Agency Orchestrates Symphony’s Asia Tour

Bringing a smile to Hong Kong's children with special needs	The London Symphony Orchestra shares UBS' vision of bringing music to the masses

Weber Shandwick reached a high note when it was selected as the regional PR partner for United Bank of Scotland’s (UBS) sponsorship of the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), which recently held concerts in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Kuala Lumpur.

With a history dating back 10 years, this tour was the latest in the UBS-LSO partnership, “bringing extraordinary music to the greatest number of people.”

Project-led from Malaysia, teams across the region promoted UBS's longstanding relationship with the orchestral group—a challenge as the media spotlight naturally falls on the orchestra’s performance.

Weber Shandwick-generated stories telling of the unique partnership between two unlikely establishments—a financial institution and an orchestra—resulted in an amazing blend of coverage. Key messages, portraying UBS as a leading financial institution and trusted partner, linked the passion of a performer before the audience to UBS’ own client relationships.

In Hong Kong, a press conference followed by open rehearsals reflected both parties’ commitment to create musical opportunities for a worldwide audience. A community outreach programme also delighted audiences in a special children’s care home.

Aware of the intense, concert promotion in Taiwan (driven by a local promoter), the agency engaged business media to communicate the value proposition of UBS as a caring and responsible corporate citizen.

In Kuala Lumpur, the local UBS office organised a community outreach programme at a home for adults and children with special needs, underscoring UBS and the LSO’s unwavering commitment to share extraordinary music beyond the concert halls.

A Young Talent session also took place in Kuala Lumpur, giving young orchestra enthusiasts a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to observe LSO maestros at work during a 40-minute open rehearsal session.

Finally, publications in the corporate scene highlighted key corporate engagements. Media coverage garnered across print, broadcast and the Internet outperformed the brand-profiling objectives, underpinning the business message of the firm's commitment to the Asia-Pacific market.

	Nike Takes Basketball to the Net

Employing an array of emerging media, Nike—together with Weber Shandwick teams in Beijing and Shanghai—introduced the new Zoom Kobe II in China, establishing its brand dominance in basketball.

Zoom Kobe II are the second pair of signature shoes for NBA star Kobe Bryant to be brought to China.

The Shanghai consumer team arranged media interviews with Bryant in Los Angeles about the shoes. Coverage centered on Bryant’s performance in the NBA All-Star game wearing the Zoom Kobe II, generating more than 100 clippings in top-tier print media and coverage on numerous Web sites, influential blogs, portals and BBS forums.

In the capital, Nike initiated a broad campaign dubbed, “Beijing City Attack—The Battle of the Nine Gates,” aimed at establishing the brand’s market dominance in basketball.

The campaign combined cultural venues with creative promotions	Nike captured the attention of basketball-playing netizens

The programme played upon baqi—a colloquial term from Beijing’s basketball-court culture that denotes arrogance and basketball aptitude. The team’s two-pronged strategy took the message to traditional media and digital outlets.

A total of 71 pieces of coverage spanned print, television, radio and the Net. To further drive momentum on 15 highly trafficked Internet platforms, Nike kept influential bloggers up to date with campaign information and by sharing the campaign theme song.

	Nortel Unveils WiMAX Solutions in Taiwan

Nortel, as a sponsor of the 2007 Taipei Summit, enlisted Weber Shandwick Taiwan to spotlight its achievements in 4G-wireless broadband and commitment to the island’s WiMAX development.

In addition to arranging a booth to display Nortel's latest WiMAX solutions, the agency also engaged media with a live demo bus. In collaboration with Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan’s largest integrated telecommunication service provider, the bus demonstrates how Nortel’s WiMAX solutions are powering Taiwan’s Mobile Healthcare Services. With a WiMAX network to support emergency medical assistance and patient care services, the vehicle presented Taiwan’s first WiMAX application before media and the public.

