The "Next Promotion" campaign by Tencent, developed in partnership with BBDO China, positioned the brand as a bridge between entertainment and the advertising industry, leveraging its leading status in video streaming to illuminate the real-world experience of working in advertising. By creating China’s first advertising reality show, the campaign sought to demystify the creative process and humanize the profession, thereby elevating the industry's appeal to a broader audience. The core brand proposition lies in showcasing authenticity and transparency within the advertising world, positioning Tencent not only as a content provider but also as a platform capable of innovative storytelling that blurs the lines between media and marketing.
Strategically, the campaign capitalized on the insight that audiences crave genuine, behind-the-scenes content that reveals the complexities and dynamism of creative work environments. Targeting both industry talent and general viewers interested in media, the campaign used a narrative reality format to engage viewers emotionally and intellectually. This creative angle allowed Tencent to differentiate itself through experiential content that doubled as an industry primer and entertainment vehicle. The campaign achieved significant engagement, amassing over 1 billion views and generating 100 million in social buzz, which in turn translated into tangible business impacts: a threefold increase in job applications to BBDO and $2 million USD in new business revenue. This dual success underscores the effectiveness of blending content authenticity with strategic audience targeting to expand brand relevance across multiple sectors within media and entertainment.
FORMAT#12 PARODY OR BORROWED FORMAT — Uses or parodies pop culture formats like films, shows, or genres.
This campaign fits Format #12 because it does not simply tell a story about agency life, nor does it use a testimonial style, direct comparison, or symbolic device—rather, it borrows the highly recognizable reality show genre and format, repurposing it to engage audiences in a new context. The core creative idea is to present agency work and the advertising industry within the familiar entertainment framework of a reality competition show, blending advertising and reality TV formats. This meta-borrowing of a popular entertainment structure to promote an industry is central to the campaign’s innovation and appeal, as confirmed by the explicit description of it being China’s first advertising reality show.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. iQIYI – Positioned as the "Netflix of China," iQIYI focuses on high-quality original content and a vast library of licensed shows and films. It differentiates itself through a strong emphasis on AI-driven personalized recommendations, immersive user experience, and investment in exclusive talent and interactive formats to engage young, urban audiences.
2. Youku (Alibaba Group) – Leveraging Alibaba’s ecosystem, Youku positions itself as a comprehensive digital video platform combining premium content, e-commerce integrations, and data analytics. It appeals to advertisers with its seamless fusion of entertainment and retail, creating novel monetization opportunities that extend beyond traditional streaming.
3. Bilibili – Known for its niche, youth-oriented community, Bilibili stands out with its strong focus on anime, gaming, and subculture content. The platform differentiates by fostering active user engagement through interactive bullet comments and live streaming, positioning itself as a cultural hub for Generation Z and millennials.
4. Mango TV – Positioned as a mainstream entertainment platform under Hunan Broadcasting System, Mango TV emphasizes original variety shows, reality formats, and exclusive dramas. Its strategic angle is capitalizing on China’s demand for domestic star-driven content and family-friendly programming, appealing to a broad demographic spectrum.
5. Kuaishou – As a leading short-video and live streaming platform, Kuaishou emphasizes grassroots content creation and community-based sharing, focusing on lower-tier cities and rural markets. It differentiates by enabling authentic, user-generated content and direct monetization for creators, positioning itself as a grassroots cultural phenomenon alongside the major streaming platforms.
Q: What is Next Promotion about?
A: Next Promotion is a 2022 campaign developed by BBDO China in partnership with Tencent, China’s leading entertainment company and video streaming platform. It is China’s first advertising reality show designed to showcase the real experience of working in an advertising agency. The campaign blends digital, experiential, and film media to cross the boundaries between advertising and entertainment. It achieved significant reach with over one billion views and 100 million social buzz interactions, while also tripling job applications to BBDO and generating two million USD in new business revenue.
Q: What creative device does Next Promotion use?
A: Next Promotion employs the FORMAT#12 PARODY OR BORROWED FORMAT from Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This creative device repurposes the familiar reality competition show genre to present the advertising industry in an engaging new context. Rather than using testimonials or symbolic devices, the campaign borrows the reality TV format to humanize agency life and blend entertainment with advertising. This meta-borrowing of a popular entertainment structure is central to the campaign’s innovation and appeal as China’s first advertising reality show.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Next Promotion?
A: The campaign positions Tencent as a bridge between entertainment and the advertising industry by using its video streaming platform to reveal the authentic, behind-the-scenes experience of agency work. It targets both industry talent and general audiences interested in media, aiming to demystify the creative process and humanize advertising professionals. This approach elevates the industry’s appeal and showcases Tencent’s capability for innovative storytelling that blurs the lines between media and marketing, making the brand relevant across multiple sectors within media and entertainment.
Q: How does Next Promotion rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Next Promotion holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 79/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The rating acknowledges the campaign’s innovative blending of advertising and entertainment formats and its measurable impact on audience engagement and business outcomes.
Q: Who are the competitors in Tencent's category?
A: Tencent competes with several major Chinese digital video platforms. iQIYI positions itself as the Netflix of China, focusing on high-quality original content and AI-driven personalized recommendations. Youku, part of Alibaba Group, integrates premium content with e-commerce and data analytics to create new monetization opportunities. Bilibili targets a youth-oriented community with a focus on anime, gaming, and interactive features. Mango TV emphasizes star-driven variety shows and family-friendly programming for a broad demographic. Kuaishou specializes in grassroots content creation and community sharing, focusing on lower-tier cities and rural markets.
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