A letter from a mother leads the latest University of New England campaign
The University of New England has released its latest ad campaign which details the story of a young girl’s life narrated through a written letter from her late mother.
The letter encourages the young girl to adapt to the rapidly changing world and embrace the power of knowledge, even when her mother is no longer there to teach her.
Created by Engine, the ad aims to encourage young adults to study at the University of New England by showing the girls journey throughout her life and the role educations plays.
Tim Weger, managing director at Engine, said in a statement: “When UNE asked us to develop a brand campaign creative concept with exceptional cut through potential, we knew we had a very special opportunity in front of us. It really was a dream brief.
“One of the most appealing things about this brief for our team was UNE’s wish to communicate in an adult to adult tone; an instant differentiator in a sea of adult to child university communications.”
The campaign is set to run across mediums including TV, cinema, magazine, digital, social and in flight.
Kory McAvoy, creative director at Engine said the ad aims to highlight the importance of resilience and human experience.
“It is about what connects us, drives us and defines us. It has been successful in creating an emotional connection with the viewer because it enables them to see themselves in it, and that can be very powerful,” the creative director added.
Credits:
- Creative Agency: Engine
- Kory McAvoy – Creative Director
- Tim Weger – Managing Director
- Jessie Jordan – Senior Creative
- Mark Smith – Head of Copy
- Sarah Deery – Account Director
- Megan Le-Nguyen – Graphic Designer
- Client: UNE
- Anthony Smith – Executive Director of Marketing and Strategic Development
- Sarah Wilson – Manager Market Engagement
- Research Agency: IQ Branding.asia
- Director – Geoff Hall
- Production Company: Taxi Films
- Director – Nick Robertson
- DOP – Ben Shirley
- Producer – Simone Mackie
- Post-production Company: The Post Lounge
- Sue Schweikert – Offline Editor
- Kali Bateman – Colourist
- Brock Smith – Producer
- Music composition: Ack Kinmonth
- Media Agency: Carat Sydney
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These adds are terrible. Switch station every time.
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Hi. Do you know why they dropped the scene where the dog is old and on a vet table. Weird how they dropped it from the ad.
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Any chance I can get the transcript of that letter? Or could you please let me know who should I contact it for it?
This letter really touched me as I’m pregnant with a little girl now and that message conveyed exactly what I’ve been thinking and wishing for my baby.
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This has to be the worst advertisement that I have seen in years. It’s depressing, plays on heart strings using a sick mother. How low. I’m a university graduate and im sure I would avoid this university thanks to this low and terrible ad.
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I was wondering if I could get a
Copy of the transcript. This ad touches my heart and brings tears to my eyes. I love he words.
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Did anyone ge back to you? I’m after the transcript also.
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The most annoying ad on tv. Literally have to change stations. UNE does itself no favours with this contrived, badly written senario! ‘Be like water! Absurd
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I would love to get the butterfly pendant from the add, can anyone tell me what brand it is or where it can be purchased ?
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I would love to know where to get the Butterfly necklace also. Can anyone help.
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Me too…..my daughter just turned 16 and was searching for it to write in her card…. beautiful words ?
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I just thought the same as it is airing again, so i watched it and wrote it down..
I wont always be here to hold you little one
So I write these words as arms around your shoulders
Welcome to this every changing world
Where everything has a shelf life
And the safe and familiar will tomorrow give way to the unknown.
Your world can change in a moment
And when it does, I want you to be like water.
To take on any form
Because it’s not the fittest that survive my darling, but the most adaptable
Be brave, be strong but above all be yourself.
I ask that you open your mind to endless possibilities
Never stop learning and never stop trying because knowledge is power
Education is at your fingertips
Who you are is far more important than where you are.
Never allow yourself to feel any less than priceless
I know you will make me proud
The future belongs to you.
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Hi, i have watched it a few times and i didn’t take it as she was ill, just a fact of life – non of us will be around forever.
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I was thinking the same. I have 2 daughter’s.
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I thought education was desirable for all the population, not one segment. No wonder males represent less than 50% of university students. How about encouraging equality regardless of age, sex or culture.
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Appalling cliché fest!
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Truely a beautiful ad- whoever wrote the script has done a great job. Knowledge is power , no doubt about it.
Loving it! Well done. ??