At the summit, Nortel also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan to jointly develop a full end-to-end WiMAX ecosystem. Peter Mackinnon, president of Nortel WiMAX and Wireless Mesh and chairman of LG-Nortel, was Nortel’s representative at the ceremony.

Weber Shandwick ensured Nortel earned exceptional media attention, especially as other companies were also involved in the signing. Resulting coverage emphasised Nortel’s cooperation with the Taiwan government and close relationships with the local telecom industry.

The agency also organised a press conference to unveil Nortel’s joint WiMAX solutions development commitment with Chunghwa Telecom and the establishment of Nortel’s Centre of Excellence-WiMAX 4G Ecosystem in Taipei.

	Nortel Exec Speaks at Tsinghua University

John Roese, Nortel’s CTO delivers a speech to Tsinghua students	A representative from Tsinghua presents an award to the CTO in expression of their appreciation

To build and re-enforce Nortel’s brand as technology innovator among the future business and political leaders in China, and strengthen Nortel’s visionary and innovative brand position with top-tier media, Weber Shandwick helped Nortel arrange a speech to a large group of students at Beijing’s Tsinghua University in April 2007.

Tshingua University, regarded as the “MIT of China,” is one of the most prestigious universities in the country. John Roese, Nortel’s chief technology officer, was invited as the speaker to share his views on industry trends and its inflections. Nortel has a long relationship with Tsinghua through various academic engagements, including funding scholarships. A group of key media was also invited to the speech and a media briefing was held in conjunction. 

In the speech to the students and journalists, John Roese highlighted the mega-trends of hyperconnectivity, communications-enabled applications and broadband. China is experiencing dramatic growth and has a young and technologically aware population that is using cellular and Internet technology aggressively. With high expectations of connectivity, Roese predicted that the future will be even more communications-centric.

The event received positive feedback from Nortel, Tsinghua and journalsts. The media briefing resulted in positive, in-depth coverage in some of the top-tier media in China.

	Focusing on Australia's Leading Cause of Blindness

Sydney’s healthcare team worked with pro-bono client, the Macular Degeneration Foundation, on Macular Degeneration Awareness Week (MDAW). Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in Australia. People with the disease have vision that curves, and they often they lose central vision (which is the opposite of tunnel vision).

The campaign aimed to broaden the relevance of macular degeneration beyond the older community and drive calls to the Macular Degeneration Foundation Support Line. Due to the number of awareness weeks in Australia, it is often difficult to generate coverage for these events, prompting Weber Shandwick to commission research into community awareness on macular degeneration.

The research showed that despite the high prevalence of the disease, few people even knew what a macular was, let alone the definition of macular degeneration.

Furthermore, 75 percent of people in the highest risk group (aged over 50 years) had never had their macular checked. Therefore, they could be missing out on taking simple steps to curb the likelihood of the disease.

The 2007 campaign exceeded client expectations and well surpassed media coverage generated in the past years for MDAW. Interviews appeared on key national television broadcasters as well as on radio across five states. Key metropolitan city radio stations also featured the research in their news and talkback schedules. A feature article ran in a popular women’s magazine and more are scheduled to appear in lifestyle magazines with news stories also appearing in the national and city newspapers and online. Widespread trade media coverage also appeared in the lead up to MDAW.

Finally, Weber Shandwick’s MDAW campaign achieved outstanding results in actual client enquiries with a 250 percent increase in calls to the Macular Degeneration Foundation Support Line during the week.

	Habitat for Humanity Sets World Record

The drink-pack house challenge attracted public participation

As part of its effort to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness worldwide, Habitat for Humanity (HFH) Singapore, a non-profit housing organisation, helped rebuild 1,500 houses for tsunami victims in Aceh. SGD$14 million of funding from the Red Cross and another SGD$4 million of co-funding from Habitat for Humanity International & Habitat for Humanity Singapore made the efforts possible.

