Lazada unveils 'Hippo Bank' in character-led universe campaign

eCommerce platform Lazada Singapore is no stranger to epic campaigns to celebrate its monthly sales. This time, the eCommerce giant has created a character-led universe in celebration of its 13th birthday sale. 

The character-led universe introduces a new face to its brand world and lets the character guide consumers through a journey across various touchpoints. 

The new character, Hippo Bank, is a pink savings bank and is the newest friend to Lazada's long-standing mascot Lazzie. Together, the duo become the heart of the campaign built around character storytelling. 

Don't miss: The mysterious sponge man along SG's Orchard Road is actually a Lazada campaign 

The campaign launched with an ad introducing Hippo Bank as Lazzie's quirky new friend. In the ad, the young girl is determined to buy her brother a gift but finds herself needing to smash open her coin bank to afford it. 

In a moment of animated chaos, Hippo Bank and Lazzie spring to life and shout out the perks of shopping at Lazada's upcoming epic birthday sale in hopes the girl will not break her bank. 

The film ends with the girl changing her mind and waiting for Lazada's birthday sale, knowing she doesn't have to break the bank to buy what she wishes for. 

Soon after the launch of the ad, a TikTok video made its rounds on the platform. The video showed a Lazada deliveryman scrambling to gather spilled pink boxes. In the background, a cyclist and a passerby is seen arguing. 

Following the viral video, thousands of Hippo Banks were delivered to homes across Singapore. Inside each box was a QR code which led to a microsite within the Lazada app.

The interactive digital experience mirrored a moment from the ad where shoppers could choose to break or not to break Hippo Bank. The in-app gamified experience gave shoppers a way to interact with the campaign and live the story as seen in the ad. 

"While the playful visuals and character banter drove engagement, the campaign's message stayed razor-focused: You don't have to break the bank to buy better," said Lazada Singapore in a statement seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. 

"By framing value through a compelling narrative, Lazada transformed savings into an emotional experience - and made a sale feel memorable," it added. 

Earlier in January this year, Lazada took to the streets of Orchard Road to highlight its mission to provide the most competitive prices on everything from daily necessities such as diapers and sponges to trending must-have fashion items. 

The campaign saw a man wearing a gown made out of sponges standing and posing along Orchard Road. Shoppers were also spotted stopping to take photos with and of him. 

Meanwhile, for its 11.11 sale last year, the eCommerce platform unveiled that a shocking wedding-cheating drama that went viral on TikTok was actually its campaign to promote its deals. 

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