Creating a Stronger Brand by Differentiating "Story" and "Function", Beijing Dentsu Advertising Introduces 3 Successful Campaigns from China

BEIJING, Jan. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Beijing Dentsu Advertising Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Beijing City, People's Republic of China, Representative: Akimasa Baba), an advertising firm that assists companies in visualizing a "brand story" and creating content that generates empathy with customers, had a successful FY2018 with several strong campaigns.

Alongside the rapid economic growth, the value standard of consumption is changing as people's lifestyles diversify in China. In recent years, the speed of EC infrastructure development has been remarkable. Establishments that offer local and foreign products are becoming more popular, reflecting the increase in consumer options and inter-company competition. In urban areas full of abundant supplies, many companies find it difficult to differentiate themselves solely by the "functionality" of their goods, so creating new added value is important.

Under these market environments, Beijing Dentsu Advertising has created several strong campaigns that were able to reach the hearts and minds of their client's customers. The following is three representative campaigns from FY2018 that have generated strong responses.

Case 1: Shanghai Pudong Development Bank

"The Longest Wait" - Can you imagine waiting for eight and a half years? 

Overview

In China, zodiac animals are often aligned with banks and money. For example, banks may issue commemorative coins emblazoned with a year's zodiac animal. Shanghai Pudong Bank develops investment products that contribute to solving certain social problems. This year, influenced by 2018's zodiac animal, the dog, they have taken aim at the guide dog shortage. Many customers empathized with the idea and it has led to an increase in product purchases.

Insight

In China, guide dogs are in short supply. It is said that only one in 170,000 people will have one provided, and if a visually impaired person applies for a guide dog, they will have to wait up to eight and a half years. Even though the training of guide dogs is an urgent issue, this situation has not yet reached the social consciousness.

Solution Ideas

Develop special investment products that donate part of the proceeds to a guide dog fund. This project was based on the idea that there are investors at Shanghai Pudong Bank who wish to help solve social problems and support people in need. As a means of spreading awareness of this social problem, a waiting time guide panel was set up at the bank that printed out queue tickets with a waiting time of eight and a half years. Customer reactions were recorded through CCTV showing their shock at the unbelievable wait time and their newfound sympathy for those impacted by this "unendurable length of time". SNS also spread this video more than 6 million times. Within only a few days, the project succeeded in selling over USD 145,000 worth of the product, raising significant funds to donate to the training of guide dogs.

"The Longest Wait" Project Introduction VDO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIikoBWvNpE

Case 2: Zhong He Feng Jing

"Beauty Rice Bottle" - Total beauty from the inside, out 

Overview

In China, where people's health awareness is increasing with rising incomes and living standards, "organic" food ingredients are increasingly appearing on the market. Even in the rice category, "organic rice" attracts attention and competition is intensifying for each brand. Zhong He Feng Jing launched "Premium Organic Rice" focused on the efficacy of "rice as a cosmetic product", keeping skin healthy and beautiful in order to display their high quality and high nutritional content. In addition to the conventional "health" axis, Beijing Dentsu Advertising succeeded in communicating a new value of "beauty".

Insight

Target consumers who focus on health and food selection are assumed to also be highly cognizant not only about their inner health, but also their external appearance.

Solution Ideas

Verify all the potency that rice possesses and create offerings that not only act as "food" containing abundant nutrients, but also, in accordance with the ancient wisdom of using rice to maintain beautiful skin, can act as "cosmetics". Until now, "rice to eat" and "rice as cosmetics" were often provided by different brands and different manufacturers, but by converging two items from one premium brand, the organic rice's "Health Story" combined with the "Beauty Story" to expand the brand's possibilities.

Beauty Rice Bottle Project Introduction VDO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-3MIMU_bDA

Case 3: Zhong He Feng Jing

"Rice of the Heroes" - Stimulate children's curiosity, grow together

Overview

In China, where food diversification and westernization are advancing, the options for getting carbohydrates outside of rice are increasing. As a leading rice company, Zhong He Feng Jing has worked with educational institutions and raised awareness of rice through "food education" in an attempt to expand demand for rice.

Insight

Originally rice was popular as a staple food in China. Historically, the heroes who appear in famous Chinese stories all grew up eating rice before becoming a hero. It is common for a child to want to follow in their favorite hero's footsteps, so Beijing Dentsu Advertising thought that tickling a child's curiosity and adoration and superimposing it over historical hero's meals could increase the demand for rice.

Solution Ideas

Collaborate with educational institutions to provide "food education". By showing the eating habits of the heroes as part of learning historical stories, Beijing Dentsu Advertising aimed to stimulate interest in food and provide a background for the consumption of rice. Beijing Dentsu Advertising found that there were several menus that use rice and succeeded in spreading awareness that rice has been a staple of eating habits across generations and eras.

Rice of Heroes Project Introduction VDO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnBDjV1O0uY

Beijing Dentsu Advertising Co., Ltd. will continue to create promotion activities that shake people's mind by creating brand's "favor and sympathy" while linking the brand concept with consumer's emotions.

SOURCE Beijing Dentsu Advertising Co., Ltd.