Forty Winks channels The Walking Dead in new campaign via Akcelo
Bedding retail specialist Forty Winks has launched its first rebrand since 2019, with a campaign led by recently appointed creative agency Akcelo.
The launch campaign introduces Aussies to ‘The Unslept’ – a horde of seriously tired people, each one exhibiting some of the most common sleep issues.
The hero film introduces the ‘mouth breathers’, ‘side sleepers’, ‘toss n turners’, ‘cover snatchers’ and more, who descend on the Forty Winks store and the team inside in scenes reminiscent of hit TV show The Walking Dead.
Damian Lucas, national advertising and marketing manager at Forty Winks, said the brand is thrilled to launch its first refresh since 2019.
“Forty Winks has been serious about sleep for almost 40 years and the new campaign perfectly encapsulates the vision for our next chapter – to help Australians ‘Go to better sleep’,” he said.
“The film concept and creative is unlike anything we’ve done before, and it was a joy to work with our talented partners to help bring it to life. We look forward to continuing to expand on the stories of ‘The Unslept’ characters and our ‘Serious about sleep.’ brand promise to new and existing customers in the months and years to come.”
Akcelo’s strategy partner, Simon McCrudden, commented: “Poor sleep is one of the major health issues facing Aussies, and with their sleep science and staff expertise, Forty Winks helps Australians get the sleep they deserve.
“In answering this brief, we needed to find a way to demonstrate these proof points whilst also giving the brand a unique voice that reinforces Forty Winks’ leadership of the sleep category.”
Aden Hepburn, CEO at Akcelo, concluded: “Sleep is a serious topic… but it’s also ripe for comedy. With ‘The Unslept’ we have found an incredible creative vehicle to tackle Australia’s sleep problem in a disarming and memorable way. We have no doubt that every Australian will see themselves–or a loved one–in one of these characters.”
Other assets:
BedMatch – Exclusive to Forty Winks 30″
Credits:
Client: Forty Winks
National Advertising & Marketing Manager: Damian Lucas
Strategic Consultant, Shadowboxer: Steve McGrath
Strategic Consultant, Shadowboxer: Stephen Graham
Content Manager: Kate Roscrow
Content Writer: Caitlin Zoon
Graphic Designer: Karen Stait
Marketing Specialist: Shreya Somani
Marketing Specialist: Nicole Mitchell
eComm & CRM Lead: Josh Gibson
eComm Coordinator: Matt Stringer
Creative Agency: Akcelo
Group Creative Director: Louise McQuat
Creative Partners: Oskar Westerdal & Jon Foye
Senior Creative Team: Rob Gordon & Nathan Moraza
Head of Content Production: Mark ‘Bucket’ Summerville
Senior Integrated Producer: Eleanor Rout
Strategy Partner: Simon McCrudden
Customer Strategy: Emily Smith
Business Lead: Kirsty Reynolds
Senior Account Director: Jenna Featherstone
Senior Account Manager: Ben Le Couteur
Head of Design: Mark Berry
Studio Manager: Stephen Au
Senior Designer: Francis Loh, Mitash Patel
Senior Motion Designer: Jamie Muscat
Senior Art Director: Ilya Aronovich
Junior Copywriter: Lon Garbett
Creative Project Delivery Lead: Sophie Tschuchnigg
Creative Services Manager: Katie Morton
Managing Director, Melbourne: Jon Kenyon
Chief Executive Officer: Aden Hepburn
Film Production: Rabbit
Director: Owen Trevor Black
Second Unit Director: Daniel Fletcher
Assoc EP / Producer: Marcus Butler
Executive Producers: Alex Hay, Lucas Jenner
DOP: Peter Eastgate
Post House: The Editors
Editor: Ryan Boucher
Colourist: Fergus Rotheram
Online Artist: Eugene Richards
Post Producer: Rita Gagliardi
Casting: McGregor Casting
Senior Casting Director: Stevie Ray
Sound Post Production and Music Facility: Klang Studios
Executive Producer: Analese Cahill
Sound Design and Mix: Declan Diacono and Brendan Woithe
Music Composition: Ryan Grogan and Brendan Woithe
Music Recording Studio: Free Energy Device
Music Recording Engineer: Neal Sutherland
Live Musicians :
French Horn: Bourian Boubbov
Violin / Viola: Adrian Keating
Cello: Hannah Grogan
Double Bass: Brendan Clarke
Stills production: Sam I Am
Photographer: Billy Plummer
Executive Producer: Rich Cole
Producer: Jacqui Kelly
Retouching: Electric Art
Media: Hatched Media
Head of Product: Andrew Pascoe
Head of Digital, Data & Tech: Denise McCormack
Group Strategy Director: Regan Hancock
Group Business Director: Ashlie McIntosh
Associate Director: Isabella Pezzaniti
Senior Trading Manager: Emily Capsis
Publicity: tide.pr
Managing Director: Stacey McArdle
Strategy & Innovation Director: Kate Thompson
Account Director: Jasmine Burford
Account Manager: Laura Jarrett
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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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Man. This is atrocious. You guys sell cheap mattresses and you’re making fun of your own customers, not to mention your staff look like creepers in the ad.
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I’m not sure what the team at Forty Winks is trying to achieve except cheapening their brand with such poor taste, and low budget production qualities. The sad thing is, the insight and strategy is sound; it’s the creative idea that is trying too hard to get cut-through without respecting the authoritative brand positioning that FW holds in the industry (well, used to). The team at Snooze will sleep tight now seeing this new approach by FW.
Serious About Sleep or Serious About Taking the P155?
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