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It is pretty disgusting you guys have an ad where the main words throughout it are literally the personal and written philosophies of Bruce Lee (he spoke the “be like water” quote on television in the 70’s when asked about his philosophy and how he applies himself and again on an episode of longstreet) but there is no recognition of him whatsoever – you have given credit to all the people working on the ad but none of you saw it fit to actually credit the person responsible for those words? In fact you are happy to have people believe the team were clever enough to have come up with it as a beautiful note from a passing mother, while heartwarming it is really the stolen thoughts of a beautiful mind. Have some self respect and credit the people responsible for your words in the future
“Don’t get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot – be water my friend”
Bruce Lee
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Most annoying ad I have seen in years! How many cliches can you get into one ad? Is there a single original line in the ad? NOPE.
It is seriously painful to watch and that womans voice immediately has me reaching for the mute button.
Is it possible to have constructed a more stupid ad? I doubt it, and the frequency it is being run is bordering on abuse.
Frankly I am glad I did not go to the UNE, and I feel most graduates will feel the same.
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Trite cliched rubbish. And had the agency done any research they would have discovered that the butterfly is a symbol used by the Butterfly Foundation which deals with eating disorders in Australia.
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Trite rubbish. And had the agency done any research they would have discovered that the butterfly is a symbol used by the Butterfly Foundation which deals with eating disorders in Australia.
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Thank you for writing this out ✨
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This ad is overly long and cloyingly mawkish. It gets muted every time it comes on.
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I absolutely hate this advertisement. I have never felt so strongly about such a thing. And now the dying dog has been removed but the dying mother is OK!!! Seriously? I change channels or turn down sound every time. And it’s on ALL the time. Stop!
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Thank you Jo for transcribing the ad – first time I have seen the ad and even though it is an ad, it touched my heart as a mother to my children.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
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Agree
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I’m sorry, but I love this ad…the words are beautiful and it’s so true…
I might be older, not sure but I truely love it…it means so much to me..
Chill everyone, there are far worse things in life.
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I too would love to know where to purchase the necklace
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I agree, Deb. The father-figure in this ad is portrayed as incompetent/absent, and the boyfriend is not there at the end either. The message is certainly about female empowerment and male disempowerment.
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I wouldn’t blame you one bit. I think its a real put-down for men.
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This is the worst ad and misses the mark on university study
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I hate this ad. It’s so drawn out that by the time it’s ended you’ve lost interest so you pay no attention to what the ad is actually about. It’s so soppy it’s sickening. Oh by the way, the Rose Gold necklace that was left to the girl by her mother, would NOT have been in fashion when the mother originally acquired it and it looks like something you would pick up at a “Lovisa” sale.
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The necklace looks like something you would buy at a “Collette” sale.
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I am a current student of UNE. I am a mum, a partner, a consultant, a military spouse and someone who has children with special needs. I This university has supported me to achieve my goals of attaining post graduate study by providing support and being aware of the complexity that life as a parent, and particularly a mother, brings. In a world where certain prestigious universities believe that to attend and achieve you need to attend on campus, full time, in the same way as single men from privelidged backgrounds can, this university stands apart. The staff are fantastic – the University has a 5 star rating for teaching, which is what matters. UNE empowers people from diverse groups, be that rural and remote or mature age, as well as typical school leavers. This is what the add is about – taking opportunities as you can, in an ever changing world, via a university that understands this complexity. I’m not one to post comments, but I can honestly say that UNE has enabled me to reach my goals and I think that as an organisation they do a fabulous job.
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As cancer survivor with a child and severe health anxiety, I find this campaign abhorant.
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Some brilliant and wonderful minds would have pitched for this campaign. Support them and not this muck. UNE pull this ad.
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I’m sorry to hear of your struggle. However if you decided you wanted to study, this uni would support you the whole way, challenges and all.
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This ad is so sad ?
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We hate this ad so much. Why do you have to have the parents separate and then the mother dies of some form of cancer? Disaster, disaster and then be like water. Blah, blah, blah.
It doesn’t inspire us at all and is just focusing on cheap emotional bribery. Get it off the TV or stop showing it all the time.
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Thank you … my daughter is a little older but I equally want her to finish a tertiary education so she will be equipped for the future.
This ad touched my heart and says everything I need to support what we have spoken about on several occasions.
Thank you so much ❤️
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