Soyjoy to the world

Japanese snack succeeds with quirky campaign and distinct sense of humour

by Shermaine Wong | Updated 10:49 AM Jun 09, 2009

TRUST the Japanese to incorporate their signature kawaii (cuteness) culture into everyday life.

One advertising campaign which has borrowed heavily from Japanese culture has managed to enjoy success with the public with its quirky visuals and memorable catchphrase.

The Soyjoy campaign - which began last June and is promoted via traditional and online media platforms - has been tickling audiences with its humorous take on weight watching and a memorable tagline, "Much Effort, Little Effort!"

Earlier efforts of the campaign include a series of television commercials (TVCs), and print and bus stop ads. It is currently in its second phase, in which promotional efforts have been moved online.

Soyjoy is positioned as a new healthy snack from Japan with a low glycemic index (GI) count. GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. Generally, foods with low GI are viewed as healthier options.

As such, the campaign, created by Ogilvy & Mather Singapore (O&M), revolved around the concept of GI.

For TVCs and print ads, O&M's trio comprising creative director Maurice Wee; regional creative director Takuya Matsuo; and group head copywriter Troy Lim created ads which played up the extreme methods women employ to keep trim.

In the Soyjoy ad titled Office, a woman is shown at work on her computer, while struggling to maintain a squat - hence, "much effort". This is juxtaposed with the "little effort" method another woman is seen using: Eating Soyjoy.

Mr Matsuo said: "Office was shot entirely in Tokyo since Soyjoy is 100 per cent Japanese. We're riding on the Singaporean fascination with Japan and its products. The result is a memorable, quirky campaign that carries a distinctly Japanese sense of humour."

The campaign's current effort, conceptualised by Ogilvy PR and its 360° Digital Influence team, is a five week-long blogger challenge which started on May 25.

Five local bloggers will go head-to-head in a series of tasks, which include writing the most informative blog post on GI and its benefits; and capturing the best way they like to enjoy Soyjoy in a picture and blog post.

Through these tasks, the bloggers will educate readers and raise awareness about Soyjoy in an interactive way. The public can vote by visiting www.gi-joy.com. Two winning bloggers - one a judges' choice, the other an audience's choice - will walk away with a trip to Japan at the end of next month to visit the Soyjoy factory.

On why Soyjoy decided to incorporate social media into their campaign, Mr R Suhendar, product marketing manager of Soyjoy, said: "In the online world, consumers no longer just receive messages, but also respond to them. That prospect excites us. The channel provides us with opportunities to engage with our consumers on a deeper, more intimate level than ever before."

While more people may be turning to digital platforms, Mr Suhendar acknowledges that "despite the soaring success of social media, organisations need to recognise it isn't a silver bullet solution".

He added: "Any effective outreach programme can and should employ a mix of both social and traditional media."

Future outreach programmes Soyjoy has planned include another round of TVCs and workshops to help the public understand more about the concept of GI.

From TODAY, Business – Tuesday, 09-Jun-2009

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