Steve Anastasiadis returns to Saatchi & Saatchi as 4WD Border Patrol spoof is unveiled
Saatchi & Saatchi will this weekend unveil one of the most tongue-in-cheek pieces of work in recent years for client Toyota, with a spoof on Border Patrol.
And Mumbrella can reveal that former GM Steve Anastasiadis has returned to the agency as executive director after stints in Europe and as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi’s Dubai regional hub.
The Australian returned to Sydney in April and took some time out before returning to the industry.
Anastasiadis originally joined Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney as an AFA trainee around 18 years ago.
He told Mumbrella: “It was time to come back for family reasons as much as anything. I came back before I was offered this job. I never though I would end up back here again – it really is back to the future.”
He took the job after discussions with CEO John Foley who replaced Simone Bartley in February and regional chairman Ian Rowden. Anastasiadis said: “There’s a very different approach at the agency now. There’s a lot of emphasis on teamwork and collaboration. We are always going to be about the idea, but it is also going to be much more about the strategy and the role of insight.”
Part of Anastasiadis’ brief will be to bring in new business. After losing Aussie Home Loans, the agency has an obvious gap for a financial services client. Telcos and travel and leisure are also obvious sectors it will be targeting.
During much of his career, Anastasiadis has been involved in the agency’s relationship with Toyota, on a local, regional and global level.
This weekend’s breaking campaign – ‘Country Border Security’ – brings together the Toyota four wheel drive range. Directed by 30 Seconds co-creator Tim Bullock, it pokes fun at soft city stereotypes.
The 60 second version will break during tomorrow’s AFL grand final with a 30 second version to follow.
Credits:
- Peter Webster, Divisional Manager. Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
- Scott Thompson, Corporate Manager, National Advertising. Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
- Noni Rosengren, Manager, Commercial Advertising. Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
- Dimitri Andreatidis, Commercial Advertising Manager, Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
- Executive Creative Director: Steve Back
- Creative Director: Dave Bowman
- Copywriter: Steve Jackson
- Art Director: Vince Lagana
- Strategic Planner (creative agency): Simon Bird
- Business Management: Ben Court, Group Account Director; Amy Turnbull, Account Director
- Media Agency: TMS
- Agency Producer: Kate Whitfield
- Production Company: Prodigy Films
- Director: Tim Bullock
- Editor: Adam Wills
- Post Production: Frame Set Match
WOW!! Awesome ad!!!
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WOW!! Awesome name!!!
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Love it. Brilliant.
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Great ad! Love it.
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Very good. Smart and funny is a great combination.
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Chuckle, chuckle (if chuckling is not ‘soft’).
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Excellent ad – very funny indeed.
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Outstanding! humorous, entertaining, keeps you engaged,.
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By the way, for the cynical among us, a string of comments like this can lead to thoughts of agencies talking things up. For what it’s worth, they’re coming from varied (and regular) IP addresses, and the sentiment on Twitter is very positive too.
I think this ad is a hit.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
Yip, I think Toyota has my vote on this. They do good cars too!
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This is a pisser well done to all involved. This is advertising. A strong message well told, humourous and well crafted and there is actually an ised behind it.
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I disagree totally. A really cheap looking ad for Toyota.
Nice idea but the jokes are obvious and poorly executed.
Also , the grade is so desaturated that it doesn’t looks like Australia, more like Africa??
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Ah, Dan. I first got this ad sent to me on youtube. And I noticed you left the same message there as well. You are obviously have a lot of time on your hands.
It’s suppose to look like a documentary so the grade and look works perfectly.
The jokes are hilarious.
I think the ad is great.
Back to writing brochures Dan.
Paul
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Hi Paul, no problems admitting I left the same message on Youtube – doesn’t change how I feel about the ad.
Just my opinion.
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Great ad – well done to that team!
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great ad, the best work on toyota since the old hilux work…feels quite close to the humour coming out of D5 on VB…but it’s culturally interesting and relevant…well done
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