Slim, very slim

The functional drink category in Thailand has grown significantly more popular with consumers and as a result extremely competitive for brands in the category. The past five years has also seen an explosion in coffee consumption with the arrival of chains such as Starbucks. In addition, after work coffee has become a habit for working women. Connecting the two, VSlim realised the opportunity and produced a new RTD slimming coffee.

Sold exclusively at 7-11, the drink had limited distribution and low awareness and thus sales were slow. The objective was to launch the product into the public domain and grow sales. The drink promises to deliver a delicious low calorie coffee drink with three active ingredients that will "Catch (fat) , Arouse (increase metabolism) and Flow (excrete)". However, FDA regulations in Thailand are extremely strict for advertising, you can mention the brand but not what it does, or vice versa. So the brand had to communicate these benefits and build brand association without breaking the law.

The brand decided to communicate the product benefits via the release of song and music video named "Let's Show Your Belly Button" with lyrics and music composed by an up-and-coming hip-hop band "Thaitanium". It was a rap song so the ideal ad copy had to be smartly and smoothly blended into the song lyrics while the visual of slimming girls could represent the product 'slimming' efficacy without the need to submit to the FDA and could be "delivered" to the target audience in many different places without fear of being banned by the authorities.

It was played in core music channels, so it would be watched by the female target, such as MTV, Channel V Thailand and local music channels. The video was uploaded to YouTube and the song got substantial airplay on radio stations. The "Let's Show Your Belly Button" single and video were widely distributed and played in Thailand's popular crowded pubs and famous hangout areas not only in Bangkok but also in areas throughout the country. The song and video were also played on local buses in UPC free of charge.

Results

In the first month after activity launched alone, sales leaped 49%. Thousands of 7-11 stores sold out of products so distribution had to be increased.

The song and music video got countless plays on radio, in bars, clubs, and buses, generating massive earned media value. The video generated almost 1 Million Baht (20 408 GBP) in earned media value through plays on music channels and YouTube.