To celebrate the completion of the 1,500th home, HFH organised a record-breaking, fundraising initiative, Build4Hope. Calling for participation from the public, schools and corporate donors, HFH aimed to break a world record by constructing display houses using empty drink packs. Individuals could purchase a "brick" for SGD$2 (Singapore) and add it themselves to complete the display.

As Habitat for Humanity's pro-bono agency, Weber Shandwick in Singapore spearheaded its publicity campaign for the initiative.

Leading up to Build4Hope, a press conference provided the media with an account of how the donated funds were used for the Aceh project. A series of profiles on volunteer efforts and publicity for the event also helped to drum up participation for building the display house.

As a result of Weber Shandwick's outreach efforts, HFH received strong coverage in key local media, and prominent pieces positioned the non-profit as a transparent and responsible charity.

HFH also set a world record through the campaign, rallying 1,000 students and public volunteers to build five display houses made of 45,528 drink packs.

	Celebrating Songkran with Imperial Leather

Weber Shandwick recently teamed up PZ Cussons, a leading provider of soap, toiletries and laundry brands, to re-launch its Imperial Leather bar soap in Thailand.

With an improved formula and new design, Imperial Leather embarked on a branding campaign around the concept of “Global Family” to enhance its position in the personal hygiene market.

The campaign kicked off during the country’s highest profile family event, Songkran, a traditional Thai festival. As the holiday is known for the custom of water tossing, Imperial Leather set up outdoor shower booths at one of the most popular locations for celebrations. Along with a bar of Imperial Leather soap, the showers were free to anyone looking for a refreshing break during the hottest month of the year.

At the start of the campaign, Weber Shandwick arranged a media luncheon to introduce the local media to PZ Cussons executives and coordinated the eye-catching event with IPG-sister company Momentum. The result was a watershed of consumer interaction!

The campaign corresponded with Thailand’s traditional Songkran celebrations, and outdoor shower booths were a big hit

	Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Holds Charity Dinner

Weber Shandwick worked with the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong, for the second time for their annual fundraising dinner. The objective was to kick start the current year’s fundraising drive for research and conservation projects on the endangered giant panda.

Themed “In Love with Black & White”, the sold-out event was held at Ocean Park and attended by prominent figures including Allan Zeman, chairman of Ocean Park; the Honourable Timothy Fok, JP; and Hong Kong SAR’s permanent secretary of the Home Affairs Bureau, Carrie Lam.

Despite heavy rainfall throughout the early evening, the proceedings were not affected by the inopportune weather, and guest arrival was smooth despite the outdoor journey to the marquee where dinner was held.

Before the dinner, guests enjoyed cocktails next to Ocean Park’s arctic animal exhibit, featuring the first arctic foxes and wolves to set foot in Hong Kong, as well as an exclusive exhibition of original paintings and one-of-a-kind fashion items by world-renowned contemporary Chinese artist Dr Xu Yan Ting and top fashion designer Judy Hua.

Fundraising activities included a charity auction, featuring an original painting donated by Dr Xu Yan Ting, fashion pieces donated by Judy Hua, exclusive eco-tours to the giant panda conservation centre at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in China, as well as the chance to preview young pandas Ying Ying and Le Le at Ocean Park before their public debut.

A lively bidding session, presided by celebrity comedian Tat-Ming Cheung, was followed by the highlight of the evening’s entertainment programme: a tailor-made version of “Spellbound on Ice”, the world-famous ice-skating and illusion extravaganza. Allan Zeman even surprised the guests by appearing as a “master of illusion” in full costume at the end of the show, bringing the event’s atmosphere to a peak before the evening ended and guests left in good spirits.

In addition to exceeding the fundraising target by raising more than HK$2 million, the event generated positive media coverage the following day, effectively raising public awareness of the Foundation and its conservation cause.

