Let There Be a Smile | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip - Meril | Clapboard Ad Archive

Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip is Meril’s 2018 campaign from MediaCom, blending public service ethos with commercial advocacy to tackle a startling statistic: every year, around 6,000 children in Bangladesh are born with cleft lips or palates, conditions that rob them of the basic social currency of a smile. In the heart of the campaign, Meril Lip Care joins forces with SmileTrain USA, using their partnership to bridge the daunting gap between awareness and action by funding and facilitating free corrective surgeries for affected children. The creative execution stays firmly rooted in what Clapboard’s taxonomy recognises as FORMAT#2—Show the Problem, presenting the visible realities of children denied full self-expression and then immediately positing the brand and its partner as agents of real, measurable change. Bypassing narrative ornamentation, celebrity testimony, and metaphor, the film leverages raw storytelling to ignite empathetic response, centering the simplicity of a toll-free careline and an open invitation for viewers to participate. The campaign’s choice to deliver its message in Bengali acutely grounds it in the lived experience of its audience, further amplifying the salience of its call to collective action. By positioning Meril not as a distant benefactor but as a visible, culturally embedded ally, MediaCom recalibrates the brand’s image from category utility to community steward, embedding purpose at the core of a consumer offering. The fact that the campaign lives as a singular asset in the Film medium underscores a selective, focused investment in impact over ubiquity, seeking to move hearts alongside market metrics in a way that public service advertising rarely achieves at scale. The campaign earns a score of 63/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. In a market where purpose-led work can so often become empty signposting, this campaign demonstrates that authenticity and local resonance unlock the persuasive power of problem-led storytelling.

Credits

Client

Meril

Agency

MediaCom

Executive Creative Director

Taufique Mahmud

Creative Director

Ali Sagar Shahidullah Mirpuri

Senior Copywriter

Arafat Ahmed

Account Management

Shafiul Haque Shaon, Rumana H. Chowdhury, Istiauque Ahmed Emon

Crew

Ashfaq Khan

Director

Redoan Rony

Category Mind Map

48%

The campaign “Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip” by Meril, in partnership with SmileTrain USA, addresses a critical public health issue in Bangladesh—6,000 children born annually with cleft lips or palates. Positioned within the public interest sector, the campaign’s core proposition centers on restoring smiles and confidence to these children by providing a simple yet impactful intervention: a free corrective operation coupled with widespread awareness. This value promise underscores Meril’s role not only as a lip care brand but also as a socially responsible entity committed to tangible community benefit beyond commercial interests. Strategically, the campaign employs a narrative genre to humanize the affected children’s plight, inviting empathy and fostering a sense of collective responsibility. By sharing a direct call to action through a toll-free helpline, it empowers the public to participate actively in the solution, positioning each viewer as a potential contributor to societal change. The insight driving this approach hinges on the emotional resonance of restoring a child’s smile—a universal symbol of happiness and acceptance—which the campaign connects to Meril’s product domain of lip care. The creative angle thus bridges brand relevance and social cause, enhancing engagement through storytelling and a simple, accessible means of involvement. The use of Bengali language and culturally resonant messaging ensures local relevance and accessibility, while the choice of film as the medium allows for a visceral, empathetic connection. Overall, the campaign tactically integrates awareness and action, leveraging Meril’s brand context to address a pressing health issue and mobilize community support through a straightforward, emotionally compelling narrative.

FORMAT#2 SHOW THE PROBLEM — Highlights a relatable problem, then shows the product as the solution. This campaign clearly follows a "show the problem" structure: it introduces the real and urgent issue in Bangladesh, where 6,000 children are born with cleft lips or palates each year, highlighting their inability to smile freely. The narrative and metadata emphasize Meril Lip Care & SmileTrain USA’s collaboration to raise awareness and provide free operations, framing the product/brand as a concrete solution to the presented societal issue. The campaign doesn't revolve around a story arc or symbolism, nor does it use exaggeration, celebrities, or testimonials; instead, it directly showcases the problem followed by the product and organization's role in solving it—classic "show the problem" execution. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Smile Train – Smile Train positions itself as a global leader in cleft repair by focusing on sustainable, community-based surgical programs. It emphasizes empowering local medical professionals in developing countries to provide free, high-quality cleft surgeries, coupled with comprehensive support services that restore not just smiles but lives, ensuring long-term impact. 2. Operation Smile – Operation Smile highlights its large-scale impact by organizing volunteer-based medical missions worldwide. It differentiates through mobilizing international medical teams and delivering free cleft surgeries alongside extensive patient care, education, and advocacy, addressing both immediate surgical needs and broader social awareness. 3. Shishu Shasthya Foundation – This Bangladesh-based NGO focuses on affordable pediatric healthcare, including cleft lip and palate treatment. It differentiates through integrated community health programs that combine treatment with prevention and education, strengthening local healthcare infrastructure to improve child health outcomes sustainably. 4. Smile Bangladesh Foundation – Smile Bangladesh Foundation positions itself as a local leader by providing free cleft surgeries coordinated with psychosocial counseling and awareness campaigns. Their strategy leverages community engagement and partnerships to reduce stigma and improve acceptance of cleft-affected children in society. 5. Bangladesh Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation (BCLPF) – BCLPF focuses on advocacy and patient rehabilitation alongside surgical interventions. They differentiate by combining medical treatment with follow-up therapies like speech and dental care, emphasizing holistic care to improve quality of life and social integration for cleft patients across Bangladesh.

Q: What is Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip about? A: Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip is a professional campaign launched in Bangladesh in 2018 for the brand Meril, created by the agency MediaCom. The campaign addresses the urgent public health issue of approximately 6,000 children born each year in Bangladesh with cleft lips or palates. Through a film medium, it highlights Meril Lip Care’s partnership with SmileTrain USA to raise awareness and provide free corrective surgeries. The campaign’s central creative idea is to restore smiles and confidence to affected children, inviting public participation via a toll-free helpline and positioning Meril as a brand committed to social impact. Q: What creative device does Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip use? A: Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip employs the "Show the Problem" creative technique, as classified by Clapboard's 12-format taxonomy (FORMAT#2). The campaign introduces the real and pressing issue of children born with cleft lips or palates in Bangladesh, directly illustrating the problem before presenting Meril Lip Care and SmileTrain USA as the solution. This approach avoids narrative embellishments, testimonials, or celebrity endorsements, instead relying on a straightforward, empathetic depiction of the issue and the brand’s role in addressing it. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip? A: The strategic proposition of Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip centers on Meril’s commitment to restoring joy and confidence to children affected by cleft lips or palates in Bangladesh. By offering free corrective surgeries in partnership with SmileTrain USA and raising widespread awareness, the campaign positions Meril as a socially responsible brand within the public interest sector. The messaging, delivered in Bengali and supported by a direct call to action, targets families and communities, emphasizing the tangible impact of collective involvement in transforming young lives. Q: How does Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Let There Be a Smile On Every Lip holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance within the context of public service advertising in Bangladesh. Q: Who are the competitors in Meril's category? A: In Meril’s public service and healthcare category, key competitors include Smile Train, which leads globally by empowering local medical professionals to deliver sustainable cleft surgeries; Operation Smile, known for its international volunteer-driven medical missions and comprehensive patient care; Shishu Shasthya Foundation, which integrates pediatric healthcare with community education in Bangladesh; Smile Bangladesh Foundation, focusing on free surgeries and psychosocial support through community engagement; and Bangladesh Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation, which combines medical treatment with rehabilitation and advocacy for holistic patient care.