Some pairs thrive under pressure. Others… talk to everyone in the room, start late, panic halfway through and somehow still walk out with something brilliant. Initiative’s Leah Franco and Ben Breden (now of Accenture Song) fall into that second category, the self-described “office procrastinators” entered Hatchlings armed with a big idea, not enough time, and zero intention of playing it safe.
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Their approach wasn’t neat or linear, but it was bold. With a brief from Women on a Mission, the duo refused to treat media like a combination of standard channels and logical placements. Instead, they treated the journey as the media.
“With only 10-15 women able to experience the magic of Women on a Mission (WOAM) each year, scale was a challenge. To reach the business decision makers who could make a difference, we transformed Singapore Airlines business class flights into branded expeditions that showcased the work of WOAM and their charity partners,” Franco said.
“B2B decisions are just as emotionally driven as B2C. That’s why our strategy tapped into two truths of air travel: the natural downtime of flying and the linear journey through an airport that lets a story unfold step by step. Add to that the emotional vulnerability we all feel at altitude (look it up! The ‘Mile Cry Club’ is real), and you’ve got the perfect environment for connection.”
For Breden, that thinking unlocked something bigger. “By turning business class flights into branded expeditions, we felt like we’d found a unique media moment where these high-flying, time-poor corporates were receptive (literally lifted 30,000 feet above their day-to-day) and attentive (not distracted by their emails).”
Once they committed to the idea, the execution was about pushing boundaries and refusing to stop at what already existed.
“Both Ben and I subscribe to the belief that anything can be media. And once you have that mentality, that is when the fun starts,” Franco said. “We mapped out every touchpoint along the journey through the airport, orchestrating it almost like a play.”
The pair didn’t take home the Hatchling trophy in the end, but they did come close. And that near miss has become a lesson in itself.
“Honestly, I’m proud we had a halfway comprehensible response in 24 hours because we’re famously the office procrastinators,” Franco joked.
“Not going to lie, coming in close second really makes you confront the grossness of your own competitiveness head on! But as time passes, I’m more so honoured that we impressed the judges enough for them to break the mould and award us highly commended.”
For Breden, survival alone felt like an accomplishment. “A 24-hour turnaround is brutal, so I am proud we made it through the day with our friendship and sanity in-tact.”
Looking forward, both walked away with something far more valuable than a title: momentum that has already pushed them forward in their respective careers.
“It’s a great reminder of what is achievable in a day! Unfortunately, it takes a competitive environment, an unreasonable deadline, and a meeting-free day to make it happen,” Breden joked.
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