Ads & Ends
Nanette Franco-Diyco
OF THE NUMEROUS commercials of Smart Communications, Inc., the Valentine’s commercial struck me as the most engaging, most heartwarming, most entertaining, and simultaneously extremely relevant to its target market in selling Smart’s shared data promo offer (which runs until the end of next month).
Melvin Mangada, head honcho of advertising agency TBWA Santiago, Mangada, Puno, revealed that the material was the pitch that won them part of the digital assignment as one of Smart’s agencies for over a year now. I do not know what agencies TBWA defeated, but hands down, this TBWA 1:54 ad is unbeatable.
TBWA digital account supervisor Chris Sace said that “the hugot (emotional pull) video was produced for Smart Corporate for Valentine’s Day, targeting young singles and friendship, rather than couples and romance.”
And as if to truly dramatize this, the commercial ends with: “Lovers come and go. But friends share forever.” Its title on social media, “How to Survive a Breakup,” gives us a hint indeed of some breakup. But the core expansion and moment-to-moment execution are so unexpected that you yourself wind up more than surviving the breakup.
As the official TBWA teaser lures you to download the material fast: “Ever found yourself stalking your ex while hustling through a heartbreak? This one’s for you (and for the friends that help you see it through).”
We see this boy entering the frame, then sitting on his bed one late night, slowly tinkering with his cell, re-reviewing his ex-girlfriend’s Instagram pictures, one at a time. Slowly but surely, he gets sadder and sadder. We see him getting teary-eyed. Then, he sees the girl in the final pic about to be kissed by another boy. A tear falls on the screen. He quickly wipes the tear and, in the process, activates Instagram’s double-tap-to-like feature, effectively giving the girl’s photo a like.
He, of course, would tap his mistake away — but, horror of horrors! Up pops the alert: “Your mobile data has expired.” He noisily pounds on the screen, trying in vain to undo the like! In the process, his roommate, asleep in the next bed, is awakened. Annoyed, the roommate exclaims that the girl and he broke up five years ago. The heartbroken lead tells him what has happened, ending with his distress: he doesn’t want her to think that he hasn’t moved on and is still bitter.
Continuing his pounding on the cell phone’s screen, all of a sudden, “Pippo shared 100 MB of mobile data with you” pops up. He’s saved by his roommate, who unceremoniously has gone back to sleep. After clearing the like, he throws a pillow at Pippo to thank him. Pippo turns off their bedroom lamp, and the night moves on in near total darkness.
Great camera angles and pacing by directors John Ed De Vera and Nolan Fabular.
The song that accompanies the video on and off, is the ‘90s Tagalog ballad Nanghihinayang (Regret) by the group Jeremiah, covered by Aljur Abrenica. It beautifully supports the oh-so-excellent acting we see in front of us.
Congratulations to the TBWA team, cleverly intermixing kurot sa puso (clutch at the heart) with humor and, in the process, effectively selling Smart’s Pasadata with Big Bytes.
Call it creativity wed with all-important marketing effectiveness.
Credits. Client-company, Smart Communications, Inc. Brand strategy and communications department: James Lim, senior manager; Elaine Cheng, senior digital campaigns officer; Aiza Tsang, digital campaigns specialist; Regine Umagat, senior social media Officer; Abbie Real-Dimaano, manager; Jeri Martinez, senior manager; and Carlo Endaya, department head/vice-president.
Advertising agency, TBWA\SMP: Melvin Mangada, chief creative officer/managing partner; Portia Catuira, managing director; Chris Sace, digital account supervisor; John Ed De Vera, creative director; Abi Capa, associate creative director; and Terence Eduarte, art director.
Producers: Sunny Lucero, and Denise Jose.
Production house, How’s Everything?: John Ed De Vera and Nolan Fabular, directors; JT Pandy, DoP; Nolan Fabular, Kiko De Dios, and Vince Belen, editors.
Audio house, Sound Design.
Talents: Eisen Lim, Earl San Juan, and Blake Samson.
Nanette Franco-Diyco ended her 15th year advertising career as Vice-President of JWT, segueing into the world of academe, currently teaching communications at the Ateneo de Manila University.
