline flies to
Agency: Leo Burnett, Kuala Lumpur
Creative directors: Chan Lee Shon/Alex Lim
Senior copywriter: Christie Herman
Senior art director: Brian Capel
2. McDONALD'S
Project: China Brand Campaign - Young at heart
Client: McDonald's China
Brief: show that McDonald's brings out the kid in all of us.
Agency: Leo Burnett, China
Copywriters: Billie Ng/Alfred Wong
Creative directors: Milker Ho/Brian Ma
Art directors: Brian Ma/Ivy Kwok
3. FEDEX
Project: Run, Jenny, run
Client: Federal Express
Brief: demonstrate FedEx' commitment of going beyond the call of duty in
their job
Agency: BBDO Asia-Pacific
Copywriter: David Guerrero (BBDO, Manila)
Creative director: David Guerrero
Art director: Dave Ferrer (BBDO, Manila)
Production: FilmGraphics, Sydney
4. HERO HONDA
Project: Cheer for India, Saif & Kaif
Client: Honda
Brief: build the Honda brand in India by associating it with top cricket
players
Agency: J. Walter Thompson, New Delhi
Creative director: Soumitra Karnik
5. MAHARASHTRA
Project: Deccan Odyssey
Client: Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Brief: position the
Indian state as one of the top travel destinations in the country
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather
Copy supervisor: Sukesh Nayak
Senior creative director: Sumanto Chattopadhyay
Creative director: Rajiv Rao
Senior art director: Heeral Desai
6. CINEMAX
Project: The movie channel with a difference
Client: Cinemax
Brief: reposition Cinemax as an action/adventure channel
Agency: Timmerman and Tan, Singapore
Copywriter: Tommy Chua
Creative director: Khor
Art director: Khor
Interested in having your campaigns reviewed? Send submissions to Alfred Hille in the form of trims, transparencies or video printouts for TVCs plus the TVC itself, and proofs for print ads and posters. Please send all material to Media, 2201, 22/F The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong.