Campaign Review: Westpac’s ineffective advertising and Vegemite’s culturally relevant ad
Mumbrella invites the industry’s most senior creatives and strategists to offer their views on the latest ad campaigns. This week: Naked Communications' head of strategy, Lucielle Vardy and Henry Innis, Y&R's engagement strategy director, give their views on Vegemite's clean and simple ad, Westpac's missing product link, Bonds' strategic ad and Lynx's flawed execution.
Brand: Vegemite
Agency: Thinkerbell
The Verdict: Exciting and enduring ad but was a bit light on creativity
Lucielle Vardy, head of strategy at Naked Communications, says:
Vardy says the platform is ‘exciting and enduring’
“‘Tastes like Australia’ feels like a story that belongs to Vegemite, and that if told well, will always be in fashion. I think the new platform is exciting and enduring. It’s smart to have weaved in all the ways Vegemite is consumed as the audience feasts on all the micro stories that the nation knows well.
“I get that Pauline Hanson is accelerator for cultural conversation, but was she worth the negative backlash? From a creative perspective, there are clearly numerous fun moments and messages for people to connect to, but I think they’re a little light on. There are some delicate and highly distinctive nuances in our humour and culture that could be owned by Vegemite on a much deeper level. Presently, this feels more transient- perhaps there’s more on the way. Lots of fun though.”
Rating: 7/10
Henry Innis, engagement strategy director at Y&R, says:
Innis says the line was good but the 60 second ad wasn’t necessary
“You know what’s underrated? Jingles. Everyone bloody remembers the thing, and this ad has stuck in my head because of that. Once again Thinkerbell delivers clean, simple ads that tell a great product story. I’ve been a fan of these guys for a while and think they produce clean ads well that amplify a product benefit, bring in relevant cultural cues to make it clear/easy to understand.
“Thought the line was good, but wasn’t sure they needed a 60 second version of this (only criticism). Overall, a cracking ad.”
Rating: 8/10
Brand: Westpac
Agency: DDB
The Verdict: A great story without a strong product link
Vardy says:
“This reminds me of the brave, epic TVCs we used to make in the ’90s. It’s refreshing to see a deliberate investment in big brand again. The first ‘Help’ execution launched by Westpac was crafted beautifully, and strategically tapped into a deep cultural value.
“This execution, although once again beautifully shot and relevant to the new platform, feels less memorable than the first and Westpac seems to play a smaller role. I would make it my challenge to bring the brand and the stories close together going forward.”
Rating: 8/10
Innis says:
“Controversial answer I know. But I really felt you could have swapped this out with any brand and had this work equally well. Was it a great story? Yes. But it would have been nicer to see it in Tropfest. As an ad, I’m not sure it lent the brand any distinction, nor do I think it elevated the product effectively. A great story without a strong link to product never makes for effective advertising.”
Rating: 3/10
Brand: Bonds
Agency: Leo Burnett
The Verdict: An ad with attitude, strategy and storytelling
Verdy says:
“Amazonian jungle women and outback catwalks are certain to reshape Bonds. I believe the ‘Queendom’ theme in this piece delivers for a youth culture that demands high entertainment value in video content. Is it delivering on another aspect that determines how they filter content – that of authenticity? I’m not sure. Portraying women as fearless and conquering the jungle, Arachnida-friendly and all, may be pushing a little too hard on the clichés to prove a point.
“I like that Bonds has been brave enough to venture into long form video. The challenge for them is to create a long-term view on the stories they are starting to create in the Queendom and outback films so young women care for ongoing engagement. If not, there’s a large and infinite graveyard of content online that, whilst brilliantly entertaining, has no long-term effect on brand.”
Rating: 6/10
Innis says:
“The Cooper Pedy ad before this stunk is where this ad shines. What I love is it has attitude, and strategically does a great job of telling a story about the product. Above all, it didn’t feel forced. I can’t help but think though this ad is has opportunity for a social and platform play — so they’ll need to follow it up strongly, or all that effort will have gone to waste. But great opportunity and insight, so I hope they build something great.”
Rating: 9/10
Brand: Lynx
Agency: Emotive
The Verdict: Great ad but flawed execution
Verdy could not comment on the ad due to conflict.
