PATTAYA, THAILAND – J. Walter Thompson Bangkok took home a Grande Lotus and 2 Bronzes for ‘Narcos the Censor’s Cut,’ at the Lotus Awards, the finale of AdFest 2019, one of the region’s biggest advertising festivals, which just took place at the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Halls (PEACH) from 20-23 March 2019.
‘Narcos the Censor’s Cut’ cleverly used Thailand’s notoriously strict censorship rules to promote Netflix’s drugs, sex and violence-fuelled series ‘Narcos Mexico’. Following advice from a censorship consultant of 30 years, by cutting out all the naughty bits in the trailer, the campaign helped whet audience’s appetite for the show’s launch mid-November 2018.
Apart from these, winning a Gold Lotus in Branded Entertainment, was Sunsilk ‘Hair Talk’ – inspired by, and starring 20-year old Rock Kwanlada, first runner-up Miss Tiffany Universe 2017. Like thousands of girls in Thailand and across the world, Rock was born in a man’s body. Sunsilk tells her life story from the point of view of her hair. Every inch of hair is an important milestone on her journey to womanhood. The longer it gets, the more feminine she is. It was an instant hit on social media, with 2.5 million organic views within the first 48h. After 2 months, it has sparked a nationwide conversation around gender and stereotypes, gathering over 37 million views in Thailand alone.
And winning 3 Silver Lotus for Design and Direct, was JWT Hong Kong’s ‘Pass on the Blessing’ for Save the Children. Its deceptively simple product design looks like a traditional Chinese red packet for giving money to loved ones at Lunar New Year and other special occasions. But by turning it inside out, it becomes a self-sealing postage-paid donation envelope, pre-addressed to Save the Children Hong Kong.
“It’s such an honor to have this recognition here in Adfest. I have a lot of love for this campaign as it reflects in a way who we are as an agency: a fun, diverse and hungry bunch of people. It might be our last Grand Prix under the JWT name, but we’re all set and ready for more ideas that are big and relevant enough to truly connect with people, no matter where and how,” said JWT Bangkok’s Chief Creative Officer Joao Braga.
“As I told the team in Hong Kong, I can’t express how happy, proud and grateful I am with our results here. It’s a great start for a new chapter in our office, and proves that when we come together, we are strong and can make great things happen. Another proud moment was when it was singled out and discussed by the Adfest jury as one of the most outstanding pieces of work,” added Carlos Camacho, Executive Creative Director JWT Hong Kong.
ABOUT J. WALTER THOMPSON
J. Walter Thompson Company was founded in 1864 and has been making pioneering solutions that build enduring brands and business for more than 150 years. Today the company includes several global networks including J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, Mirum and Colloquial. J. Walter Thompson opened its first office in the Asia in 1929, and employs over 3,800 people in 53 offices across 18 countries in the region. For more information, visit their website and follow @JWT_Worldwide and @JWTAsiaPacific.
