How do you support family connection during Cambodia’s most sacred festival?
Client: Smart
Market: Cambodia
Launch: 2016
Problem
Smart was already Cambodia’s largest telco in 2016.
Smartphone penetration was extremely high for a developing country — Cambodia had leapfrogged PCs, and for many people the internet existed almost entirely through their phones.
Smart wanted to showcase the quality of its mobile connectivity during Pchum Ben, one of the most important Buddhist festivals in Cambodia — a time when families traditionally reunite in their hometowns.
But many Cambodians, especially young workers, were unable to travel home because of work obligations. They had to stay in the city, physically separated from their families at the moment that togetherness matters most.
Insight
Technology can connect people across distance — but it can’t replace the emotional meaning of being physically present.
For Pchum Ben, being together is physical.
Digital closeness helps, but it never fully substitutes real presence.
Solution
“As close as possible.”
Instead of pretending that technology could replace family togetherness, Smart did the opposite: it acknowledged that nothing replaces physical presence.
The campaign celebrated those who had to stay in the city to work during Pchum Ben — recognising their sacrifice.
Smart positioned itself not as a replacement for family, but as a bridge — helping people feel as close as possible to their loved ones through high-quality calls, video chats, and connectivity.