	Malaysians Cash in on Singapore Travel

Phua Chu Kang and Singapore Tourism Board ASEAN (Mainland) Regional Director Mr Chang Chee Pay during the “Half Price, Singapore Surprise” launch

With the launch of “Half Price, Singapore Surprise” (HPSS), Malaysians got the chance to visit Singapore’s top-ten tourist attractions and pay in Malaysian Ringgit—an exchange rate representing a significant saving. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) launched this promotion in line with the upcoming school holiday season.

During the course of the HPSS promotional period, Malaysians visiting famous Singaporean tourist attractions—ranging from amphibious excursions on HIPPO and DUCKtour vehicles, to visiting the Singapore Zoo, Sentosa Island, Jurong Birdpark, the China Town Heritage Centre and the newly launched DHL Balloon—received the equivalent of a 50-percent, on-the-spot discount when they paid in Ringgit.

The STB tasked the Malaysia team with strategically publicising the month-long campaign, including a press conference followed by a community outreach programme benefiting two local orphanages.

The publicity was spearheaded by one of Singapore’s most popular icons, Phua Chu Kang (also known as “Mr Gurmit Singh”).

To celebrate the upcoming school holidays, the STB and sponsors such as online ticketing network Plusliner and Singapore’s Metropolitan Y hotel hosted an unforgettable holiday tour for 20 under-privileged children and orphans from House of Joy and Persatuan Anak-Anak Yatim dan Ibu Tunggal Kampung Medan. The children were treated to an all-expenses-paid weekend in Singapore in conjunction with the HPSS campaign.

As result of the team’s efforts, Weber Shandwick secured a total of 25 instances of print coverage and five radio and TV appearances, along with a profile of the client on a leading business broadcast programme, NTV7’s Business Briefcase.

	Honeywell Invests in China’s Largest City

From left to right, Shane Tedjarati, Honeywell global vice president and China CEO; Wang Hong Ju, mayor of Chongqing; Dave Cote, Honeywell Chairman and CEO; and Wu Jia Nong, vice Mayor of Chongqing

Our China teams worked closely with Honeywell to announce the grand opening of its Global Engineering Service centre in Chongqing, China's largest city.

By tying in Honeywell Chairman and CEO Dave Cote's visit to China, the diversified technology and manufacturing leader aimed to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to supporting the government and business partners’ goals of building an energy-efficient and harmonious society. 

This initiative was part of Honeywell's continual contributions to China's Go West policies, local economic growth and social development.

Local government representatives, Honeywell senior management and media attended the event. Chongqing Mayor Wang Hongju was also present for the opening ceremony.

Prior to the event date, Weber Shandwick also put in place a series of pre-event briefings with top-tier media across Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing to encourage interests in the upcoming announcement and to align Honeywell's announcement with media feedback and interests. 

Weber Shandwick also secured the attendance of nearly 30 top-tier media, including six journalists who flew in especially from Beijing and Shanghai to cover this event and hold executive interviews with senior management.

In spite of rain during the outdoor event, the agency worked together with Honeywell to hold a paper-cutting ceremony to officiate the opening, ensuring a smooth-running, memorable occasion that resulted in positive PR and stakeholder perceptions.

The event has resulted in nearly 90 quality pieces of coverage in the media.

	Emirates Equips Child Passengers with New Goodies

Weber Shandwick invited media to bring their own children to the interactive press conference

Emirates Airlines recently introduced a new surprise for children travelling on board their long-haul flights from Malaysia—a bag-full of goodies to take kids’ in-flight entertainment up a notch.

Having established itself as an airline committed to service excellence, Emirates was further determined to position itself as a company that constantly reviews and introduces novelty products to its passengers.

In addition to the airline’s extensive in-flight entertainment package, the new goodie bag includes reading materials, toys, games, puzzles, colouring pencils and other items designed to make children’s onboard experience exciting and entertaining.

Weber Shandwick helped conceptualise a launch event that would reflect the airlines’ dedication to its young passengers through product innovation. The agency arranged for the launch event to take place at the Kidzone Fun Playland, an indoor children’s playground, to create the perfect ambience for the event.

