AUNZ Work of the Month: September

LBB’s Casey Martin explores the joys of animation, the hilarity of a human sized pickle, why Popeye is the perfect spokesperson for milk and an out of the box look at AI with September's work of the month. 

+61 and Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, has breathed new life into Telstra. 'Wherever we go' launched with a hero film: A whistling duet performed by two characters who move in perfect harmony through the forest and the desert, underground and underwater. Animated by Oscar-nominated duo, Smith and Foulkes, it’s imbued with a sense of nostalgia, while also feeling fresh.

The OOH isn’t “matching luggage”, and the attention to detail and roll out is just as epic as the film. The level of craft on display is astounding.

In order to match the risk of releasing a product that combines the well-loved flavour of ketchup and the divisive nature of pickles, Heinz needed a launch that was unlike anything seen before.  

Together with TBWA/Sydney, the brand sent a human pickle into the tomatoey mess of the La Tomatina festival in Spain. The cinematography, coupled with a rendition of Bizet's ‘Prelude' to Act 1 Of Carmen, gives the whole spot a renaissance feeling. 

There is a ridiculous amount of infectious joy amongst the festival goers, and the ridiculousness of the human pickle is utter brilliance.  

In an attempt to become the ‘go to’ dairy product in a world of alternative milks, Anchor and TBWA\NZ showcase just how good real milk is. The TVCs are straight out of a retro music video, with dancers, fashionable older ladies, and childhood wonder. 

The OOH features cartoon character Popeye, famous for his promotion of spinach. He is displayed in his iconic pose, showing audiences just how important dairy can be for our health. 

There is a welcome sense of fun within this campaign that’s unusual for the category. 

In a three part series, McDonald’s is showing its support for Australian Paralympic athletes by equipping them with coffee made by 'take-away baristas'. An over the top feat made possible by DDB Sydney, these 'take-away baristas' are put to the test by Paralympian Don Elgin and othersto ensure the coffee can be served no matter what is thrown their way. 

The campaign brought support to our Aussie sports stars in an unexpected and original way, while also aligning with McDonald’s brand values. 

In a stunt worthy of Evel Knievel, Special Group New Zealand and Wellington City Mission created Wellington’s Greatest Deed: a gigantic, seven-metre long symbolic document  placed on the side of a Wellington highrise. Sir Ashley Bloomfield, a New Zealand public official, was seen abseiling down the document, signing his name on the dotted line. 

This living and ever-developing document can be signed by those who donate to Wellington City Mission. The size of the deed is a reminder that all donations, no matter how small, will always serve a larger purpose to those in need. All donations are going toward the creation of a community centre named Whakamaru.

We all know and love the  ‘running through the airport’ scene from romantic comedies. Now, Specsavers' in-house agency has put its own ironic and funny twist on the trope. Running with the Specsavers' motto of 'You Should Have Gone to Specsavers', the spot sees Greg racing through many different obstacles with hilarious results. A play on Specsavers’ brand platform, the TVC sets itself apart from the rest we've seen from the brand with its heightened comedy and not entirely obvious punchline. 

The OOH created by TBWA\Melbourne is simple, yet cheeky and  effective. ‘Welcome to Sydney’ signs placed in Melbourne airport and vice versa left travellers worried they’d messed up their travel plans - and gave the brand a spate of earned media headlines.