Kleenex: Who Says Tiny Has to be Weak?

Credits & Description:

Alternative title: Rika Ishige, aka Tinydoll
Title : Tinydoll / Tiny Doll
Media: TV
Category: Cosmetics & toiletries
Client: Kleenex
Agency: JWT Bangkok
Production: Houseton Film
Country: Thailand
Director: Nattawut Baz Poonpiriya
Director: Wattanapong Wongwan
Chief Creative Officer: João Braga
Art Director: Kusuma Arunanondchai
Art Director: Intira Tripukdeekul
Art Director: Danai Apiwatmongkol
Copywriter: Supalerk Silarangsri
Creative Director/ writer: Thasorn Boonyanate
Producer: Duangjai Choomnoommanee
Producer: Kobrsak Noomnoi
Executive Producer: Amorn Nilthep
Brand Team Leader: Supannapa Traitonwong
Group Account Director: Michelle Abeleda
Account Director: Jit-aree Chotivithayaporn
Head of Planning: Prachawan Ketavan
Head of Production: Jiroj Mechoojit
Cinematograher: Phaklao Jiraungkoonun
Editor: Chonlasit Upanigkit
Post-Production House: After Shoot Bangkok
Sound Production Company: Soundwave
Sound Designer: Kritakorn Tanuchaikar
Synopsis:
International facial tissue brand Kleenex turned the spotlight on the problem of bullying by featuring Rika Ishige, Thailand’s top female ONE Championship athlete also known as 'Tinydoll'. A former victim of child bullying, Rika turned her life around after discovering her confidence through sports and martial arts. She chose to speak out about her childhood as a small and very delicate half-Japanese girl growing up in Thailand.
English synopsis :
Just a little girl. A “tiny doll”. But no matter her size…
Titans fell before her feet. If you think a tiny doll is as delicate and fragile as she looks, you’ve not yet seen her full strength. Meet rika ishige. Once a helpless victim of bullying, now she fights for tiny dolls everywhere. Yes, she's still a gentle little girl… but only on the outside. And what is left within?
A warrior. #gentlenotweak
English context explanation :
A short film turns tissue paper into real inspiration for bully victims. “tiny doll” is a biographical short film that chronicles the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of rika ishige, thailand’s #1 fighter and mma champion whose fire to fight is fueled by her childhood traumas. In a 6-minute long take, she takes the audience through the story of her life, from the early days
As a small and delicate girl made bully victim to finding the strength to conquer her fears and become an mma champion. With “tiny doll”, kleenex not only breaks the category norm,
But raises much-needed awareness of bullying in thailand, empowering thai women to fight back while still preserving their soft and gentle nature. #gentlenotweak

Synopsis
To launch a best-in-class tissue paper, Kleenex would launch an online film that is powerful enough to turn heads and boost the brand's credibility.

Strategy
To launch a best-in-class tissue paper, Kleenex would launch an online film that is powerful enough to turn heads and boost the brand's credibility. Our strategy was to find a strong emotional role for the tissue product: Wiping blood, sweat, and tears – soothing the pain with gentleness.

For much of the Thai audience, their source of pain is bullying. Thailand suffers the world's 2nd-highest rate of bullying at school with 600,000 children bullied each year according to the Department of Mental Health. To shed light on this issue, we found our candidate in Rika Ishige, a "Tiny Doll" who overcame her emotional and physical pain as a bully victim in pursuit of her "best" as an MMA champion.

Relevancy
In a 6-minute long take, the audience follows Rika Ishigue’s story as she powers through adversity with her soft and gentle nature to overcome the bullies and become a martial arts champion. With "Tiny Doll", Kleenex not only breaks the category norm, but raises much-needed awareness of bullying in Thailand.

Outcome
The whole online campaign gained over 5.8 million views on Facebook and Youtube and made headlines on national and international media. The film itself redefined the power of branded content in the self-care category, inspiring women all over Thailand to find their inner strength while preserving their soft and gentle nature. All the while raising a much-needed awareness of bullying in Thailand.

Execution
The film we wanted to make would only work if it's truly believable and engaging. So we kept the filming process as authentic as possible. Rika herself became the lead. Her interview became the script. The fight scene featured the referee and commentator from her actual fights. And to bring it all together, we used continuous long-take techniques to make the audience feel like they're right there with her through each stage of her life's journey. Yet, this realistic approach finds an interesting contrast with surreal music and lighting, which lets the audience experience this story from inside Rika's imagination.

Campaign Description
“Tiny Doll” is a biographical short film that chronicles the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of Rika Ishige, Thailand’s #1 fighter and MMA champion whose fire to fight is fueled by her childhood traumas. In a 6-minute long take, she takes the audience through the story of her life – from the early days as a small and delicate girl made bully victim to finding the strength to conquer her fears and become an MMA champion. With “Tiny Doll”, Kleenex not only breaks the category norm, but raises much-needed awareness of bullying in Thailand, empowering Thai women to fight back while still preserving their soft and gentle nature. #GentleNotWeak

Brief With Projected Outcomes
N/A

Audience
Kleenex tissue stands for soothing care through the toughest times and decided to launch Thailand's 1st dermatologist-certified facial tissue by partnering with RIka Ishigue, Thailand's #1 fighter, whose fire to fight is fueled by childhood traumas. With “Tiny Doll”, Kleenex subverts stereotypes of what tiny, gentle women are capable of.