Marketing Binder Entry #1: Funshion

I was very impressed by the two ads that Funshion launched around Chinese New Year.

The Ad
The two pre roll video ads, are virtually identical except for the fact that one features a female actor and the other a male one. One of the ads begins with the actor talking about how much of a hassle it was to buy DVDs for mom and dad every year that they went home for Chinese New Year. Enter Funshion, an easy to use p2p video program that easily allows the actor stream all his favorite television shows and movies straight to his computer. Funshion is so easy to use that this year when the actor visits his parents, he teaches them how to use the program without any hassle. Now the actor is happy and so are his parents, all thanks to Funshion.

Relevance
Part of the brilliance of the ad is how it is targeting a new demographic, through their current audience. P2P programs are rarely associated with the elderly, but that is exactly what Funshion is doing with their ads. The message that Funshion is sending to its young users is that introducing your parents to Funshion will make them happy and your lives easier.

I believe that this message will resonate with Funshion’s users and drive them towards actions because it is culturally relevant. The success of the QQ ad which also plays on the strong sense of family in Chinese society show that this type of advertisement really connects with Chinese audiences. Filial piety is still a big part of Chinese culture and defines the parent-child relationship in China. The Funshion ads tap directly into that, playing up how the actor is being a good son by helping his parents easily access the television shows and movies they love.

Conclusion
The two Funshion ads do a terrific job of targeting a whole new demographic through their core users by capitalizing fully on their culturally reinforced desire to care for their parents.