Introduction
Sharp is a multinational corporation from Japan that specialises in designing and manufacturing electronic products. Since 2016, the majority ownership of Sharp has been held by Foxconn Group, a Taiwan-based company. Worldwide, Sharp employs over 50,000 individuals. The company was established in Tokyo in September 1912 and was named after the Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil, which was invented by its founder, Tokuji Hayakawa, in 1915.
Although originated in Japan, Sharp has a long and successful history in Malaysia since 1974. Globally recognised as a leader in consumer electronics and home appliances, Sharp Malaysia's best-selling products include air purifiers (voted No. 1 in Japan and ASEAN), TVs, air-conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators.
Challenges
Sharp products are more than meets the eye. They are infused with technological innovation, built with quality, and designed with purpose to provide exceptional value for consumers. The Pro-flex washing machine is a prime example of this.
Tailored to suit the fast-paced lifestyle of today's consumers, this washing machine boasts unique features such as Dry Air Wash, Steam Care, and Plasmacluster Ions that eliminate 99.9% of bacteria and odours. With its seamless blend of convenience and sophistication, the Pro-flex washing machine is a testament to Sharp's commitment to creating products that are both functional and innovative.
Coming up with a quality product is only half the battle though. To effectively market it, clear communication of its product features in a simple yet engaging manner is crucial. That's why Sharp partnered with us, Alexandre Bernard Advertising, to create a nationwide, awareness-building advertising campaign with the goal of achieving the desired business outcomes.
Solutions
To highlight the fact that the Pro-flex washing machine is a versatile appliance that excels not only in washing but also in drying, steaming, and spinning, we market it as a 4-in-1 multifunctional powerhouse. However, rather than simply highlighting its product features, our focus was on demonstrating how the Pro-flex can benefit families in their daily lives during the pandemic.
We created an emotionally-driven, video-based campaign that depicts a family of four using the machine in various ways, highlighting the bacteria- and odour-removing efficacy, as well as the convenience and time-saving features it offers.
Key visuals and messaging based on this video were then disseminated across multiple channels, including social media, print, POP displays, roadshows, and more, as the deliverables for a nationwide, awareness-building campaign.
Through an engaging story (based on data-driven insight) underpinned by top-notch execution, effective audience targeting, and strategic media placement, we help potential customers visualise how the Pro-flex can not only fit into their lives but enhance them, too.
The Impact
By leveraging our marketing and advertising efforts, we successfully raised awareness among Malaysians about the Sharp Pro-flex washing machine and its exceptional features. To be more specific, our comprehensive campaign generated a brand lift* of 1.5 times higher than the industry average across key metrics, including ad recall, brand awareness, and consideration.
Consequently, this has also led to a surge of 38.3% in sales of the Sharp Pro-flex washing machine. Furthermore, our year-long marketing initiative, featuring increased frequency, had a spillover effect, leading to a heightened interest in other Sharp electronic and household products.
Overall, our practical marketing and advertising strategies effectively captured the attention of the Malaysian market, highlighting the unique features of the Sharp Pro-flex washing machine and encouraging interest in other Sharp products.
* A Brand Lift is a kind of lift test where you can use brand polling and other brand awareness measurement to help understand the true value of your advertising and how well it performs independent of your other marketing efforts. Brand Lift works by selecting a representative sample of people eligible to see your advertising. That sample group is then randomly divided into test and holdout groups, and causal inference techniques are then used to measure the impact of your advertising.
