AUNZ Work of the Month: February
In February our eyes were caught by detailed dominos, bacteria with a knack for art, and Cher turning back time just a little too much.
+61 returned with the latest for Telstra, using 20,000 dominos to make a visually stunning point about uninterrupted internet, while Droga5 Aotearoa turned the art of gut health into a very specific sort of lab-grown art for No Ugly. GWM saved a wedding that was almost ruined by rain, with Thinkerbell encouraging guests to "Chuck it in the ute.”
Special earned two Work of the Week nods in February. One was for Coopers' 'Forever Original' artwork, made alongside The Glue Society, The second for the latest in Uber Eats' 'Get Almost, Almost Anything' platform.
+61 – Telstra
Telstra and +61 partnered with director Dan Tobin Smith and art director Rachel Thomas to create a campaign showcasing ‘beautiful internet’ with 20,000 colourful dominos.
The campaign features intricate domino runs designed by a team of experts, symbolising flawless connectivity. Built on a bespoke theatrical set, the dominos visually represent Telstra’s promise of uninterrupted performance.
By transforming a technical concept into a striking visual metaphor, Telstra highlights the beauty of simplicity in a crowded market.
Telstra CMO Brent Smart said the distinctive campaign is designed to “capture the imaginations of Aussies and stand-out.” It’s certainly captured our imaginations.
Written by LBB's Tom Loudon
Droga5 Aotearoa – No Ugly
In a category often obsessed with external perfection, Droga5 Aotearoa has taken a radically different approach for New Zealand wellness brand No Ugly. The campaign, ‘The Bacteria That Grew a Campaign’, turns the science of gut health into art — literally.
Using agar plates as canvases, the team cultivated bacterial growth patterns from Bacillus coagulans, the key ingredient in No Ugly’s ‘No Ugly Gut’ tonic, to create striking, living artworks.
The campaign highlights the beauty of a thriving microbiome, and collaborating with microbiologist Dr. Siouxsie Wiles, Droga5 designed the bacterial growth to reflect the natural beauty of a healthy gut. “This campaign shows just how beautiful bacteria can be — making the invisible visible,” said Dr. Wiles.
Blending science, art, and a touch of whimsy, Droga5’s campaign is a refreshing reminder that sometimes, the most beautiful things are the ones we can’t see.
Written by LBB's Tom Loudon
Thinkerbell – GWM
Among a slew of action-packed, mud-splattering, fishing and camping-centric spots for big, blokey utes, Thinkerbell has brought romance to the category… kinda.
A wedding about to be destroyed by the rain gets saved by a best man and his trusty ute, who calls for the crowd to pack up the wedding - the violinists, the cake, the flowers, the reverend - and whisking it away to dryness. “Chuck it in the ute” he commands, demonstrating the capacity and durability of the GWM Cannon.
When the sun comes back out? “Chuck it in the ute.”
Thinkerbell and GWM’s spot is fun, smart, and different for the category (continuing a trend of fun auto spots this year; Innocean’s zombie-filled campaign for Kia was a previous Work of the Week pick).
Written by LBB's Casey Martin
Special – Coopers
Special and The Glue Society created hundreds of original artworks to celebrate the 160+ year heritage of Coopers and its positioning as ‘Forever Original.’
The "certified original 1 of 1" artworks were crafted by fans of the brand and are being displayed on socials, OOH, and cinema.
Each artwork uses the brand as a stepping stone for the final product, from tattoos, hair art, crochet, painting, and led-lights to herding sheep in the shape of a pint. No two artworks are the same. Even the music was made using Coopers stubbies.
The scale and craft is to be commended - what a brilliant way to engage a brand’s fans, and honour that brand’s legacy.
“Originality means many things to many people, but one thing is for sure, it’s a virtue that the world needs now more than ever,” said Ryan Fitzgerald, executive creative director at Special.
Written by LBB's Casey Martin
Special – Uber Eats
Uber Eats' 'Get Almost, Almost Anything' platform is everything you want in a long idea: distinctive, tied to both the brand's core offering and its growth plans (pushing further into the grocery category), strong enough to spur endless creative executions but not so rigid as to smother them, and effective.
The risk in building a platform through star-studded campaigns, though, is the formula tires, the celebs fall flat, and/or the brand maxes out on star power. There's been Nicola Coughlan, Jason Alexander, and very recently, Andy Murray. And now, the biggest icon of all, Cher, for the platform's best campaign yet.
Cher orders a time machine to 'Turn Back Time' to the 80s, and accidentally ends up in the 1680s, where she's accused of being a witch, and burned at the stake.
Uber Eats and Special have outdone themselves. I don't know how they'll top this one. But I do know I wouldn't bet against them.
Written by LBB's Brittney Rigby
