Softlogic Life: The Dengeez – An Innovative Approach to Dengue Awareness
In a bold move to combat the dengue epidemic in Sri Lanka, Softlogic Life, one of the country’s largest insurance providers, has launched a groundbreaking campaign developed by Shift Integrated. The campaign, titled “The Dengeez,” aims to reduce the spread of dengue fever through an unconventional yet highly effective strategy.
The Reality of Dengue in Sri Lanka
Dengue fever is a significant public health problem in Sri Lanka, affecting thousands of people annually and causing numerous deaths. Despite continuous public service announcements and health campaigns, many Sri Lankans have become indifferent to the threat, accepting it as part of everyday life. This apathy has contributed to the steady rise in dengue cases and fatalities.
A Campaign to Wake People Up
Recognizing the need to jolt the public out of their complacency, Softlogic Life partnered with Shift Integrated to create “The Dengeez” campaign. The campaign’s central idea was to use annoyance as a tool to capture attention and drive home the seriousness of the dengue threat.
The Concept of “The Dengeez”
Drawing inspiration from the irritating buzz of mosquitoes, the campaign featured “The Dengeez,” a fictitious band with characters named Rude Moz Madura and Death Angel Maduri. These names are playful twists on the Sinhala word for mosquito, “Maduruwa.” The campaign included annoyingly catchy and poorly sung music videos, aiming to annoy people into recognizing the dengue epidemic’s urgency.
Strategic Execution
To amplify the annoyance factor, Softlogic Life collaborated with viral YouTube sensation Sandaru Sathsara, known for his humorous song remakes. The campaign’s music video was launched across various platforms, including TV, digital media, and radio, with support from DJ endorsements.
On social media, announcements were made about “The Dengeez” performing in high dengue case areas, accompanied by contextual posts and real-time responses based on news reports. The campaign also included on-ground activations, sticker and poster distributions in collaboration with public health officials and the police.
A Disruptive Strategy
Softlogic Life’s VP and Head of Marketing, Chamindri Pilimatalauwe, explained the campaign’s unique approach: “As the best health insurer in Sri Lanka promoting proactive living, we decided to wake people up with a rather annoying yet attention-grabbing approach using The Dengeez.”
Naveen Amarasuriya, Creative Director at Shift Integrated, shared his personal connection to the cause: “Having survived dengue myself, I was troubled by my fellow Sri Lankans’ indifference. The Dengeez campaign was designed to disrupt this apathy and compel people to take action.”
The Impact
The campaign’s creative execution led Softlogic Life to position itself as the “Unsponsor” of The Dengeez band, using social media and PR to distance itself from these “annoying, disease-causing pests” and calling on all Sri Lankans to help eradicate them. This approach effectively captured the attention of an audience desensitized to traditional dengue control messages.
Conclusion
“The Dengeez” campaign by Softlogic Life is a testament to the power of innovative and unconventional strategies in public health awareness. By leveraging annoyance and humor, the campaign successfully brought attention to the critical issue of dengue fever in Sri Lanka, encouraging people to take necessary precautions and combat the disease.
This professional campaign titled “The Dengeez” was published in Sri Lanka in May 2023. It was created for the brand Softlogic Life by ad agencies Digibrush, Shift Integrated, and Third Shift Media, spanning digital, film, and integrated media.