Invitations to news, lifestyle, travel and broadcast media included an invitation for them to bring two children with them to be a part of the playtime. Joining them were 20 children from the Assunta Children’s Society (ACS). The children were treated to a short skit, which doubled as the launch gambit, where children were handpicked from the crowd to participate in an imaginary journey with two of Emirates “Querk” mascots, Paris the Rabbit and Yorky the Eagle. 

In addition to media attendance from almost 20 publications, children left with their goodie bags stuffed with a colourful rucksack, an e-Kids magazine and one of Emirates’ five soft, Querk toys.

	Campaign Awakens Consumers to Nestle Coffee

The media picked up on Nestle’s holiday-season CSR campaign	Weber Shandwick introduced NESCAFE directly to Thai drivers

Weber Shandwick Thailand supported Nestle’s NESCAFE 3in1 My Cup instant coffee with a “Sleepy? Don’t Drive!” campaign aimed at reducing the accident rate caused by tired drivers during the busy Songkran holiday.

The agency positioned NESCAFE 3in1 My Cup as a high-quality, good-tasting coffee for keeping drivers alert during the holidays. To help strengthen the message, The Rama Foundation, under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Kalayanee Wattana, was enlisted to support the campaign.

The campaign took place during the five-day Songkran holiday in April when highway accidents increase dramatically every year. Weber Shandwick also worked together with IPG-sister agency Momentum to kick-off the corporate social responsibly programme.

The campaign succeeded in generating eye-catching colour photo coverage for the client during a traditionally slow news period.

	A1GP’s Ultimate Driver Challenge: Dragon Dancing

A1Teams from Mexico, Lebanon and Australia participate in a pre-race, PR Activity	“For the pride of your nation…”: A1GP cars on the grid at Shanghai International Circuit

A1GP—the Worldcup of Motorsport—visited China for the second time this season. After the successful Beijing street race last November, the roar of A1 engines filled the Shanghai International Circuit again this April.

As teams arrived at the track, drivers found that it was not just their driving skills that would be put to the test. A professional dragon-dance troupe invited the drivers to perform a dragon dance of their own. Drivers’ coordination, concentration and timing skills were judged on their performance.

As the global PR agency for A1GP, Weber Shandwick handled media relations for all races during the season—evidencing the agency’s global network solutions for clients. The task for this season was to drive coverage in lifestyle media as opposed to the traditional sports media, prompting team members to design the dragon dance for the media to meet the drivers. 

Despite Formula One’s comparative popularity in China, the agency helped A1GP—in only its second season—to surpass the lifestyle coverage quota through interviews with drivers and A1GP Asia Pacific CEO David Clare, engaging news angles and updates throughout the race weekend.

	Missing World Heritage Now Available on Internet

Hundreds of posters were found in the University of Tokyo’s vaults

A unique trove of forgotten World War I material has been made available to all on the Internet, and the Weber Shandwick team in Japan is promoting wider awareness about its existence.

The find consists of around 600 propaganda posters from “The Great War” that have lain hidden for almost 100 years in the University of Tokyo vaults.

The posters promoted US military recruitment and war bond drives. The quality and quantity of the cache make it extremely valuable, as it testifies to attitudes and technologies prevailing in the early 20th century.

Together with the university, software firm FileMaker, Inc, and Toppan Printing have completed a joint project, Digital Archiving: The WW I Propaganda Poster Collection, to digitise the posters and launch them on the Internet.

The Weber Shandwick office was appointed to handle press activities around the announcement of launch. The team prepared press material, organised a press conference and set up executive interviews.

Visit the project at http://archives.iii.u-tokyo.ac.jp/

	Pantene Marks 60-Year Anniversary

The main stage and the special effect of the Sky LED

The global launch of Pantene Parthenon by Proctor & Gamble (P&G) aimed to totally restage the popular shampoo Pantene, from an upgraded formula and new package design to a new “Shirra” logo—marking the brand’s 60-year anniversary.

