| Title | TXTBKS |
| Agency | DDB Philippines |
| Campaign | TXTBKS |
| Advertiser | Smart Communications, Inc. |
| Brand | Smart Public Affairs |
| Date of First Broadcast/Publication | 2013 / 1 |
| Business Sector | Personal Wireless Communication |
| Tagline | none |
| Story | TXTBKS is a low-tech, low-cost educational tool that transforms older generation cellphones and simcards into a e-reader capable of storing children's school books. |
| Philosophy | Smart, the Philippines' largest telecommunications company, took their mission to 'make text light and easy' further than ever as we introduced Smart TXTBKS. This low-tech, low cost solution turned even the oldest analog phones into a new type of e-reader. Over six months, we collaborated with respected textbook authors and publishers to refine official school texts into 160-character messages. These were then programmed into the inboxes of thousands of inactive surplus sim cards. |
| Problem | In developed countries, tablets and e-readers have become the solution to large, heavy textbooks. But for Philippine public schools students, even the cheapest model is worth more than what their families make in a month. In fact, the only gadgets most own are one or two old analog mobiles phones, used mainly for texting. This is tragic because they're the ones who need a textbook alternative the most. Kids as young as seven must bring up to 22 books daily, leaving them exhausted and unfocused even before their first class and in many documented cases, afflicted with scoliosis. |
| Result | TXTBKS was initialy launched in 4 partner schools. Immediately, teachers noticed the kids participated more and performed better, since most of them we no longer tired carrying large heavy school books. A psychologist also noted that because the kids were fascinated with the new technology, they were more engaged in class. The TXTBKS campaign is currently under study by the Dept. of Education for possible roll-out in the 2014-15 school year in specific areas and grade levels. Currently, TXTBKS has already been adapted for use in South Africa, with other countries like India, Oman and Japan expressing interest. TXTBKS has also been rolled out in several orphanages, where administrators note that for many of the kids it is their first interaction with technology. TXTBKS makes sure they are not left behind. In such orphanages, TXTBKS has generated a STORYBKS spin-off, as award-winning and best-selling children's book author, Russell Molina, donated 10 of his books for encoding. |
| Media Type | Case Study |
| Length | |
| Soundtrack | none |
| More Information | none |
| Chief Creative Officer | Merlee Cruz Jayme |
| Executive Creative Director | Eugene Demata |
| Copywriter | Aste Gutiérrez |
| Art Director | Biboy Royong |
| Programmer | Buboy Paguio |
| Illustrator | Dee Taar |
| Account Supervisor | Alex Y. Syfu |
| Client Services Director | Caloy Sambrano |
| Account Manager | Ina Vargas-Sambrano |
| Producer | Carlo Perlas |
| Editor | Melo Samson |
| Associate Creative Director | Aste Gutiérrez |
| Associate Creative Director | Buboy Paguio |
| Copywriter | Aste Gutiérrez |
| Art Director | Buboy Paguio |
| Illustrator | Dee Taar |
| Production Company | Tower of Doom |