SUB CATEGORY :

CONSUMER GOODS

ENTRANT COMPANY :

UNITED COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, TAIPEI

TITLE :

PCSD POST-COCKROACH STRESS DISORDER

BRAND :

COMBAT

ADVERTISER :

HENKEL TAIWAN LTD.

AGENCY :

UNITED COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, TAIPEI

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER :

MICHAEL DEE

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

KEVIN HUANG

CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

CHIN HUNG

ART DIRECTOR :

KARL KUO/IAN HSIAO

COPYWRITER :

BOBBY LEE

CAMPAIGN SUMMARY :

Compared to other cockroach extermination products on the market that emphasize rational efficacy, Combat, the leading brand, addresses a deeply ingrained and often unspoken fear: the psychological trauma caused by cockroaches. This goes beyond a fleeting scare; it leads to sustained anxiety and fear, akin to PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) experienced by veterans, firefighters, or domestic abuse survivors. We term this "PCSD - Post-Cockroach Stress Disorder." As a prominent brand in Taiwan, Combat is pioneering the global initiative to combat PCSD, aiming to mitigate its impact through consistently effective pest control solutions.

INSIGHT :

For those who are afraid of cockroaches, the threat they pose goes beyond environmental and hygiene concerns. It’s also about the terrifying moments—like suddenly encountering one or having a cockroach take flight toward them—often leaving lasting psychological traumas. These experiences can cause people to overreact when they see shapes resembling cockroaches, mistaking them for the real cockroaches. We refer to this condition, similar to PTSD, as PCSD (Post-Cockroach Stress Disorder).

Compared to other cockroach-killing products that focus solely on how quickly they eliminate pests, COMBAT takes a different approach by addressing the unnecessary fear experienced by consumers.

STRATEGY :

We broke away from the traditional focus of pest control products that center solely on killing cockroaches and instead dug into the genuine fear and anxiety they evoke in consumers, earning heartfelt trust for the brand. The fear who feel toward cockroaches is often just a shadow caused by the pressure in their mind. Only COMBAT truly understands this and helps them eliminate those shadows—both in their heart and in their environment.

CREATIVITY IDEA :

We recreated the shadows of cockroaches through various senses—sight, sound and touch, which evoked the creepy feeling of cockroaches and captured the deep-rooted fear people have of cockroaches. In the end, we revealed that it was all just an amplified fear. With COMBAT, cockroaches will never return, allowing people to finally let go of the unnecessary fear in their lives.

EXECUTION :

Through guerrilla events, we highlighted environmental patterns that resemble cockroaches, successfully reaching potential consumers. We provided free samples and interviewed them about their real experiences of PCSD. From their experiences, we developed a series of viral videos under the theme of PCSD (Post-Cockroach Stress Disorder). By vividly illustrating these amplified reactions, we bring to life the genuine distress faced by sufferers. Help them feel free from the unnecessary stress of PCSD with Combat’s powerful solutions.

The video resonated with many viewers, sparking social media buzz as people shared their own PCSD experiences. It also received positive feedback for COMBAT’s effectiveness, with many saying it truly helps them live without constant fear. Within two weeks, the video reached over 2.9 million views, reaffirming COMBAT’s position as Taiwan’s most trusted cockroach extermination brand.

RESULT :

Within two weeks of launching the video series, we created over 3 million views, propelling COMBAT to the No. 1 sales position in Taiwan and making it the most-preferred cockroach-killing product among Taiwanese consumers.