The Lion’s Fang
Star Reachers Group Co Ltd.
Issue 33 | December 2014
Agency
Leo Burnett Group Thailand
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer Sompat Trisadikun Executive Creative Director Sanpathit Tavijaroen Art Directors Park Wannasiri Pranod Thiangchaem Sanpathit Tavijaroen Sompat Trisadikun Copywriter Cholchanyarach Sansuk
Other Credits
Client Service Thipayachand Hasdin Tisirind Rochanapruk Sirinya Chinwechkijmongkol Computer Artist Kanokwan Chanatipkul Sarawut Ongchai Graphic Designer Krisna Chunsanong Project Manager Wilawan Sanguanwong
Date
May 2014
Background
Every year, Leo Burnett Thailand organised a Cannes Predictions event at which they showed examples of great work from around the world. The intention was to help sharpen the creative judgement of both agency people and their clients.
However, there was a decline in the number of clients attending the event, down from 250 in 2010 to fewer than 50 in 2013.
The challenge was to get those brave marketers who accepted that creativity was changing to come to the show.
Idea
Top clients in Thailand were mailed an invitation, which was sealed within what looked like a lion's fang.
This was not just a reference to the Cannes Lions themselves but an allusion to the Thai saying, that to break a lion's fang meant to take a risk.
Thus the fang was not just an invitation to those brave enough to attend the event but the inspiration to expect more provocative work from their agencies.
Results
From 300 fangs mailed out, over 200 marketers attended the event. That was an increase of 150% against the 2013 Cannes Predictions event. Some of the clients who attended were high-profile marketers, who had never before come to the show. The lion's fang also caught the attention of many publications online and offline, generating a PR media value of 10 million baht (£200,000 GBP, €250,000).
Our Thoughts
Again and again it turns out that the only way to get through to CEOs and CMOs
is through mail. That’s because, if the mailing is as interesting as a socking great lion’s tooth, it is irresistible, no matter how high and mighty you are.
What I also applaud about this piece is that it is culturally relevant as well as completely appropriate to the theme of Cannes Lions.
What this did is throw down a gauntlet to Thai clients and ask, are you brave enough to do the sort of work that wins awards?
I guess we shall see next June, at Cannes.