Although the term 'Femvertising' is objectionable, the trend of featuring strong women in advertising is most welcome. A new campaign for Alcon's Air Optix line of monthly disposable contact lenses does so effectively by featuring Malaysian-born Muay Thai fighter Germaine Yeap.
The campaign includes a series of short cliips where Yeap and her family members talk about how she left a banking career and defied family expectations to become a professional fighter. For Keith Byrne, creative lead at DigitasLBi, it was a no-brainer decision to feature a woman's story, and not just because women form the core user base of corrective and cosmetic contact lenses.
"We partnered with Germaine because she is a perfect reflection of what many young women experience in their 20s," said Byrne. "Many start a job and then forget about their passion, whether that be music, art or martial arts. But Germaine isn't like most. She followed her dream and we hope she inspires many others to do the same."
Knox Balbastro, DigitasLBi's regional associate creative director, who worked on the campaign, earlier told Campaign Asia-Pacific in an interview that she had to undo her own gender conditioning during the production, as she found herself expecting Yeap to act in a more feminine way.
The integrated digital campaign launched for the Malayia market includes videos, a social experiment video, macro and micro influencer outreach. PR launch and social content were developed by Leo Burnett Malaysia.
Related: For more female empowerment from a contact-lens maker, see Case study: Eyeing stereotypes, which details a Taiwan campaign by J Walter Thompson Taipei for Pegavision. |
CREDITS (30-second film)
Director: Bertrand Lee
Assistant Director: Sufyan Sam'an
Executive Producer: Tania Wu
Producer: Danial Yeap
DP: Chuck Tham
Camera Assist: Aizat Hashim
Cam Grip: Pamela Soh
Gaffer: King
Key Grip: David
Grip: Eric, Dickson, Shun Rong, Jerry
Wrangler: Fiona
Editor: Goh Jian Ying
Graphics: Layting
VFX: Owen Lim
Colourist: Royston
Wardrobe: Natalie
Wardrobe asst: Xin Ying
Sound: Nelson
Props Master: Wendy Chee
Art Assistant: MJ
PA: Shaun Lek, Douglas