Innis says:
“I wasn’t sold by this, but judging by the comments across YouTube and the reach Emotive seem to have done a good job. Product features heavily and in a funny way, and given the male audience (men are always a bit disarmed by humour and tend to like relatable main characters) I suspect it will help them to sell product.
“But I can’t help but feel this is also content for content’s sake length wise. Why does an ad need 2:32 to make a funny story like that? Could it have been done better (and with more impact) spaced over a series (a la Rhonda/Ketut)? And some of the humour… you did feel it was clichéd rather than playing to a smart stereotype.
“Overall great ad, but slightly flawed execution.”
Rating: 6/10
- As told to Abigail Dawson. If you’re a senior creative or strategist who would like to take part in a future Campaign Review, please email abigail@mumbrella.com.au
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
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topics
Bonds
DDB
emotive
Henry Innes
Leo Burnett
Lucielle Vardy
Lynx
Naked Communications
Thinkerbell
Vegemite
Westpac
Y&R
VEGEMITE 8 and 7 out of 10? Stop being suckers to Thinkerbell. This campaigns is bad. It creates debates and conversation just among ourselves. Customers the real ones that Vegemite needs to attract – immigrants, new generation, don’t have any relationship and memory connection or nostalgia to relate to.
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Needs to attract immigrants…. Haha great comedy!
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Adam Ferrier is at the vanguard of embracing marketing science in communications in Australia. These anonymous industry blogs often, unnecessarily attract the most acidic comments.
Ken Roberts, Forethought
Agree on Westpac. Bloody lovely film but not a great bank ad.
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Agree with Henry on this one, spot on analysis, love a good jingle, Also content that is too long for the sake of being content doesnt hit the mark in my opinion, would be interested to see attention stats.
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Westpac comment was spot on. As Innis already mentioned, it doesn’t go much further than a passive advertising. The content of the story is, without a doubt, excellent to the degree in which many of us can relate to, however, the ad itself clearly fails to touch on the importance of why I should be choosing Westpac amongst others? (Perhaps it was just an ad targetted existing customers-?-)
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Westpac comment is spot on. The content of the story is great in which we all can relate to some certain extent. However, it also deliberately fails to deliver the answer to “Why should I choose Westpac in such circumstance?”. Thus, this one does not go beyond passive advertising.
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While the execution of the Westpac ad is flawless, its intent is highly dubious.
As pointed out in ‘Dead Right’, the Quarterly Essay by Richard Denniss: “taxpayers, not bank shareholders… contribute the vast majority of the (Westpac Helicopter’s) annual budget.”
This knowledge makes the ad’s pay-off a brazenly hubristic pile of corporate spin.
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Also love Westpac’s spot for a lovely piece of story telling and will admit to being choked up when I first watched it. Yes, could apply for any brand though. My annoyance is more around what is the ad actually advertising?
The sole CTA takeaway is “If you’ve lost a loved one, we’re here to help”. So if that was to happen you simply call the Westac number and say “I have lost a loved one”?
I just tried it myself as an experiment and after the usual 5 or so decision paths to speak to someone (without inputting a customer number etc etc), the operator had no idea whatsoever about what I was talking about and kept repeating “what would you expect us to do?”. Fancy that.
Just needs to come back down to earth a little. It is an ad after all.
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Question: What does marketing science tell us about de-identification and its effect on honesty?
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If I were a bank, I would be very hesitant to be advertising much at all in the current climate re: financial planning Senate inquiry. Yeah sure you’re here to help… except when you’re deliberately not helping me.
That said, great film – but you can’t talk your way out of a situation you behaved your way into.
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I’m not sure why people are saying Westpac is a lovely bit of storytelling. There is no story. It’s a nice montage at best and an internal mood film at worst.
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Why is that funny?
Michael has a point.
Why do we need to drive consideration among those that have grown up with it and probably already have it in their cupboards at home and at work? They’re not gonna stop buying it!
Oh let me guess – you are one of these ‘everything is about immigrants these days’ people.
Guess what – it aint an expensive product and would be great for the brand to draw new Australians into the mix.
Also, nothing against Thinkerbell or Adam Ferrier – maybe something to consider for the next campaign.
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