Optus deer goes supersonic
A new ad for Optus broadband features a deer galloping at supersonic speeds to illustrate improvements to the telco’s infrastructure.
The campaign created by M&C Saatchi also includes print, digital and radio.
Credits
- Client: Optus
- Client Lead: Nicole Gadd, Marketing Manager, Optus
- Creative: M&C Saatchi
- ECD: Ben Welsh
- Creative Group Head: Phil Leece
- Art Director: Nick Bonney
- Creative Workflow: Mary Morrell
- Group Account Director: Nick Russo
- Account Director: Tara Goh
- Account Manager: Karlee Weatherstone
- Planner: Colin Jowell
- Producer. Priscilla Stratton
- Digital Designers: Christos Roussos and Benji Chen
- Developers: Ken Mikuni and Joseph Tan
- Design Head: Penn Li and Simon Maggs
- TV Production: Tash Johnson/Loren August
- Production Company: Fuel
- Media: MPG
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large. He returned to Mumbrella as Publisher in January 2025
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why’s the deer wearing a tutu?
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Kinda nice, if only it were true.
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Hi – I work at Optus and the new DOCSIS 3.0 capability on our cable has tested o average at around 60Mbps so far (actually does feel supersonic compared to traditional broadband – although I might be biased!)
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This ad was a lot better when the deer was a rabbit and Optus was Comcast.
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Eek is right. Hang your heads in shame M&C, this is a blatant rip off (and not a very good one at that).
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Bambi on Red Bull
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mudOonoGK_U
eek is very right.
Do you think ‘Creative Workflow’ involves pointing at Youtube and shouting ‘That one’.
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I wonder how stupid creatives feel when people find the original ad which they stole?
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So what’s the solution?
Does the client ask for the Concept Development fee back?
Does the agency donate the Concept Development fee to charity?
Or better yet, pay a licensing fee to Goodby’s?
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it’s not the same ad.
inspired by? maybe (and that’s ok).
stolen? not in my book.
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Eek, unfortunately I doubt any of those things will happen, but it might, just might make them think twice before trying to enter it into any international awards – they’ll probably still try for Australian ones.
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Definitely what I’d call a “simplified rip-off”.
Unfortunately not as funny as the original – which had us all hooting with laughter at the Media 2009 confrence I think it was?
(That link again of the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mudOonoGK_U)
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yeah, pretty disgraceful…………do these guys have any pride in their work watsoever……..I mean apart from the sad little trophies gathering dust…………..they should be ashamed
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I often have fun with copycat ads. But it seems to me there’s a pretty good chance the US example hadn’t been seen by M&C.
If you take the starting point that they already use animals in every piece of branding and are trying to demonstrate speed, in this case it’s surely not unreasonable to think they came independently to that outcome.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
+1 at the mumbrella comment.
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Tim, If they hadn’t seen Comcast Rabbit, they should have.
It was , after all “The most winning spot of last award season, according to the Creativity Awards Report”
http://creativity-online.com/w.....abbit/1149
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It is different enough not to be called a rip off – for one it doesn’t have quite the same humour.
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I’m not going to watch it now, I’ll save it to watch while I’m waiting on hold to get my broadband fixed.
Does it go for a couple of hours or should I get a DVD as well?
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Ditto @ Tim Mumbrella comment – go easy guys, definitely an honest mistake (and no, I don’t work at M&C)
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I very much doubt any of the creatives missed the Comcast spot. Not many creatives miss a Silver and Yellow D&AD winning spot from 2009 in the same category.
Or maybe they did.
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@Tim,
A company that’s dealt with Animal Logic in Sydney for Optus surely would have seen it. And it’s too similar to not be a copycat.
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Can I also mention…. Optus is an Australian brand. why a deer? Why not a kangaroo?
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Come on Tim. It’s cringe-worthily similar.
You say that it’s not unreasonable to assume they came up with it independently.
Well, I say that considering this was one of the ads of 2008/9 and featured in all the big award shows and on pretty much every creative ad blog, I think it’s not unreasonable to assume that at least one of the 18 people listed above had seen the ad. And make no mistake, if you’ve seen this ad, you’ve probably watched it more than once.
Its only excuse would be if it was a pastiche.
And to be that, it would need to be better or funnier.
It’s neither.
It’s a rip-off. It’s lazy.
And it sucks.
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Yep, the Optus ad is definately ‘inspired’ at the least by the rabbit ad.
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@ Eek,
Understand your point of view but what I dont understand is your hostility at the campaign?
Its not a rip off but obviously has similarities to the other ad…. what campaign doesnt?
This ad was broadcast in Europe so I’d say it’ll be new for the Australian public and it’ll sell some product here.
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Who cares if its a rip-off – the question is will it work.
This isn’t uni and I don’t care about plagiarism. I don’t care if you use an idea that has already proven itself.
We’re not paying agencies big bucks to produce ads that impress their peers – we paying them to produce ads that work.
If an ad impresses your peers and wins you lots of awards as well, that’s a bonus for you, but not what advertising is for.
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Grumpy, it won’t take long for your brand to go down the toilet with that attitude. Harvey norman ads just don’t work for every product.
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Naturally, this was all grounded in fallacy, and now they’re officially in trouble with the ACCC for it.! Hah!
http://www.accc.gov.au/content.....ItemId/142
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