Campaign Review: NAB and Bundaberg meet on the sports field
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 POLY's Josh Gurgiel and Awaken's Amelia Morgan to review the latest sports partnership campaign created by TBWA for NAB and by Leo Burnett for Bundaberg Rum.
Brand: NAB
Campaign: NAB Mini Legends
Agency: TBWA
The verdict: Encapsulates clever insights
Josh Gurgiel, head of strategy at POLY, gave it a 7/10, saying:
I love a good sequel.
The Empire Strikes Back. Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Toy Story 3 – all examples of great sequels that confidently built upon the foundations of their original chapters. But sometimes a new installment doesn’t necessarily evolve the arch of a franchise in a meaningful way; sometimes, they’re just a fun and frivolous return to a familiar world.
So, is the new ‘NAB Mini Legends’ campaign essentially just the Fast & Furious of AFL partnership campaigns?
In their sixth instalment in the series, NAB stays true to the formula that has seen these ads become a staple of the football (and advertising) calendar, injecting a heightened level of drama and production value to generate deeper intrigue. They have leant into the familiarity of the feel and format of this campaign, but have not rested solely on the doppelganger schtick, rather using it to elevate the message and depict something equally familiar – the power of our own imaginary (and aspirational) self-perception.
Many Australian adults can relate to feeling like a rockstar whilst belting out John Farnham’s ‘You’re The Voice’ alone in the car; and they can equally relate to feeling like a sporting legend whilst competing in the schoolyard as a child. I love that TBWA\Melbourne have used this insight to link NAB with the ambition and optimism inherent in the Auskick program, using powerful visuals and an endearing payoff to provide both comic relief and a clear articulation of the pure potential that underpins their partnership.
Whilst this campaign is both fast paced and furiously executed, it stands on its own as a worthy inclusion and intelligent evolution of a popular series.
Looking forward to Episode 7…Return of the Jetta? Here’s hoping.
Amelia Morgan, creative strategist at Awaken, gave it a 8/10, saying:
A great high energy ad and clear branding throughout from the start.
I loved the dynamic transitions between the shots and really clever use of slow motion camera to capture the passion in the game, and the use of big hair was comical, (however I think giving a child a moustache and beard may have been a step too far!).
The imagery transition from the high intensity feels of the game cut to the real time footage was seamless, and very cleverly captured the ad goal that to a child every moment playing footy “feels like the biggest and most exciting thing in the world’. In fact I was loving everything about this ad…right up until the end strap line, which I felt was a little confusing in what it was trying to communicate and in my opinion weakens the ad. Strengthen up the ending and I congratulate TBWA on a cracking ad.
Brand: Bundaberg Rum
Campaign: Bundy Mixer
Agency: Leo Burnett
The verdict: Strategic and impactful, but could be more clearly branded
Josh gave it a 8/10, saying:
It’s great to see a brand putting their ‘money where their mouth is’. Or, more specifically, their ‘mixer where their males were’.
I really like this ad. I really like this initiative. I really, really like the boldness of the tagline: “Pick the best of the best, not just the best of the blokes.” It’s gutsy, it’s unashamed, it’s completely overt in its intention and simple in its execution. This is a smart, bold, PRable campaign that is designed to make us feel a little uncomfortable and ask some hard questions:
“Why haven’t female athletes previously been included in fantasy leagues?”
“Why is it called NRLW, but not NRLM?”
“Why are NRL players such awful actors?”It aims at eliminating gender from the equation all-together, encouraging its audience (namely: dudes) to forge comparisons based on performance and skill, devoid of gender caveats or qualification. It is equality and progress in its purest form.
That’s all well and good. But will it sell more Bundy and Coke?
My suspicion is yes, for one simple reason. The name. Bundaberg could have called this partnership activation anything, but they specifically opted to call it the ‘Bundy Mixer’. So whilst this stunt aims at building favour for the brand through a noble pursuit, in doing so it is continually redirecting that goodwill towards their simple and embedded brand truth – that the enjoyment of their brand, whether in designing a fantasy team or indulging in an alcoholic beverage, is best when mixed.
Maybe I’m a cynic. But this is advertising, nothing is accidental. And for that, I not only applaud their cause, but their craft.
Amelia gave it a 8.5/10, saying:
Bravo to the Leo’s team. This concept is a great step forwards in how people view women in sport.
Creatively I like the simplicity of the ad in harnessing the interest in the players to draw the audience in, and clever way of the glitching people to clearly highlight that it’s a digital fantasy concept. I’m not an NRL fan (our household is all about Rugby Union!) but the concept and lure of winning some prizes has me intrigued and had me googling Bundy Mixer!
Despite the strong use of the brand colour in the background, In my view the brand integration could have been stronger earlier on, (on the big screen they are reliant on people watching through to 22 seconds before there is any clear sign or word of Bundy), and the players look less than impressed at the end, which is a shame as you would have thought they would have been thrilled to make the players cut! But aside from that this ad has been very cleverly put together.
In summary it’s a relatively complex idea, communicated well simply.
Giving it 8.5. points lost purely due to the lack in brand strength at the start.
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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