The archive · Advertising · Marketing decision · 2016
SK-II 'Marriage Market Takeover' film on 'leftover women' wins Cannes PR Gold Lion
Semi-documentary: ordinary women face 'leftover women' label, turn matchmaking corner into voice square, 1M Youku views, Cannes PR Gold Lion.
SK-II (宝洁 P&G) · Forsman & Bodenfors
What it had to solve
SK-II launched its global #Change Destiny# (#改写命运#) campaign at the end of 2015, and had previously always used celebrities such as Tang Wei and Cate Blanchett to tell inspirational stories; when entering China, it encountered a more specific social issue—women over 27 who were unmarried were labeled 'leftover women' (剩女), and parents posted marriage-seeking information for their daughters at matchmaking corners.
How it works
In April 2016, SK-II released 'Marriage Market Takeover': ordinary women labeled 'leftover women' faced the camera, describing pressure from parents and society; at the end they carried photos into Shanghai's matchmaking corner, turning it into a square for their voices—'We take control of our own destiny'.
Produced by Forsman & Bodenfors, it was the China chapter of SK-II's #Change Destiny# campaign. Previous ads used celebrities like Tang Wei; this time it used ordinary people, with the slogan only at the end. The brand admitted worrying that without celebrities it would lack attention.
It went viral on WeChat Moments: Youku views exceeded 1 million, discussion extended to social topics; in June 2016, it won the PR Gold Lion at Cannes, becoming a closely watched China case.
Why it lands
- Using ordinary people instead of celebrities: firsthand experiencers of the issue are more persuasive than spokespeople, and the brand retreats to the end.
- The scene was well chosen: the matchmaking corner is a condensed site of Chinese-style marriage pressure, and the reversal from resistance to occupation makes the narrative work.
- The semi-documentary approach lowers the sense of advertising; viewers are first moved by authenticity, then discover that it is a brand film.
- Daring to take on social controversy: not avoiding the 'leftover women' (剩女) topic, speaking the pressure out to everyone; the discussion itself is communication.
What it did
On the night it launched, it went viral on WeChat Moments; views on the Youku SK-II homepage exceeded 1 million, sparking discussion across the internet about women's marriage pressure; in June 2016 it won the PR category Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
What you can take
Hand social issues to real people, not celebrities: semi-documentary style and restrained exposure have greater power than big-budget ads; brand stance should precede product.
Since then
The film delivered a communication high point for SK-II's #Change Destiny# (#改写命运#) campaign: after winning the 2016 Cannes PR Gold Lion, Marriage Market Takeover was repeatedly reviewed by domestic and foreign media as a representative case of marketing on women's issues in China. Controversy also persisted—some believed the brand was leveraging women's anxiety for communication, and others questioned that the film's stance oversimplified parents; these discussions themselves also gave the ad a lifespan far beyond a single placement.
Sources
- 【案例】SK-II 如何用「她最后去了相亲角」讲述女性 #改写命运# 的故事？
- SK-II 终于刷屏了，为什么呢？
- 【案例】2016 戛纳创意节 PR 类金狮奖作品合集
- SK-II：“她最后去了相亲角” 关注“剩女”压力，#改写命运#
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