It’s a time of grueling exams for millions of Chinese students, and for some brands it’s an important date in the yearly marketing calendars. Gaokao, known as one of the toughest exams in the world, is a topic that dominates discussions in social media and other platforms every June. This year, despite floods, earthquakes, and COVID-19, an approximate 10.7 million Chinese students still took the exam, which was postponed to July.
高考，这个让无数寒窗苦读的中国学子盼望已久的日子，又一次到来。对很多品牌来说，这也是盼望了一年的市场营销黄金期时段。作为全球最有挑战的升学考试之一，每年六月，各大社交媒体和网络平台，高考都是热点话题。今年我们虽然经历了洪水，地震和新冠疫情，高考被推迟到7月，全国仍有大约1070万的考生义无反顾地参加了考试。
The standardized test is a life-changing event, as it’s the only factor which determines which student gets to attend college, and if so which college, which in turn dictates who gets a good job. On one hand, the exam is designed as a fair way of screening talent in a country with such a massive population. On the other hand, gaokao is surrounded by controversy. From university quotas, criticism of fierce competition and test scores-driven education, to unbearable psychological pressure leading to suicides— the exam is a triggering topic. That’s why, gaokao advertising can a be a sort of a minefield that brands need to carefully tip toe around as they try to connect to China’s youth. Yet at the same time, there’s little room for mistake. We’ve rounded up a selection of some of this year’s gaokao advertising campaigns.
这场全国统一的标准考试，对很多人来说都是人生的一大转折点，能不能上大学，能去哪一所高校，全由这一场考试决定。而是否进入重点院校，则关乎毕业生未来的就业能力。一方面来说，在一个人口如此庞大的国家，高考设立的初衷就是为了做到公平地筛选人才。但高考制度一直以来也饱受争议。从大学配额，激烈的竞争与应试教育，到精神压力过重导致的自杀事件——高考一直都是重点问题的切入点。也正因如此，与高考相关的广告片容易暴雷，品牌们不得不小心翼翼地涉猎轻松愉快的话题，尝试走进中国年轻人的心。有时小失误往往是大损失。以下是今年我们为大家臻选的高考广告片案例。
M&G 晨光文具
The stationary brand joined the gaokao buzz with a commercial film that shows its products as a necessary companion. Through hardships, sleepless nights, and stressful days leading to the exam, the ad finishes on an optimistic note. “It is your battle, and it’s my battle too. Honored to accompany you in your fight!”— concludes the ad.
文具品牌晨光，近日也加入高考的热潮，推出了一部考场必备文具的宣传广告片。片中的文具陪伴考生们经历青春的洗礼，努力的深夜与充满压力的高考冲刺阶段，影片整体情绪积极向上，以“这是你的战场，也是我的战场。很荣幸，能陪你一起战斗！”振奋收尾。
Social media agency 社交媒体代理商：RuderFinnGroup 罗德传播集团
Production 制作公司：YUMU Production
Director 导演：李涛
Lifeweek Magazine 三联生活周刊
In partnership with online education platform Xueersi, the magazine released a gaokao adjacent video with a message, that “Life has never been just an exam”. That is to say, when gaokao is behind, a new series of challenges await students in their life: maybe it’s independent life in a big city, a demanding job, building a family, or living in times when a pandemic strikes. As long as you keep moving forward without fear, every new challenge can be conquered.
与线上教育平台学而思合作，三联生活周刊推出的广告意在提醒大家“人生，从来不止一场考试”。即高考结束后，人生还有很多其他新的挑战，等待着考生们：可能是在大城市打拼立足，可能是一份压力山大的工作，或是组建自己的家庭，又或是在疫情肆虐的时期求生。只要你奋勇向前，不惧挑战，每一份新的考试，你都能交出满意的答卷。
Production 制作公司：GURULAB
Director 导演：刘寰/赵伯祚
Zuoyebang 作业帮
The online education platform didn’t pass on a chance to wish students good luck, and gently remind them, that its services were important this year, more than ever. To the upbeat music, the brand mixed recreated scenes of gaokao preparation hardships, students dreams, pandemic influence and motivational copy into an overly emotional commercial film.
线上教育平台作业帮不仅抓住了机会祝福考生们考试顺利，还不漏声色地轻声提醒大家，今年他们为考生提供的服务有多么重要。伴随着激昂的音乐，作业帮重现了今年高考备考阶段的艰难与努力，学子们的梦想，新冠疫情的影响，伴随着屏幕下一句句鼓励打气的话语，整部影片情绪满溢，非常煽情。
Creative agency 代理商: 星驰 (Starchaser)
Production 制作公司：PRO Films
Director 导演：沈煜杰
Mengniu 蒙牛
The dairy brand’s promo video is purposefully attention-grabbing. Borrowing the idea and setting off this year’s first viral video “Next Wave” by Bilibili website, the ad introduces a Mengniu mascot addressing the students in a similar praising tone. Part of the bigger campaign with limited edition packaging, the ad centers around a gift by Mengniu to students— milk boxes with mock exam questions printed on them. Needless to say, unlike “Next Wave”, Mengniu’s video was not a viral hit.
蒙牛的这部品牌推广片相当抓人眼球。借鉴了今年火爆的B站《后浪》，片中的品牌吉祥牛用“后浪体”夸赞了本届的同学们。这部广告片配合蒙牛全面市场营销活动推出，放送的同阶段，蒙牛还配套生产了限量版的 “押题奶” 盒装牛奶。广告内容则是围绕蒙牛为同学们派送包装盒上有押题内容的“押题奶”展开。不过与《后浪》不同，蒙牛的这部广告片并没有掀起很大的风浪。
Agency 代理商: SocialLab
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