BBH Asia-Pacific taps underwater media for Museum campaign

Lamp posts on Orchard Road are bedecked in ancient sails as part of BBH Asia-Pacific’s latest outdoor campaign to launch one of Southeast Asia’s most important archaeological discoveries – the exhibition, Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds.

Considered one of Southeast Asia’s most important and oldest marine archaeological finds from the ninth century, the exhibition showcases the largest quantity of Chinese trade goods and luxuries from the Tang Dynasty that China has ever been discovered.

The cargo, carried from China by a ninth century Arab dhow, was found near Indonesia’s Belitung Island in 1988.

The exhibition banners, made of weathered masts, complete with life sized replicas of the real ship’s sail were individually handcrafted from scratch, from the authentic rope rigging to the tattered holes.

As part of the broader campaign, a series of underwater posters, with the call to action to ‘Discover Asia’s sunken past’ have been placed at the bottom of some of Singapore’s most popular community swimming pools,  a first ever use of public swimming pool space for advertising.

The swimming pool posters, fashioned in the shape of Singapore, replicate some of the Tang Treasures ranging from an intricate gold cup, to the blue and white ceramics that once lay on the original cargo floor some 1,000 years ago.

Said Lesley-Anne John, account director at BBH Asia-Pacific, “We want the exhibition to get everyone’s attention, but in a way that best reflects the nature of how these treasures were found. You could say we went from top to bottom with our choice of media.”

The outdoor campaign will also see installations at Dhoby Ghaut MRT and The Singapore Visitors Centre on Orchard Road. Print advertising has also been running parallel in both the English and Chinese dailies.

Shipwrecked: Tangs Treasures and Monsoon Winds is jointly organised by the National Heritage Board, the Arthur M Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution and the Singapore Tourism Board.

Credits:

Creative director Shawn Loo
Creative director Noel Yeo
Art director Adrian Chan
Copywriter Douglas Hamilton
Art director Kittitat Larppitakpong
Producer D'or Tey
Head of print production Michelle Tan
Head of print Peter Chee
Business director Adrey Low
Account director Lesley-Anne John
Account executive Sidharth Tuli
Planning director Fredrik Sarnblad
Account planner Huiwen Tow