Campaign Review: ‘It will cut through, but the targeting seems confused’ – Telstra, Allianz, Australian Pork
This week in Campaign Review, The Media Store's chief strategist, Sam Cousins, and creative director at Enigma, Matt Ennis, share their thoughts on recent campaigns from Telstra, Allianz and Australian Pork, via +61, Howatson+Co, and Dig, respectively.
In Campaign Review, Mumbrella invites industry creatives and strategists to offer their views on recent ad campaigns.
Brand: Telstra
Campaign: ‘Better on a Better Mobile Network’
Agency: +61 (Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, TBWA, OMD)
The verdict: A masterclass in deceptive simplicity.
Sam Cousins, chief strategy officer at The Media Store, gave it a 9/10, and said:
I’m trying not to let my bias of loving what Telstra do in comms influence me here. I’m still so touched by the Telstra phone box Father Christmas campaign so much so that my kids still ask at every phone box to still call him even in June. Note to Telstra: Keep that number alive with some other content instead of turning it off! I’ve actually seen quite a few iterations of this ad in the wild on BVOD and I absolutely love them. Continuing to connect Australian icons, cues and values to their business, is smart to make people feel favourable especially when service issues arise. From a media perspective the 26 iterations and 15 second creative is a huge treat for the agency.
The possibilities for targeting, sequential messaging and storytelling will not only drive great reach and frequency but offers up a way to keep customers engaged through a digital ecosystem with low creative wear out. The possibilities for consumers to also feel connected to their local area that gets a mention is not often seen in broad reaching comms. The range of voices, accents and situations mirrors the cultural diversity of the population, and the use of wry deadpan Australian humour is a win. I can see this play out nicely in all sorts of other channels especially out-of-home and even radio. I feel this approach has great longevity for Telstra, even hero-ing some of the characters as the campaign evolves. 9 out of 10 for me.
Matt Ennis, creative director at Enigma, gave it a 10/10, and said:
This is a masterclass in deceptive simplicity. Reflecting on Telstra’s previous positionings, such as “Australia is why” and “It’s How We Connect”, the return to emphasising Telstra’s superiority feels like an intelligent move, cementing its status as the largest and most reliable telecommunications provider. It’s a move that justifies their slightly higher price point during a cost-of-living crisis for utilities now considered a basic human right.
The creative is refreshingly straightforward, delivering a simple message with scale and amplification, highlighting the network’s reach by featuring 26 far-reaching places across the continent. The execution adds a layer of charm, humility, and craftsmanship, a hallmark of BMEOF’s work. I love that, rather than imitating a look, they brought in the animation director from “Isle of Dogs” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, demonstrating how ideas are made or broken in production.
There have been comparisons to a Heat Electric ad from 25 years ago, but when you consider the scale, media smarts, craft, scriptwriting, and character development, these ads stand apart and arguably outclass them. The general public will likely appreciate being entertained and charmed by ads that interrupt their content with a certain elegance.
Overall, this is a stunning piece of work that showcases an incredible partnership built on trust and mutual respect, a testament to what can be achieved when the right elements come together.
Brand: Allianz
Campaign: ‘Go Australiaahhh’
Agency: Howatson+Company
The verdict: Emotionally beautiful, good brand memory-making.
Sam gave it an 8/10, and said:
Honestly I got chills watching this ad, how quickly it created emotion connecting to our cultural obsession with sport especially at a national level. Like the Telstra ad, they’ve done a beautiful job showing a diverse range of Australians and moments, even discretely adding in Paralympic cues without overtly virtue signaling, Beautifully crafted with nuance in that respect. I’m a fan of launching a 60 second with the brand name at the front proudly stating a worldwide partnership, it ensures brand memory-making from the offset. I’m sure there will be some smart placement of this ad before any major sporting moments not just the Olympics and Paralympics, and I can see this working in cinema with an engaged audience. I give this 8 out of 10.
Matt gave it a 7/10, and said:
Finding an ownable and lateral way to link the Olympics, Paralympics, and insurance is no easy task. The clever shift from “aahhh” to “aahhh!” is a brilliant connection between two unlikely partners.
The film is well-crafted and authentic, captures the pulse of national pride during the Olympics. It’s observational advertising: inoffensive, highlighting a truth, and effectively bringing substance to a global sponsorship in a local market. “Go Australiaahhh!” seems like an idea begging for a more imaginative execution beyond this channel. Let’s hope the TV spot is the least interesting part of what could be a far more compelling campaign rolling out over the next few months.
Brand: Australian Pork
Campaign: ‘Por qué?’
Agency: Dig
The verdict: Fun play on words and character development, but will it stand the test of time?
Sam gave it a 6/10, and said:
Get some pork on your fork, is one of the most memorable lines we’ve seen in this specific segment of FMCG over the last 10 years so. I’m pleased this new creative didn’t do away with it. But I’m really confused as to who we are talking to. If the goal is to get as many people to choose pork for their protein, I’m not sure this ad does that. I do love the creation of a character for people to attach their values to, but aside from the pink and the clever use of Spanish, what will the masses attach to this character as a distinctive asset? Does it make pork sexy and cool? I’m really not so sure. I like the play on words! And who doesn’t love a man with an accent, but I can’t help thinking we’re just appealing to the older professional woman here who gets it. But maybe that’s the point, grocery buyers are still predominately female in most households. I guess the success of this campaign will be how Ramon Jamon rolls out across all assets and how much Australian Pork are willing to invest in him. I think tonally the ad is nice and will cut through, but the targeting seems confused for a mass outcome. So, for that I give this a 6 out of 10.
Matt gave it a 6/10, and said:
It’s hard not to compare two brands with the same task – MLA and Pork. MLA has seamlessly embedded itself into Australian culture, brilliantly anchoring its brand around a calendar moment. Meanwhile, Australian Pork has built its equity on an outdated marketing approach, one that’s rooted in a bygone era and laden with sexual innuendo, which, if we’re being honest, lacks substance beyond execution. But I understand the hesitation to abandon a distinctive brand asset decades in the making.
Navigating this tricky terrain, it’s obvious why they chose the well-trodden character route, and credit to them for dodging the low-hanging fruit. The film is fun, bold, well-crafted, though a few too many puns for my liking – but that’s part of their brand heritage, I suppose. The OOH possibly underscores the idea’s shallow depth beyond the character. Ultimately, the measure of its success will be the longevity of this iteration.
If this doesn’t work, perhaps taking the hard road to rebuild the brand from the ground up under a platform that might give them an unfair share of voice, like MLA, could be the bold move they need.
As told to Lauren McNamara.
If you’re a senior creative or strategist who would like to take part in a future Campaign Review, please email Lauren at lmcnamara@mumbrella.com.au.
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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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Such safe,pandering comments.
Can we have some provocateurs please.
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