Results and Effectiveness

Lucky Me! sales rose by 12.5% YOY to USD$43.1 million in 2011 versus 2010 during the campaign. Following the networks' footsteps, small enterprises pledged on their corporate Facebook walls. Even the Philippine Department for Interior and Local Government tweeted their support. One Facebook user said: “Dad just texted me telling me to come home early because Mom learned that today is FaMEALy Day.” Most importantly, we reunited employees and their families, correcting their misgivings about staying late at work. Working adults claimed to eat more frequently with their families by 10% vs. pre-campaign, based on a TNS study.

Creative Execution

We tackled the root of the problem – the employer – as only they could dispel the belief about long working hours and set a positive example to employees. We needed to look no further than ourselves as perpetuators of this habit. As agencies and the media, we work around the clock, taking our families for granted. So we rallied the bosses of the biggest TV and radio networks. In collaboration with the government, we launched National FaMEALy Day, when employees were encouraged to go home in time for dinner with their families. This would take place every fourth Monday of September. FaMEALy Day Pledge Walls were mounted in offices, asking the staff to participate. Network heads and well-known personalities wrote their commitments on Pledge Walls. Partnering with media companies allowed us to amplify the movement and with that the Pledge Walls were covered on media and in the news.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

What comes to your mind when you think of a meal of instant noodles? An unwholesome, quick-fix snack. Certainly, not a meal enjoyed by families. But rather a dish that’s eaten alone, when one’s too busy or working late. This negative backlash was preventing Lucky Me! instant noodles from growing their sales. We needed to correct this consumer habit and perception of our brand. Filipinos were increasingly working late. They welcomed the idea of going home on time, to prepare and enjoy home-cooked meals. But, they just couldn’t. There was a deep sense of apprehension and guilt around leaving work on time. An unspoken rule to climb the corporate ladder pervaded throughout the work culture– “Do not leave before the boss.” We created a movement involving Filipino companies to enable working adults to go home early, bond with their families over dinner, with Lucky Me! promoting caring through fuss-free meals.