A sweet story about parents who lie through their teeth

Client: Abbot's Ensure brand

Agency: JWT Vietnam, JWTPR

Market: Vietnam

Campaign scope: Online film and activation campaign

Details: The film, which debuted in September, shows several touching examples of parents putting their kids' needs ahead of their own, then proposes the product as one way to return the favour.

The integrated campaign by JWTPR (a division of JWT Vietnam) also includes a microsite where consumers can record a personal message for their parents and send a ‘Gift of Love’ box of Ensure. The site also encourages 'dating’ between adult children and their parents and offers professional advice on caring for aging parents.

Press release quote: Saby Mishra, CEO, JWT Vietnam: “Filial piety takes on a whole new tenor in a nation like Vietnam, which is changing fast but is still very much a developing country. A generation of Vietnamese undertook untold hardships to give their children a better life, while gracefully hiding the pain within. Today’s upwardly-mobile Vietnamese have an innate desire to reciprocate, but they often get caught up in their busy, modern lives. We wanted to position Ensure as a brand that can resolve that tension, with a clear message and strong call to action.”

Results: The video is nearing 1 million views since it debuted in September, according to the agency (the video above is a subtitled version). More importantly, sales have increased 20 per cent in the same time frame, JWT said, adding that the campaign also sparked discussion about how younger people care for their elders, including news coverage and posts by celebrities. 

Campaign Asia Pacific's comments: The issue of caring for the elderly is a good fit with the brand promise, and the work wisely makes the product part of the solution rather than intimating that it's the solution in and of itself. The sales results make it clear that the agency tapped into a significant issue for people in Vietnam.

CREDITS

ECD: Steve Clay
CD: Le Quang Duc
AD: Vu Tuan An
PR: Truong Kieu Hanh
Director: Barney Chua
Pro. House: Siren Film, Bangkok