Praveen Vaidyanathan

🐸 Freelance Strategy Director ⚡️
 praveen.planner@gmail.com 
 

(SOUND UP!) We weren't really sure what our 'philosophy' was at Arts & Letters Creative Co., so we're super grateful that Praveen Vaidyanathan, a Strategy Director at VICE, helped identify it for us after auditing a bunch of various agency approaches on Mark Pollard's podcast. We loved it so much that we made a little film about it. Thank you for the providing the perspective, Praveen! And thank you for providing the platform, Mark! Here's to a long future of everyone in the creative industry making it up as they go along!

Charles Hodges, ECD/Founder — Arts & Letters Creative Co. (the agency born from Wieden/Martin/Goodby veterans)

GAINOMAX SWEDEN
Better than bananas

Goal
Prevent Swedes from relying on bananas after workout
Problem
Bananas are nature's power bar 
Truth
You don't need brains to realise that muscles need more than bananas
Proposition
Only a monkey would overlook Gainomax
Solution
Monkeys unite to battle humans for Gainomax because they've figured it's better
Effect
+6% in purchase intent; 19.2m impressions; 91% VTR; beats results of all previous campaigns, rising above Swebar and Snickers

KHANNA\REIDINGA NETHERLANDS 
The Christmas human

Goal 
Free Christmas from happy sentiments
Problem 
Humans turn corny in December
Truth 
Millions of trees meet their end for our Christmas needs
Proposition
Christmas isn’t a happy ending for all
Solution 
A family of trees find their fateful Christmas human
Effect 
1M views on Imgur; 28K upvotes on 9GAG; front page of Reddit, Fubiz and Vimeo Staff Picks; covered by AOL, MSN, Reuters TV etc 

Voted 'The 10 Best Christmas Holiday Campaigns of All Time' 

GOLDFISH USA
Tiny hands

Goal
Introduce Mega Bites as the 50% bigger Goldfish for adults
Problem
Adults see Goldfish as a kids snack
Truth
Mega Bites are so big adults can eat them one at a time 
Proposition
Mega Bites is a tiny handful
Solution
Tiny hands, mega bites
Effect
+3.0pts penetration among adult households without kids; Mega Bites became the fastest growing cracker, ranking #1 in velocity

VISIT COPENHAGEN GLOBAL 
VICE guide to Copenhagen

Goal
Present Copenhagen as Europe's most liveable city to urban Indians/Chinese/Americans
Problem
Copenhagen is no match for the grandeur of Paris or Rome
Truth
Copenhagen isn't special, it's just real — like a slow, bike ride
Proposition
There's nothing to see in Copenhagen, only something to feel
Solution
Copenhagen in the raw
Effect
DEL-CPH travellers rose +60000; +11% in long-hauls; +4.8% in overnight stays: India/China/US; 25% VTR on 6m episodes

CADBURY AUSTRALIA
It's no Picnic!

Goal
Remind Aussies that Picnic is unashamedly irresponsible 
Problem 
Society guilts young adults into growing up
Truth
Picnic is responsibility — it's not just ugly (previous campaign), it’s messy (bits fall off on your lap) 
Proposition
You can’t eat a Picnic neat
Solution
Aussies try downing a Picnic in 30 seconds to go on national TV 
Effect
+94.6% sales, from 3.1% to 5.1% market share, pushing Snickers down by 20% to 6.2% 

Cannes Gold Lion: Media; Cannes Silver Lion: Direct

NEKO JUSU NETHERLANDS
Because Neko Jusu
  
Goal
Introduce Neko Jusu as this weird-flavoured Japanese drink that demands a taste
Problem
The world doesn't need another lemonade
Truth
Neko Jusu is uniquely crafted, bottled between the thighs of its cats-obsessed owners
Proposition
Because Neko Jusu is the elixir of cats
Solution
Cats control humans with Neko Jusu
Effect
2100% increase in stocking orders

CADBURY AUSTRALIA 
Flatmates

Goal
Prevent teens from mistaking Boost for an energy bar
Problem
Energy bars are intimidating eats
Truth
Boost is useless because it solves nothing 
Proposition
Boost is the most unserious chocolate bar
Solution
Boost bar (voiced by comedian Mark Wooton) is the obnoxious flatmate in a hilarious sitcom
Effect
16k YouTube views in 3 weeks; TV campaign of the year; swagger-filled DIY Boost endlines flood FB statuses

MADC Campaign of the Year; Adfest Silver: TV

CADBURY AUSTRALIA 
What to bring when you’re told not to bring a thing

Goal
Convince mums to consider Favourites for weekend get-togethers 
Problem
Gift boxes are invisible until Christmas
Truth
Mums agonise over what to take to get togethers because they’re often told 'not to bring a thing' 
Proposition
Favourites is the easiest crowd-pleaser
Solution
Favourites is the what to bring when you're told not to bring a thing
Effect
Most sold boxed chocolate that went from an occasional purchase to a casual buy 

Silver Effie: Most Original Thinking; APG Best Insight; APG Creative Strategy Gold 

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE
Mobile medic

Goal
Make defence desirable and attract student enquires for defence sponsorships 
Problem
Medical students choose private over defence careers because pay
Truth
Medical students need to endure too much theory (35 hrs/week) and time (6-8 yrs) before practicing
Proposition
You don’t need to wait to get your hands dirty in the defence
Solution
Students solve real medical problems with their smartphones
Effect
Enquires for Defence sponsorships shot up by 30% 

Cannes Titanium Bronze; 4 Gold Lions; One Show Gold, D&AD, Clio Gold, New York Festivals Gold

CRICKET AUSTRALIA 
A whole new ball game

Goal
Present Big Bash League as the shorter, faster version of cricket 
Problem
Cricket belongs to the world of dads
Truth
Modern entertainment is anything but linear or predictable
Proposition
Big Bash is the antithesis of cricket
Solution
Big Bash is a whole new ball game 
Effect
Youth viewership rose by 20%; crowd attendance grew by 12%; TV ratings doubled

Bronze Effie: Travel, Leisure & Entertainment