A fresh idea – thinking inside the box.
Recent reforms opened up Myanmar to trade for the first time in 50 years. Companies accustomed to media-rich societies found themselves in a country where only 25% was reached by broadcast TV.
Colgate’s research showed that oral health was poorest, and children most in need, in the deep rural areas that held two-thirds of Myanmar’s population. Colgate would have to beat new paths to people living in media darkness.
An idea from Red Fuse Communications of Hong Kong made clever use of existing systems. Colgate’s distribution network already delivers large cardboard boxes countrywide. Just print specially adapted educational material on the inside. Opened and flattened out, they become colourful and exciting posters for oral health.
Instead of throwing out the boxes, market stalls and distributors donated the boxes/posters to local clinics and schools. The posters came with toll-free numbers to access audio lessons in general and oral health, that, for instance, a teacher could play to a class.
The campaign was successfully piloted in March 2013.