Campaign Review: ‘Awkward and somewhat boring’ – Strategists take on new ads
In this week's Campaign Review, Anthony Fargeot, VP of growth at Bench Media, and Linda Fagerlund, chief strategist at Mediahub, take a look at recent campaigns from Dan Murphy's, Sydney Water and Youi, via Thinkerbell, It's Friday and an in-house agency, respectively.
In Campaign Review, Mumbrella invites industry creatives and strategists to offer their views on recent ad campaigns.
Brand: Dan Murphy’s
Campaign: ‘Nobody Beats Dan Murphy’s’
Agency: Thinkerbell
The verdict: Refreshing, strategic marketing.
Anthony Fargeot, VP of growth at Bench Media, gave it a 9/10, and said:
Bingo… I think they hit bullseye with this one. Dan Murphy’s is such an iconic brand for Aussies with very clear points of difference and they managed to integrate them all seamlessly in these TV spots.
It clearly highlights Dan Murphy’s offers a wide range of choices and prices for different people and occasions but also that their staff is known for their excellent customer service. They even managed to work in this warm and unique atmosphere you get when you walk in a Dan Murphy’s.
But most importantly, it doesn’t feel forced, they managed to work it in through relatable stories. Being a dad to a young daughter, the ad with the daughter looking for a gift for her dad tugged at my heartstrings so it’s always a plus when an ad manages to move me.
Linda Fagerlund, chief strategy officer at Mediahub, gave it an 8/10, and said:
There are two things I really like about this new platform. Firstly, it reframes the perception of value and anchors it in a lovely social and cultural insight around gifting, taking what can be a very transactional purchase into a more emotive and thoughtful one. In today’s price-sensitive world, it’s a smart approach that can stretch across a variety of occasions and audiences over time. Secondly, it’s incredibly refreshing to see a different, quietly confident tone of voice and visual identity for a liquor retailer – no champagne popping, generic scenes of dinner parties and backyard BBQs!
Brand: Sydney Water
Campaign: ‘Toilet Blockers Anonymous’
Agency: It’s Friday
The verdict: Humour works.
Anthony gave it a 5/10, and said:
I understand why they chose humour to communicate this message. It is an awkward and somewhat boring message to remind people to only flush the ‘3 P’s’. Using comedy usually makes such a message more palatable and memorable, which is the goal of the ad, for people to remember it. So… in this regard, the ad hits the mark.
However, I must admit I cringed a bit at the AA setting parodied to gather Toilet Blockers. Alcoholism is a real struggle for some people and their families and I’d expect some people to be uncomfortable with the ad. I certainly was.
Linda gave it a 7/10, and said:
Happy to say that toilet humour in this case does work! People always have had a strange fascination around what ends up down the drains and in the sewers, and this campaign brings that to life in a fun and relatable way.
The 3Ps as a device to drive behaviour change is an easy and simple one to remember, and I can see this having a ton of PR-able angles over time.
Brand: Youi
Campaign: ‘Made by Fans’
Agency: In-house
The verdict: It’s fun, but needs better brand messaging.
Anthony gave it a 3/10, and said:
Ok I get it, Youi is trying to tap into Australians’ love for the footy and be positioned as an associated brand to garner more customers and reinforce loyalty. It is a valid marketing strategy and will certainly work on some.
However, in my view they have leaned in a bit too much into it. The ads don’t even mention anything about what Youi does so I am unsure of the impact this will have on building brand awareness and brand recall for Youi as a national insurer. It felt more like an ad for the footy in my opinion… not a fan.
Linda gave it a 6/10, and said:
This campaign celebrates the important role of fans and community in footy, and while that is certainly true and can’t be argued against, I feel that there could have been a deeper, more nuanced insight unlocked to create a more distinctive and ownable role for Youi in a very cluttered space. The ads are very well produced and likeable, yet I can’t seem to shake that I’ve seen this messaging before. As they continue their footy partnership, I’d love to see them leverage their assets and the ‘Made by Fans’ platform to truly lean into fan stories and insights that gives them a clear role in the world of footy, as the challenger insurance brand that they are.
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Lauren McNamara is a journalist at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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topics
Anthony Fargeot
Bench Media
Campaign Review
Dan Murphy's
It's Friday
Linda Fagerlund
Mediahub
Sydney Water
Thinkerbell
Youi
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