In a world saturated with emotionally charged advertisements, Ferroli chose a unique path for their end-of-year campaign. Instead of tugging at viewers' heartstrings, they decided to tell a humorous story with a seemingly ordinary theme: "Wives are like cold rice at home but a delicacy when it comes to the neighbor's husband." This bold and timely approach utilized Parody music. However, beneath the humor lies a message rich in human values. This is the story of the "Dream of Changing Wives" parody campaign, a breath of fresh air in the market, brought to life by VIETSTARMAX.
Background
Ferroli Vietnam (Ferroli Asean Co., Ltd.) is a subsidiary of the Italian Ferroli Group, specializing in the production of heating equipment, including direct and indirect water heaters, solar water heaters, and heat pumps. While Ferroli was already known for its renowned Italian-made water heaters, it expanded its product line in 2016 to include kitchen appliances such as induction cookers, range hoods, and ovens. However, these kitchen appliances were not well-known among consumers.
The end of the year is when many brands run advertising campaigns to promote their products. Videos start flooding television and social media, focusing on heartwarming stories like overseas children wanting to reunite with their parents or gifting their parents during Tet (Lunar New Year). These themes have been effective, evoking sympathy and emotions among viewers. However, it seems that these themes have become somewhat stale and less appealing to the audience.
Facing this reality, VIETSTARMAX decided to explore and leverage the controversial perspective of married men, who are Ferroli's primary target audience. The challenge was to create a captivating, humorous theme that retained a human touch.
Objectives
Strengthen the brand's connection with consumers, emphasizing Ferroli's commitment to Vietnamese families.
Highlight Ferroli's two product lines, hot water heaters, and kitchen appliances, as safe and efficient products from Italy.
Boost revenue in the final months of 2018, focusing on Ferroli's strategic product lines: kitchen appliances, including induction cookers, hoods, and water heaters.
Target Audience
Consumer target group: Men and women aged 25-45.
Viral audience: Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and celebrities.
Insight
There is a saying, "The neighbor's grass is always greener." Men, like women in general, often compare their spouses to others. Many men compare their wives unfavorably to other women, believing that their wives are less attentive, less skilled, less attractive, or more irritable. However, they rarely take the time to understand why their wives seem to lose their appeal over time. This may be due to a lack of care and communication in daily life. Additionally, inconveniences in daily family life, such as outdated kitchen facilities and unsafe bathrooms, can disrupt domestic harmony.
Ferroli offers a solution to help consumers lead more convenient lives, freeing up time for each other, nurturing the bond between husband and wife.
Strategy
Communication
Given that Ferroli is a brand for the whole family, the primary target audience remains men aged 25-45, as they are the decision-makers when it comes to purchases. Therefore, a digital communication campaign was the best choice to reach the brand's target customers.
The controversial theme was designed to generate diverse opinions and debates, enhancing interaction within the online community. For example, wives would share, comment, and tag their husbands.
Creativity
Positioned as a family brand, Ferroli aimed to connect with its audience through a viral story that was both humorous and humane, nurturing family bonds.
Creative Idea
Dream of Changing Wives
Playing on the idea of "the neighbor's wife," VIETSTARMAX crafted a concept that was both humorous and humane, with a touch of fantasy, and incorporated music.
The concept was a parody of a famous, catchy song by Vietnamese singer Phan Manh Quynh, titled "Hãy ra khỏi người đó đi" ("Leave That Person"). This song had previously gained immense popularity, with over 90 million views on YouTube.
The parody told the story of a man who yearned to trade his disheveled-haired wife for the attractive neighbor's wife to lead a more comfortable and enjoyable life. However, in the end, he bitterly realized that the problem wasn't his wife but his "inconvenient" home. The new wife was even more demanding, making life even more unbearable.
Ferroli appeared as a savior, offering modern and convenient home appliances, which every family needed to spend more time together, nurture their homes, and kindle love between spouses.
Campaign Execution
The entire "Dream of Changing Wives" campaign was divided into three phases:
Phase 1: Viral Video Release
The viral video was distributed across all online channels, utilizing Influencers and reputable Fan Pages to share the video.
Phase 2: Mini-Game
After the video had been out for ten days, the campaign introduced the first mini-game. To participate and find the correct answer, viewers had to rewatch the "Dream of Changing Wives" video. This boosted user engagement and interaction with the Ferroli brand.
Phase 3: 6-Second TVCs
A series of four 6-second TVCs were created to emphasize the brand's main messages:
Absolute safety
Energy efficiency
Living in comfort
Additional 12-month warranty upon online registration
These TVCs ran concurrently with the viral video, reinforcing brand recognition. They depicted the stark contrast in life before and after Ferroli's arrival, highlighting Ferroli as the bridge that strengthened family bonds.
Viral Clip
The choice of a prominent figure in the Parody field was crucial. By selecting the well-known YouTuber Đỗ Duy Nam, who had over 1.4 million subscribers and had created numerous viral parodies, VIETSTARMAX ensured that the product and brand would be even more appealing at launch. Đỗ Duy Nam was a rising star in the entertainment industry, and the audience was already familiar with his work, making the product more attractive upon launch.
The music was meticulously composed, with entertaining lyrics and humorous scenes, incorporating elements like martial arts, magic, slapstick comedy, and even rap.
The parody took viewers through a rollercoaster of emotions, with comical situations that epitomized the saying "Wives are like cold rice at home but a delicacy to the neighbor." Ultimately, viewers were left with a touching and human message: "Family happiness comes from sharing and understanding each other. Always cherish the woman in your life."
The video production process demanded precision and coordination among VIETSTARMAX's team, KOLs, and actors. The goal was to deliver the best possible product for the brand, covering visuals, acting, and music.
Ferroli's "Dream of Changing Wives" parody campaign, after just one month, achieved remarkable success. The entire campaign garnered over 15 million views, more than 80,000 likes, over 5,000 comments, and over 5,000 shares.
This campaign marked the promising beginning of a string of impressive achievements for a creatively executed and well-constructed viral video by VIETSTARMAX and the Italian brand Ferroli.