Simon Lee, Hilary Badger, and Shelley Friesen Pick AUNZ’s May Work of the Month

From a ‘slice’ of New Zealand, essential Australiana, a social-first brand platform, and a ballsy broadcaster; In partnership with AWARD, here is LBB AUNZ’s May Work of the Month, chosen by Simon Lee, Hilary Badger, Barbara Humphries, and Tom Loudon.

DDB Aotearoa and Vogel’s: ‘TOASTCARDS’

Simon Lee, chief creative officer at Enigma

Once upon a time – back in the days when “direct” agencies were still a thing and the annual trip to the Caples Awards in NYC was the highlight of the year, I spent far too much time trying to find ways around stringent client and Australia Post restrictions to turn a whole host of different random “surprise and delight” items into mailable DM packs.

Despite those days being long gone, and no one even knowing what a Johnson Box is anymore, I still retain a lot of affection for the DM medium, hence TOASTCARDS being my creative pick for May. Sending homesick Kiwis a slice of NZ is a lovely, simple idea, and the cleverly die-cut windows that place the bread at the heart of charmingly parochial local news stories bring the idea to life nicely.

I’m not entirely sure that I’d personally be eating the bread if it dropped into my letter box, but in a world in which creative execution is increasingly artificial in many ways, it’s wonderfully refreshing to see something that’s really funny make its way into the world. Bravo!

DDB Melbourne and Solid Lines: ‘Aboriginal Flag Emoji’

Hilary Badger, executive creative director at Leo’s Australia

I love it when a labour of love comes to fruition and makes an impact in the industry.

Proactivity, creative resilience and teamwork are so important to agency and industry culture. The fact that this project has these qualities in spades makes me warm to it. 

I applaud the co-creation of this idea with Aboriginal business owners and creatives. And its first-to-market use of a new feature is very astute. 

Have there already been ideas about emojis we don’t have but really should? Yes. Do I think this could work to close the gap or substantively tackle our country’s lack of reckoning with the truth of its past? No. Clearly, that's more than just one emoji idea. 

But I enjoy that this piece of work gives us all pause to consider the issues we’re grappling with in an accessible way. It makes pride in 60,000 years of Aboriginal culture something we can all easily share. And that matters.

Bouf Haircare: ‘Social Launch’

Shelley Friesen, founder of Melbourne Social Co.

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My pick this month was the launch of Bouf Haircare. 

What really stood out to me wasn’t just the branding or product (although both are stunning), it was the way founder Rachael Wilde brought her audience along for the ride. She built the brand in public, sharing the behind-the-scenes moments, the highs and lows, and the chaos in between.

It’s a perfect example of how authenticity drives connection. By the time Bouf launched, the community already felt invested. It’s rare to see a beauty brand launch with that level of transparency and emotional buy-in, and I think it really paid off.

Droga5 ANZ and SBS: ‘We Go There’

Tom Loudon, AUNZ reporter at LBB

A cultural giant in the Australian media landscape, SBS’s provocative spot -- featuring full frontal nudity -- reflects all of the things audiences associate with the broadcaster. Leaning into the time-honoured “sex before soccer” joke, it’s a comprehensive campaign with plenty of easter eggs.

I don’t think many boardrooms would have been particularly comfortable with the concept -- not that many ad agencies would have pitched it. While that alone might feel a fact worth celebrating, what really makes the campaign work is its exclusivity. ‘We Go There’, in its full, unedited glory, can only be seen on SBS platforms

It’s something only SBS could do, executed with fortitude by a brand that backed it’s creative.