Optus unveils new ‘Relentless’ campaign starring Usain Bolt with content series and TV ads
Optus has launched its new campaign to talk about how much work it does on its network starring Usain Bolt in a branded content series and a new TV ad which went to air on Sunday.
The first in The Relentless Series of videos looks at the life of the six-times Olympic gold medallist, featuring scenes of the Jamaican superstar speaking to camera as well as his parents about what drives him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRFtAAEipqM
The content push comes six months ahead of the Rio Olympic Games, where Bolt is favoured to defend his titles. Optus is signed on as a sponsor of the Australian Olympic Committee, while the company is also looking to promote its sporting credentials after signing rights deals with Cricket Australia and the English Premier League.
Usain Bolt – Relentless ImprovementNothing comes easy; you’ve got to work for it. Stop at nothing!
Posted by Optus on Saturday, 13 February 2016
The new TV ad, understood to have been created by The Works, focuses on Bolt’s desire to constantly improve, and features shots of him training with his voiceover talking about how he decided to “stop dreaming and start doing”.
However, the launch of the campaign aimed at promoting the speed of the network in comparison to rival Telstra, appears to have had unintended consequences with customer comments ignoring the issue of network speed and instead lashing Optus for slow customer service.
The campaign is also supported by a web portal, on which Optus states: “When it comes to our network, we stop at nothing. Like Usain Bolt, we strive to always be our best and relentlessly improve our performance. We work hard every day to bring you a network that’s fast, reliable and worthy of a place on the winner’s podium.”
Bolt’s ‘lightning bolt’ pose is incorporated in a logo
It also features a new logo for The Optus Network which consists of a silhouette of Bolt’s famous ‘lightning bolt’ pose.
Again Optus is refusing to reveal which of its agencies is behind the new content series – although content agency Emotive was appointed to its account as part of its massive roster shake-up earlier this year.
On Friday the telco released another content series featuring filmmakers the Duplass Brothers promoting its cashless payment system.
Alex Hayes
Everyone has a talent, this guy had one. And he cashed it out, big time! 😀
User ID not verified.
Distinctly similar to Virgin’s use of Usain in UK for their campaign 2 years ago, no?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1dSvaFqMZ4
User ID not verified.
As always, “content” just means a license to make a longer, less relevant ad.
This is a typical M&C strategy-by-numbers approach, with only a tenuous semantic link to the brand before blowing the generic message up out of all proportion. Just like clever buoy, it’s gimmicky and try-hard.
User ID not verified.
@C’mon it is a little familiar, but the one in the UK was actually good..
@Here we go again.. This was done by The Works..
Hardly rocket science, fast person = fast network. The content should be better and the core idea should be better. But it isn’t..
Optus are getting a few runs on the board while Telstra struggle, but nothing to worry the big T yet..
User ID not verified.
This ad is simply a lie, the Optus ADSL network is the slowest thing I’ve experienced since the dial-up days. The Ultimate Entertainment Bundle they’re touting sounds too good to be true, because it is.
As the telco with the highest number of TIA complaints currently, perhaps Optus should spend more money on fixing its network and the terrible performance and sorting out its shocking customer service, rather than paying Usain Bolt a huge fee to appear in its ads!
User ID not verified.
Brands don’t realise they compete with Youtube!! It’s not enough to make the lame connection between fast man and “fast” internet. The actual content must be great. This is just the lame. And they’ve got a blanc canvas with the most charismatic personality in sport. How do you screw that up?
User ID not verified.