The partnership between media specialist Optimum Media Direction
and advertising agency TBWA to transform a traditional green and white
Star Ferry in Hong Kong and paint it in the bright red colours of Virgin
Airlines won a Certificate of Excellence in the Best Use of Media
category at the 1999 Agency of the Year Awards, organised annually by
MEDIA magazine.
Virgin Airlines makes extensive use of outdoor advertising in markets
outside Hong Kong and the client had always been frustrated over the
limited outdoor opportunities other than neon signs and bus sides.
The strategy was to create a big event for Virgin in Hong Kong to
coincide with the launch of Virgin's London-Shanghai service.
The launch in Shanghai was later toned down, but the high-profile event
in Hong Kong went ahead.
This was largely because the client fell in love with the idea - the
turning point was when a mock-up was shown to the client, which had been
produced by TBWA Hong Kong's creative department.
In Hong Kong, the ferry was booked for a minimum period of six months -
and was the first time in the territory's history that a Star Ferry has
appeared in any colour other than green and white.
The striking yet cost-effective idea generated considerable publicity,
with widespread newspaper and television coverage and was used for
promotional purposes by the Hong Kong Tourist Association.
The campaign was extremely cost-effective, particularly given the wide
amount of press coverage which it generated, both in local and regional
media - the ferry was featured on CNN and CNBC, for example.
The ferry has become a part of Hong Kong daily life, and OMD said the
success of the campaign demonstrated that "the simplest ideas are the
best".
- This ongoing National Geographic Showcase series features selected
material from winners and other entries in the Best Use of Media
category in MEDIA's Agency of the Year Awards 1999.
