Smile - Hi! Is Watching!

Leo Burnett Solutions Inc., Sri Lanka, has created an integrated campaign for the country’s no. 1 society magazine, Hi! The publication pioneered society magazine culture in Sri Lanka and is the industry leader. It's well-known for taking a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards high society, so Leo Burnett wanted to give a slightly subversive yet fun-loving tone to the communications.The work is focused around the tagline, “Everyone smiles for Hi!" and inserts moments of humor into serious, even life-and-death situations. Research evealed that the audience for this magazine is a very up-market group, including celebrities, socialites, and debutantes. The humorous angle that Leo Burnett Solutions use is a departure from the norm for existing society focused magazines and pages currently available in the market. This approach aims to generate additional interest among a wider audience, making it more approachable to the general public. It also targets its growing audience of young socialites who are becoming increasingly captivated by Hi! The campaign's unprecedented approach is deployed across three TV spots, Press, Magazine, Posters, Viral mailers, and quirky activations for use at high society functions. The TV spots feature three situations, each opening in a very serious setting such as a riot, a surgery, and even a funeral. The viewer is taken by surprise when halfway through, everyone starts smiling and posing…because the Hi! photographer has appeared! The tagline was inspired by the insight that a common feature of all the photos in Hi! is people smiling at the camera…no matter what the situation.