The Brief

Every year, Filipinos welcome the New Year with firecrackers, believing that loud noises drive away bad luck. And every year, without fail, there are thousands of fatalities. The Department of Health wanted a direct marketing idea to stop Filipinos from lighting up firecrackers. The dangerous habit of lighting up firecrackers is prevalent among all Filipinos. Since it was loud noises that the people were after, the Department of Health gave the public a better option—SFX: The Safest Firecracker Xperience, which packed just as big of a bang.

Creative Execution

For decades, Filipinos have believed that loud noises from firecrackers drive away evil spirits. Every year, the Department of Health would have to contend with thousands of amputations, eye lacerations and deaths brought about this dangerous tradition. For the 2012 New Year, the Department of Health wanted Filipinos to celebrate in a safe and just as festive manner. Thus, SFX: The Safest Firecracker Xperience was distributed to the public. Instead of risking injury, they could just play the CD, containing firecracker sound effects. Their need for loud noises was addressed without having to sacrifice life or limb.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

SFX: The Safest Firecracker Xperience was packaged to look like a giant firecracker. Inside, it contained a CD that had 9 tracks, featuring sound effects of the most popular firecrackers. SFX was distributed in government agencies and hospitals.

Results

SFX: The Safest Firecracker Xperience exploded in the media, making the front pages of daily newspapers and being featured in the news on television and radio. It likewise had a huge online following--trending on Twitter and various social media outlets. Taiwan also adapted the same idea for the Chinese Lunar New Year, distributing CDs which likewise contained firecracker sound effects. Best of all, this year's injuries went down by a whopping 31% compared to last year's.