The "Walking on Water" campaign by TEA+ stands out not only for its unique concept but also for reflecting a shift in the Brand Big Idea after three years of focusing on the "Light as Air" imagery. Does this signify a new phase in TEA+'s communication strategy?
Background
Entering the Ready-to-Drink Tea (RTD Tea) market in 2013, TEA+ differentiated itself with the unique positioning of the brand. They became a pioneer in the Oolong tea segment, emphasizing their Reason-to-Believe: containing OTPP - which helps limit fat absorption, delivering distinct health benefits.
Simultaneously, the brand reinforced the sensory benefit of "feeling light in the body and mind." In the initial years, TEA+ conveyed this sensory aspect with the overarching idea of "Flying Up," achieving certain successes.
However, this success posed a new challenge for the brand. Most consumers couldn't connect the "rising up" image with the "fat absorption limitation" benefit. In other words, TEA+ excelled at conveying the sensory benefit, but the rational benefit wasn't as clear to consumers.
The challenge was to bridge the gap in consumer perception, making the connection between the sensory and rational benefits more explicit.
Objectives
To "visualize" the rational benefit of the brand, making consumers remember the message of "feeling light in the body and mind."
Insight
Collaborating with JWT, TEA+ discovered a valuable insight for this campaign: "lightness is evident in every step taken." When people are at ease, they often take "light, bouncy steps." Conversely, when they are not happy, they feel heavy both mentally and physically, and their steps become heavier.
Strategy
Implement an integrated, multi-channel campaign to connect with consumers across various touchpoints, ensuring the message resonates across all channels. TEA+ decided to ignite a controversial topic on social media to attract attention, leading the audience to other campaign activities, and maintaining interest through various social channels.
Creative Idea
Walking on Water
Using the insight that "lightness is evident in each step," TEA+ aimed to make the idea of "light steps" more comprehensible. The brand's approach was to "place 'lightness' in a context of 'heaviness' to make the lightness stand out." The concept of "Walking on Water" illustrates the contrast between sinking and floating, subtly emphasizing the lightness the brand wants to highlight.
Campaign Execution
The campaign was carried out in three stages:
Teaser: Kicked off a social media debate with the hashtag #Dìmkhôngchìm (Sink Without Sinking).
Event: A two-day "Walking on Water" event at the Hoa Lư Stadium, involving famous figures such as Minh Hằng, Hari Won, Mỹ Tâm, Khởi My, and thousands of young participants.
Sustaining Interest: Maintained the public's interest through media articles summarizing the campaign.
Event
The main campaign activities took place during the "Walking on Water" event held on May 12-13 at the Hoa Lư Stadium, featuring the participation of numerous celebrities.
Social Media
Social media, primarily Facebook, played a crucial role in initiating and spreading campaign activities. It was vital during the Teaser phase as it captured the community's attention by sharing the stories of celebrities facing criticism and using hashtags like #Dìmkhôngchìm, #teambidim, #teamhaydim, guiding the youth's attention to the main campaign event.
During the two-day event, all activities were livestreamed on major platforms Yeah1 and YAN TV. This clever move by TEA+ resulted in an increased campaign awareness, with nearly 5,000,000 people participating in the livestream event.
Public Relations (PR)
From the teaser phase to post-event, PR articles were posted on online platforms like Yan TV, aFamily, Sao Star, highlighting the grandeur of the program and the participation of famous stars.
Results
Over 100 earned videos of the event were shared on YouTube, garnering over 7 million views.
40 free Facebook posts from 10 celebrities like Mỹ Tâm, Minh Hằng, Đông Nhi, HariWon, Duy Khánh, Hoàng Yến Chibi, Jun Vũ, Jun Phạm, Will Phạm, along with 340 articles from proactively reporting outlets (earned PR articles).
The campaign topped both the "Outstanding Campaign" and "Outstanding Event" rankings on Social Media for May, according to Buzzmetrics.
This case study demonstrates how TEA+ successfully refreshed its brand image and message while engaging consumers through a clever and integrated marketing strategy.