P&G China and the consumer team in Beijing worked together to bring the new Pantene philosophy, “Pantene Enables the Best of You to Shine Through,” to the public.

Following media education during phase one of the programme, the team soon turned to the Parthenon Launch Event.

From left to right, Summer Wang, Vivian Chow, Mila Lee, Charlie Young and Da S unveil the new Pantene logo

An outdoor structure at The Place in Beijing was covered completely in white. Models dressed in various styles each presented an emotion, such as “Happiness” and “Passion”, serving drinks that corresponded to the emotion they represented. The set up demonstrated how Pantene helps women to express their unique feelings.

P&G China invited three Pantene spokespersons, Da S, Charlie Young and Vivian Chow, as well as Mila Lee from P&G Global, to witness the moment. With special effects from the overhead Sky LED, the four spokespersons successfully delivered key messages and made the memorable night brighter than the day.

The feedback from both the media and the client was overwhelmingly positive, with more than 100 journalists attending the event and ongoing coverage in the media.

	Fifty Pain-Free Years with Panadol

Akhil Chandra, managing director of GSK Consumer Healthcare, Malaysia and Singapore, welcomes the deputy minister of health	Instant Café Theatre Company actors re-enact moments in Malaysian history

It is not everyday that a household name shares its half-century anniversary with the nation’s 50 years of independence.

GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) pain-relief product, Panadol, registered in Malaysia in 1957, the same year the nation achieved independence. The Malaysia team conceptualised an open house celebration, which included the unveiling of the Panadol 50 Years logo and a tour of the manufacturing facilities where Panadol is produced.

Officiating the ceremony was Deputy Minister of Health Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad and key opinion leaders Dato’ Dr Zaki Morad Mohamed Zaher, a professor of internal medicine, and paediatrician Dr Khoo Phaik Choo. Both lent their voice to the fact that paracetamol, the key ingredient in Panadol, is the safest and most effective first-line therapy for pain relief.

Linking Panadol to patriotism, the Instant Café Theatre Company performed a skit about the pain reliever coming to the rescue at significant points in Malaysian history, from the declaration of independence in Stadium Merdeka, to the economic vicissitudes of the 1980s and 1990s, to present-day scenes of Malaysian life.

In addition, media and guests received a commemorative booklet showcasing the history and evolution of Panadol through the years.

	Hong Kong Healthcare Practice Takes Seven Steps to Mount Everest

Weber Shandwick Hong Kong recently undertook a three-city media tour in Asia for ConvaTec, a leading manufacturer of ostomy and wound-care products. The Hong Kong team coordinated the multi-office media assignment where offices in Taiwan and Indonesia leveraged Rob Hill's climb of Mt Carstensz to increase awareness of ostomates (patients who have had surgery to facilitate bodily waste disposal) and intestinal diseases in Asia Pacific. The primary goal for the media events in Hong Kong, Jakarta and Taipei was to publicise and advocate a supportive spirit and network among ostomates, assisting them to fully rehabilitate and re-integrate into the community. Part of the spirit of this endeavour is Rob’s honorary membership in the Great Comebacks Program, which recognizes ostomates who have made great strides both in their personal lives.

Rob Hill reaches the top of one of the Seven Summits

Fewer than 100 people over the past 20 years have successfully scaled the Seven Summits; therefore it is akin to winning the Grand Slam of tennis for climbers. The climb, which was Rob’s sixth in a campaign to reach all Seven Summits, was sponsored by ConvaTec.

Unfortunately, many people in Asia Pacific who have an ostomy are concerned with actual, perceived or anticipated prejudice they may experience. Weber Shandwick worked closely with ConvaTec and the Hong Kong Stoma Association to help break this stigma by holding a media briefing at a climbing centre in Hong Kong, attracting both regional and local media. An innovative media briefing was created to combine Rob's presentation with a climbing demonstration. By scaling the walls at the media briefing, Rob truly highlighted how ostomates can tackle even the most daunting obstacles and get on with their lives.                        
                            
Not only were relationships strengthened between ConvaTec, key opinion leaders, stoma nurses and national stoma associations, but in addition more than 45 journalists and photographers, including Reuters, attended the media briefings. To date, there have been more than 40 pieces of coverage (print, online and broadcast) generated from the events in Hong Kong, Jakarta and Taipei.

