Break stereotypes and reap benefits as times change
THE MAIN THEMES that grabbed the headlines at Cannes Lions 2017 were gender equality, race relations and politics.
Unsurprisingly, the corresponding campaigns which won the highest accolades (ie Grand Prix) for their respective categories, were mostly from the US.
For all of the nation’s innovative marvels, advancements in technology, it is a nation still struggling to deal with internal issues which have both direct and indirect impact on the rest of the world. Despite all the shadow casting on America, there was progress in the world of communications, which goes to show that there is still a glimmer of hope for humanity.
McCann (IPG) New York’s work for the ‘Fearless Girl’ campaign, on behalf of investment firm - State Street Global Advisors, which bagged 4 Grand Prix and 18 Lions in total, was a testament to a growing sentiment towards gender equality in all facets of society.
Boost Mobile’s campaign called ‘Boost Your Voice’ ingeniously created greater access for minorities to vote at their retail stores (due to an apparent lack of voting stations for minority-concentrated suburbs) during last year’s US presidential election. The campaign grabbed 2 Grand Prix at the event.
In an ideal world, one would bask in the romanticism of a place where merit is valued over status, and ability over appearance. In reality the opposite reigns and is very much the theme of Thai society, despite already being 2017.
The kingdom copped a lot of flak several times in the past for blatantly using racial stereotypes in its advertisements. From skin care products to toothpaste, and most recently donuts, we have often times become victims of ignorance and insensitivity.
After some investigation into the skin care industry through a country report conducted by Euromonitor International in 2016, I was left flabbergasted to know that more than half of all the variants across facial cleansers, toners, moisturizers and even facial masks offered whitening benefits. Check the shelf for yourselves next time you visit a local grocery store.
This is a harsh reflection of Thai people’s obsession to attain fairer skin. Some of the main culprits for setting the wrong values in society are obviously the media and its partners; brands.
Thailand is no stranger to perpetuating racist stereotypes in advertisements. However, since the whitening pill and charcoal donut raucous of yesteryear, we have become a lot more cautious about what we say on behalf of our clients. In advanced economies like the UK, there is even a media watchdog called the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that crack down on ads that go against common sense.
Audi China also came under fire for comparing women to used cars. A 30-second ad which promotes second hand cars depicted a mother-in-law inspecting a bride for any potential flaws she may have. The automaker wasn’t spared the wrath of Chinese consumers who slammed the campaign as ‘sexist’ and ‘discriminatory’.
Partnerships that inspire
Clean & Clear, whose brand belief inspires teenage girls to be confident in expressing their true self, recently joined forces with Room39 to compose a song called ‘See the Real Me’. Taking nothing away from the pop trio’s undoubted talent, the song wrote itself and was the embodiment of the brand’s ethos; a smart move that leveraged music to permeate into the hearts of consumers.
It was promoted through the nation’s most popular music application called Joox and became the number one hit single at that time. To prompt engagement with its audiences, Clean & Clear invited two winners from their ‘See the Real Me’ campaign to participate in the song’s music video that included internet sensation Narikun ‘Frung’ Ketprapakorn.
Break the cultural norms
Staying on the topic of partnerships, Johnson’s Baby also recently endorsed the popular family trio of ‘Gubgib’, ‘Bie’ and posterchild ‘Paopao’ as their new ambassadors for its Milk & Rice variant. Fathers have become much more involved in parenting than ever before and Johnson’s Baby was quick to ride on this cultural rise. A survey conducted on 5,000 fathers worldwide by global media agency Initiative suggested that 50 per cent of dads enjoy the way brands communicate with them and a further 45 per cent claimed it was played an important role in their lives.
By heralding dads in their communication as the facilitator of joyous bonding moments with babies, Johnson’s helped overcome common stereotypes that moms are the only ones raising children at home.
The world is getting smaller each day and people’s values and attitudes are changing. Brands that break down gender imbalance and outdated stereotypes will win praise and be the torchbearer for change, as we move into an era where ‘acts’ not ‘ads’ will move the needle of tomorrow’s businesses.
PRADON SIRAKOVIT is Associate Director, Corporate Communication, IPG Mediabrand Thailand
