BBH APAC wins $5,000 Warc Asian Strategy Prize

A case study on the repositioning of Singapore’s NTUC Income has won the 2012 Warc Prize for Asian Strategy, for the most insightful marketing strategy in the region. The entry, titled ‘Modernising Singapore’s Oldest Insurance Brand’ and submitted by Adil Ismeer of BBH Asia Pacific, took home the $5,000 prize at an event held in Singapore on Thursday night.

Charles Wigley, chairman of BBH Asia-Pacific and the 2012 Prize chairman, commented, “The NTUC Income case study I think impressed the judges as a total package. The results are very strong, the creative work fresh and intelligent for an often cliched category, and strategically it is interesting because it is a brand-insight-based strategy - going back to the company's roots to present a more modern face for the future.”

From India, BBDO’s work for Gillette, titled ‘Shave Sutra – Or, How To Turn A Mundane Solitary Chore Into A Pleasurable Duet’ was runner-up. Among the highly commended case studies were two from Ogilvy India (‘Be Idiot Safe with CEAT Tyres’,  ‘Getting India to love chocolates – Cadbury Dairy Milk’s growth story of 2004-2011’) and one from Leo Burnett (‘Whisper Gives You Wings’). 

Among the ‘highly commended’ case studies in the $2000 Low-Budget Prize category, was one by BBH India ('Jaani Na' (I Don't Know) for Nihar Naturals). The low-budget prize was won by ‘50 Must-Do Things in Asia’, a branded travel guide created by JWT Bangkok for Tiger Beer in order to target tourist drinkers. Wigley said, “The Tiger Beer case impressed because of its audacity and cheekiness: a great content idea, done on a very limited budget that clearly worked.”

David Tiltman, international editor of Warc, commented, “Following the judging process this year was fascinating. The judges were looking for cases that showed fresh thinking in answer to real business problems - and there were plenty of these in the final round. Together, the entries form a hugely impressive body of work.”

Further analysis on the Prize entries, plus notes from the judging, can be viewed on the Prize website, www.warc.com/asiaprize.