With Mount Carstensz now under his belt, Rob only has Mount Everest to climb as he nears the finish of the five-year, “No Guts, Know Glory” campaign. At 8,850 metres, this iconic peak marks the pinnacle of Rob’s unique global campaign.

Milestones of the ‘No Guts Know Glory’ Campaign

Rob began his “No Guts, Know Glory” quest in 2002 and has scaled six of the Seven Summits:

	June 2002, Mt Elbrus, 5,633 metres, Russia/Georgia, Europe
	October 2003, Mt Kilimanjaro, 5,963 metres, Tanzania, Africa
	January 2004, Aconcagua, 6,962 metres, Argentina, South America
	June 2005, Denali/Mt McKinley, 5,895 metres, Alaska, USA, North America
	January 2006, Vinson Massif, 4,897 metres, Antarctica
	April 2007, Carstensz Pyramid, 4,884 metres, Indonesia, Asia

For more information about Rob’s climbs and his preparation for Mount Everest, please visit www.greatcomebacks.com.

	Branding the Bra

A tug-of-war competition demonstrated Mode Marie’s strength and elasticity

After 15 years in Taiwan and holding the third-largest market share, local lingerie brand Mode Marie decided to reinforce its brand image while further dedicating itself to society.

The company matched each old bra donated with an $NT100 donation

The Taiwan team conceptualised a PR campaign with the theme, “Love Yourself with Strength and Elasticity.” Mode Marie’s sought to support women for their extreme flexibility and persistence in devoting themselves to work and family, and single mothers were the ideal symbol of “Strength and Elasticity”. To promote Mode Marie’s emphasis on public wellbeing, the team set up a series of strategies focusing on actions that gather women to help each other.

First, at a “Donate Old Bras to Get New Bras” event, Mode Marie granted $NT100 to the Taiwan Women’s Development Association (TWDA)—a local non-profit organisation sustaining single mothers—for each bra donated. From a marketing perspective, giving away free bras also created plentiful possibilities to attract non-buyers to become Mode Marie customers.

The agency next arranged for a press conference showcasing Mode Marie’s NT$300,000 donation to TWDA. A tug-of-war competition between Mode Marie and TWDA, using donated old bras as the rope, further served to illustrate the concept of “Strength and Elasticity”. The brand’s celebrity endorser, Vivian Hsu, also joined the event and attracted media attention.

Through the campaign, thousands of old bras were donated, 620 consumers proactively participated in the event and the brand was well-represented in the media. Most importantly, for all women on the island, “Strength and Elasticity” are now synonymous with Mode Marie.

For an in-depth description of how the “Strength and Elasticity” campaign was designed, read “My Best Pitch,” by account director Claire Wang by clicking here.

	Acuvue Contacts Arrive in Thailand

The launch event involved more than 100 celebrities	The agency held a separate lifestyle-media focused press conference

Johnson & Johnson recently enlisted Weber Shandwick to introduce its 1-Day Acuvue Define contact lenses in Thailand.

Feeling that Acuvue represented a scientifically improved product over other competitors in the eye-care market, J&J sought to educate Thai audiences about the correct usage of contact lenses and good eye-health.

The agency arranged a press conference with business, marketing and healthcare media, and a separate, celebrity-endorsed event to showcase Acuvue specifically to lifestyle media. With more than one hundred Thai celebrities involved, the team was able to generate media coverage across print, radio and TV—including more than a dozen media clippings the very next day.

All media and guests received 1-Day Acuvue Define lenses to experience the product firsthand.