Taipan campaign stars rebel with a cause: snowy mooncake

Taipan invented the snowy mooncake (大班冰皮月餅) back in 1989—a first in Hong Kong, according to the company, which now wants to highlight its innovative brand spirit and 'courage' to establish a new longer-term brand direction.

After 25 years in the market, the snowy mooncake has become a Hong Kong classic, said Lailoi Au, senior account director at Dentsu HK. There is less of a need to make the traditional vs trendy mooncake jokes like in past advertising, she added. Dentsu won the Taipan pitch against two other agencies in March.

The current ad, timed for the buildup to this year's holiday on 8 September, still travels in the comedic territory typical of the brand, however. Dramatising the difficult challenges the then-emergent product faced when seeking acceptance in 1989, the TVC features a rebellious character who persists in loving the new product despite the disappointed reactions of his family. 

Also, Taipan chose a 1989 hit "誰明浪子心" by Dave Wong (a Taiwanese pop singer who was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s) as the TVC soundtrack. The lyrics, describing the vicissitudes of fortune and an unflinching, bold attitude toward life, are consistent with the Taipan brand story, said Au.

"Innovation is like a prodigal son, even if no one understands, even if there are difficulties, it is worth chasing after," says a line in the TVC copy. (「創新」就像一個浪子，就算沒有人明白，就算困難重重，都要那怕追逐。)

In addition to 15-and 30-second versions, an 'uncut' 105-second version is available online as part of a campaign that covers terrestrial TV, digital, OOH and print executions. 

CREDITS:

Client: Taipan
Agency: Dentsu Hong Kong
Executive Creative Director: Albert Wong
Associate Creative Director: Max Fung
Copywriter: Wicky Luk
Director of Client Services: Popo Hu
Senior Account Director: Lailoi Au
Senior Account Manager: Mitsuhiro Morikoshi
Exposure: Terrestrial TV, digital, OOH and print