Asia Work of the Month: July
“Asian creativity consistently demonstrates a keen insight into human behaviour and local nuances, transforming ordinary situations into extraordinary opportunities for brand interaction. It also excels at making complex subjects accessible and entertaining. Finally, it champions inclusivity and shared joy using digital platforms to foster connection and playfulness. In essence, Asian creativity stands for ingenuity that is culturally rooted, technologically forward-thinking, and focused on enriching the human experience through clever, memorable campaigns.” – Yasushi Arikawa, chief creative officer, VML & Ogilvy Japan
Lotus’s - Rain Coupons
The grocery chain, Lotus’s, cleverly turned rainy weather into reasons to frequent the retailer on days that would normally be at home, intentionally avoiding Thailand’s intense rainy season. The brand introduced ‘Rain Coupons’, special shopping coupons that offer store discounts only when it rains, including those on rain-related items. This campaign uses unique technology to have coupons appear on the entry walkways of the stores only when it rains, strengthening the brand, creating community and helping shoppers save on rainy day items.
Klook - Joy Dispenser
Here’s an idea that makes travel memories unforgettable through scent. Travel is a deeply multisensory experience, and no sense is as closely linked to memory and emotion. So, Klook, a travel booking platform, created the ‘Joy Dispenser’, a device that creates travel experiences through the olfactory experience.
When you declare your travel aspirations in front of this vending machine, installed at Rainforest Wild ASIA, you receive the scent that recreates the excitement and memories of your trip. The campaign also includes a content series featuring Marie Kondo, who shares her joys of travel, as well as a brand film and OOH. The attempt to transform travel memories into a powerful experience by linking them to scent is unique and strengthens brand recognition for Klook.
Google Singapore - Marketing Unfiltered with Aunty M
Google is making the complex world of B2B marketing understandable while also creating entertainment. In the world of B2B, marketers focus on digital advertising solutions. Still, content related to advertising products remains technical, sometimes dry, and rarely presented in a format optimised for viewers' modern consumption styles.
This content features Aunty M, played by the popular YouTuber, Annette Lee, walking the viewer through marketing terms and solutions while explaining how to apply them to locally and culturally relevant businesses in an easy-to-understand manner. What makes this interesting is how it transforms the traditionally complex and dry world of B2B marketing into an engaging storytelling format at an engaging pace.
M&M’s - It’s More Fun Together
The Mars brand is leveraging the brand's playful and colourful equity to create a fun user experience. As part of M&M's viral campaign centered on diversity, unity, and fun, an AI filter was launched on China's Douyin – the original TikTok platform from ByteDance for the China market. Focusing on the insight that China's young target audience seeks experiences of "enjoying time with friends" across all aspects of life, from meals to travel to digital life, the Douyin AI filter transports users into M&M's vibrant, colourful world. This helps establish the brand as the ultimate companion that enhances any moment. It's enjoyable how the brand contributes to its activities through a fun, engaging digital/social experience.
