The skies were filled with red boxes of happiness as remote-controlled #CokeDrones took flight, dropping off refreshment and words of encouragement to more than 2500 guest workers around Singapore. The project, conceptualized by Ogilvy & Mather Singapore (O&M) for Coca-Cola Singapore and supported by non-profit organization Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM), delivered thousands of cans of ice cold Coke, along with genuine messages of gratitude, to workers at high-rise construction sites around the country, providing a refreshing break, lifting spirits and bringing cheer to appreciative recipients.
Themed “Happiness from the Skies,” the project sought to build much needed bridges between Singaporeans and the city-state’s 1.3 million-strong guest worker population that comprises about one third of the country’s entire workforce. The largest group of foreign laborers is made up of guest workers that come from as far away as India, China, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Eugene Cheong, Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific, said, “This project is exciting because it touches on a universal social tension in modern society – the disconnect between guest workers and the local residents of the places that have become their home away from home. Construction workers, in particular, tend to be ‘invisible’ as they are working in areas that are not accessible to the average person. So in order to appreciate them, we first need to see them. This is what this video allows us to do.”
At on-street activations over three days in late March, SKM volunteers reached out to thousands of Singaporeans, encouraging them to come forward with personalized messages of support, thanks and solidarity with guest workers. 2,734 photos of these individuals with their handwritten notes were then collected and attached to cans of Coke, before being loaded onto custom-designed, remote-controlled delivery drones which were flown, in some cases, to as high as the 35th story of construction sites to deliver the surprise treat to unsuspecting workers.
“At Coca-Cola we are in the business of sharing happiness all around the world. So when Ogilvy came to us with the innovative idea of combining Coke with drone technology to connect two segments of the community, who rarely interact, to share a special moment of happiness, we could not resist the temptation to give it a go,” said Leonardo O’Grady, ASEAN Director of Integrated Marketing Communications, Coca-Cola Singapore. “By also helping us to partner with the Singapore Kindness Movement we were able to fulfill a shared vision to showcase the local man-on-the-street and their appreciation of guest workers who have contributed so much to the success of Singapore.”
“By deploying drone technology in a new, creative and entirely unexpected way, we created a simple delivery system that not only brought a little happiness to two disparate segments of society but also built an invisible bridge that connects the guest workers to the local community. It also forces us to completely re-evaluate our perceptions of drones that are so often associated with negative news reports and violence,” added O&M AP CCO Eugene Cheong.
Michelle Tay, Associate General Secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement, said, “As a Movement, we are always looking to support and encourage ground-up kindness initiatives that look to do good in our local communities. With businesses like Coca-Cola coming forward to become champions of kindness, we move steadily towards our vision of becoming a kinder, more gracious and ultimately happier society.”
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