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Campaign Review: a look into the history books for Repco and Michael Hill

In Campaign Review, Mumbrella invites the industry's creatives and strategists to offer their views on recent ad campaigns. For this week's Campaign Review, Mumbrella asked Paper Moose's Jeremy Willmott and The General Store's Andrew Kohn to review two different brand story campaigns - one for Repco, from Thinkerbell, and for Michael Hill Jewellers, from CHEP Brisbane.

Brand: Repco

Campaign: Driven by passion for 100 years

Agency: Thinkerbell

The verdict: Brand story-telling that knows its audience

Jeremy Willmott, creative director at Paper Moose, gave it a 7/10, saying:

I enjoyed this ad. It’s well crafted and bristling with energy. But I gotta confess I had no idea what was going on. I didn’t get any of the references in it but this ad clearly hasn’t been made for me (I’m not a car nut, I even had to look up what Repco actually does). 

Brand story-telling campaigns exist to make clients feel good about themselves. And why not, it’s Repco’s 100th year so of course they’d want to celebrate it with a suite of comms. 

The wider campaign is also engaging via posters that get you to spot some easter eggs and a game that looks like it could be fun. Petrol-heads are the target audience here and this campaign lets them geek out by testing their knowledge across all the touch-points. 

It’s a decent response to a tricky brief which will have had a lot of client eyes on it no doubt.

Andrew Kohn, strategy director at The General Store, gave it a 8/10, saying:

Kudos to the team at Thinkerbell for creating a centenary piece that isn’t a 60” hype reel.

The heavy handed dose of automotive easter eggs demonstrates their passion for cars and shows they know their consumer well. I imagine Revheads across the country will love this spot and be rewinding and rewatching. And if the aim of the game is engagement…then that seems like a winning strategy.

Could the last line of dialogue have been a bit more straightforward? Perhaps.

But ultimately I think this spot does exactly what a brand storytelling piece should do …entertain its audience. 

Overall a great production and job well done to all involved!

Brand: Michael Hill Jewellers

Campaign: The Jewellers

Agency: CHEP Brisbane

The verdict: An ambitious story delivered a little ambiguously

 

Jeremy gave it a 6/10, saying:

I love the ambition of this campaign but ultimately it fails to deliver. 

In a House of Gucci bio-pic style we whizz through the love life and career of Michael Hill. We see his early childhood, his relationship with his uncle, how he met his wife, personal tragedy and career highlights, phew. 

To do this story any kind of justice you have to watch the 3 minute film. I started with the 1 minute cut down but I had no idea what was going on (a little explanation that this was the story of Michael Hill and how he met his future wife wouldn’t have gone amiss here). The longer format film has to whip quickly through the story leading to some rather clunky exposition. And the casting of Michael Hill felt a little off to me with a performance that put me slightly on edge. 

This is certainly an ambitious, well-made brand film but I can’t help wondering if this will translate very well into a consumer facing campaign given how clunky the 1 min film felt. 

Andrew gave it a 7/10, saying:

The first half of this ad had me.

The story of an Artisan. Moments from a simpler time. A celebration of the heritage and craftsmanship that are a genuine point of difference for the Michael Hill brand.

I can imagine that anyone in the market for a ring is sure to feel a tug on their heartstrings during this one.

So well done on the emotion front.

And while I personally struggled with the shift to Michael’s love life (It may be a true story…but not one that I’m particularly interested in learning about…) I can appreciate the strategic intent behind trying to own engagement rings by getting to know the man behind the name.

The production feels a little heavy handed at times – probably easily solved with a bigger budget (as always) but a great choice in the track.

Nice job to all involved.

As told to Kalila Welch. If you’re a senior creative or strategist who would like to take part in a future Campaign Review, please email kwelch@mumbrella.com.au.

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