Wong Cho Lam dresses up in drag... again, for MTR

Client: MTR Corporation

Agency: The Tank

Markets: Hong Kong

Campaign scope: The media plan encompasses TV (on the TVB Jade and Pearl channels as well as cable TV till mid-Oct), print (in various free tabloids and mainstream newspapers), in-station publicity materials (posters and giant floor stickers), and online (MTR Club loyalty platform).

Background: The purpose of this campaign is, in MTR's words, to "encourage everyone to be courteous, let others alight before you board and move inside a few more steps". These simple actions maximise the use of space on trains and facilitate smoother departures.

Press release quote: “We adopt a humourous approach as we believe this is easy for the general public to remember. We believe Wong Cho Lam's energy and humour will help to reinforce the courtesy message to create an even better travelling experience for our passengers," said Jeny Yeung, commercial director of the MTR Corporation.

Comments: Wong reminds us of a fairer version of a Thai ladyboy, or one of the Dim Sum Dollies characters featured in Singapore's parallel courtesy campaign meant to fix incomprehensible social maladies like hovering near train doors when one is not getting off and forcibly occupying seats by pretending to be asleep when someone needy stands nearby. While that campaign did not go down well in Singapore, Wong scores high on the comedy stakes especially among HongKongers and may be a more effective persuader in the high-stress city. We're not sure what metrics MTR will use to measure the success of the campaign: crowd density sensors near train doors? Smile detectors in stations?

Credits:

Agency: The Tank
Account Planner: James Zi
Account Director: Wylie Lam
Account Manager: Angus Chan
Account Executive: Tinky Chan
Executive Creative Director: Jone Chan
Creative Director: Kim Lam
Art Director: Samantha Ng
TV Executive Producer: Sian Chiu
TV Director: Daniel Leung