HO CHI MINH CITY – November 12, 2013 – The Vietnamese audience have been described as "pragmatic" by JWT Vietnam CEO Sabay Mishra, but they proved to be receptive to an emotional ad by the agency for eye care range OSLA.
According to JWT, sales for the eye care brand shot up to 300 percent after the company launched its first brand campaign in 15 years, including its first ever TVC.
In a press release, JWT said that monthly sales for OSLA’s eye drops rose four times by volume, after the campaign ran. The agency also said that the company’s market share jumped to 40 percent from 25 percent, putting it on even footing with its main competitor, V-Rhoto eye drops, which is made by a Japanese multinational.
“JWT’s campaign has put our brand on a new growth track. It really hits home at who were are, and our connection to the Vietnamese people,” said Doan Sy Hien, vice president of sales and marketing at Merap.
According to JWT, "the campaign taps into the hardships that the country has endured in recent history."
The TVC features Vietnamese people seeing the past hardships transformed when looked upon with ‘new’ eyes.
A young woman sees a classic Vietnamese vase in a plain piece of pottery she has been working on; an old man sees a barren field transformed into fertile land; a worker sees Ho Chi Minh’s glittering skyline in a mess of construction work, all as a voice-over speaks of "washing away weariness," "cooling drought" and "soothing all hardship" – according to JWT, comments that are "pregnant with historical referencing."
The TVC ends with many Vietnamese faces forming an eye as the voice over says: "A million drops, one love for eyes."
“Some local brands have tremendous value locked inside, including long-standing reputations that are born of storied histories and uniqueness that transcends age. Often, it’s all about identifying those existing pearls and bringing them to the forefront,” Mishra said.
“Vietnamese consumers are among the most pragmatic. But the success of this campaign shows that emotional communication done right can truly elevate a brand, and make a real difference,” he continued.
