MANILA – The love of a mother is often the first form of love that any child experiences. It is the kind of love that is unconditional and unsullied, with no expectations or need for reciprocation. No matter what a child is suffering from or going through if anyone can be relied on to give them love, it is their mother.
Independent agency Seven A.D. used this insight, a mother’s love for a child through thick and thin, as the core of its ad, ‘Son,’ for several brands under the Unilab banner.
“The film celebrated the value of a Mom’s unwavering and unconditional love for her child,” notes Marissa Moreno, Business Unit Director for Seven A.D. “The world may unjustly judge a person for being different but in the eyes of his mom, he will always be wonderful and special. The film also depicted how a child can rise above what is conventionally defined as talented and successful and find his rightful place in this world.”
The story begins with the son’s not-so-easy childhood as the mother learns to deal with low grades while also noticing details like her son’s doodling. As the child grows older, the mother tries her best to understand his eccentricities, even when he claims that she can’t. When he finally has his own art gallery showcase, snapshots of his childhood are seen on canvas. The centerpiece of the gallery is a large portrait of the one person who never wavered in her support… his mother. “This also provided us with the structure to imply that Unilab is deeply ingrained in the family’s lives because the brands that Moms have trusted all these years are actually all from Unilab,” Moreno adds.
With close to 1.4 million views to date since it was first posted on YouTube in May of 2017, both agency and client agreed that ‘Son’ would be a worthy entry for the inaugural YouTube Ads Awards Philippines. True enough, not only did the campaign win second prize for the Health and Nutrition Category, it also earned a Crystal Award for Corporate Image and Public Sector, one of the top plums at the YouTube Ads Awards Philippines.
Asked why the campaign emerged as a winner, Moreno states, “It was a stand-out not only because of the story but because of its impact to business. Despite the fact that the video is heavily branded, the views and more importantly, engagement scores achieved unprecedented scores for the brand.”
“For the first time, a pharmaceutical brand got talked about on social media,” she points out. “Unilab stood out with likes, shares, and engagement that far exceeded the average in pharma digital videos. With the help of the campaign, brand health ratings of Unilab dramatically improved. Clearly, with this material Unilab was able to build a real bond with the consumers and transformed itself into an endeared pharma brand that touched the hearts of many.”
The agency also maximized the ability of YouTube to run videos beyond the conventional 30-second or 60-second variety of years past. “To drive engagement, we intentionally created a long-form digital video that allows flexibility in storytelling.,” says Moreno. “This was an opportunity for the brand as a digital video will give ample time to develop the story arc, show emotional tension, and payoff. YouTube was the perfect medium for long-form digital videos that’s why we placed and boosted ‘Son’ in that platform.”
“This is the first time YouTube gave awards in the Philippine market,” Moreno proudly exclaims. “From among 500 entries, ‘Son’ won 1 of 4 Crystal (equivalent to Gold) awards given during the awards night. This award will help increase (Seven A.D.’s) credentials not just in brand-building but also in digital storytelling.
CREDITS
SEVEN A.D.
Teeny Gonzales Chief Executive Officer/ Chief Creative Officer
Tey San Diego Chief Operating Officer/ Head of Planning
Russell Molina Executive Creative Director
Maki Correa Deputy Executive Creative Director
Argem Vinuya Creative Director/ Art Director
Mai Basilio Art Director
Randy Mutuc Copywriter
Denise Amora Account Director
Esther Bautista Account Manager
UNILAB, INC.
Alex Panlilio Operating Vice President
Jench Lim Corporate Branding Group Director
Yumi Angeles Corporate Brand Specialist
Roche Leonor Corporate Brand Manager
FILM PABRIKA
Director: Carlo Directo
