The Campaign

For many Singaporeans, the darker the sauce, the more flavour its got. But can they stomach darkness of another kind? Bringing the noodles’ flavour to life, we created a dark, urban myth that launched during the Hungry Ghost Festival – a Chinese tradition where the dead are believed to walk among the living. With the gates of hell open, and Pokemon Go reaching the height of its popularity, we used this unlikely combination as our recipe for success, blending a supernatural belief with a digital craze. What happens if you’re out hunting for Pokemon late at night? You might come across the Sampling Booth From Hell.

Creative Execution

In an era of shocking videos and sensational footage, our amateur car-cam ghost sighting took Singapore’s online culture by storm. Documenting one couple’s Pokemon Go trip gone wrong, we see them encounter a creepy, old lady selling noodles in the middle of a derelict carpark at night. First released on our talent’s personal Facebook account, the video got picked up organically and circulated on all of Singapore’s major social pages and local news sites. At the height of social frenzy, MAGGI owned up to the stunt with a reveal video posted on their Facebook page. The cheeky news spread quickly amongst the same social pages and news sites that covered the previous video.

In total, both videos (i.e. cam-cam ghost sighting, MAGGI’s reveal video) garnered an organic view count of 2.9 million, generating a reach of 5.9 million (in a country of 5.7 million). With just over 89,000 engagements and a 188% increase in sales, the public’s response to the campaign was overwhelmingly positive, winning over the hearts and minds of locals, strengthening MAGGI’s position as Singapore’s favourite instant noodles brand.

Feeding on local superstition and a timely fascination with the supernatural, we attracted a demographic that far exceeded our target audience of Singaporeans aged 20-35. Coinciding with the Pokemon GO Craze, conditions were ripe for the scaring, as many stayed out ‘hunting’ on their phones till late. Like any modern urban myth, our campaign began on social media (i.e. Facebook) and spread online (i.e. online news sites).