How Fetch TV Cleared the Content Clutter for Aussies’ Streaming Services
We’ve all had conversations that go a little something like this:
“Have you watched the newest episode of…”
“Oh my god, you have to catch up on the latest season!”
“What do you mean you’ve never seen…”
“It’s on Netflix, or Binge?”
“Oh no, they’ve taken it off there recently. Maybe it’s Stan then… no, not Stan. Amazon Prime?”
The world of streaming can be a confusing place. With so many options at our fingertips trying to keep updated with the latest and greatest is difficult. However, Fetch TV, with the help of Today The Brave, P2 and Collider have been able to showcase how to ease the burden of endless streaming.
Together, the agency and production companies not only brought the product's use into the spotlight, but were also able to provide a clear and concise message for Fetch TV that is the same but… different.
Alistair Pratten, director of operations at Today the Brave, David Flanagan, director of content and strategy at P2 and Hoss Ghonouie, head of studio production at Collider spoke to LBB’s Casey Martin on the thinking behind Fetch TV’s “Ways to Watch” campaign.
LBB> Talk us through the creative process of creating this campaign for Fetch TV, and how it compares to previous projects you’ve worked on?
David> This was a tricky one. The thrust of the brief was to bring to life the brand new user interface that Fetch had invested heavily in - making sure it looked slick, stylish, and sophisticated. The creative challenge was to represent the UI accurately without embellishment.
As with all our projects, there is an open conversation regarding the approach and an exploration of animation techniques to help make an informed decision at the head of the project.
Once the aesthetic was locked in, the full build commenced. The overarching goal being to demonstrate the ease of accessing an abundance of content from a range of sources - including free to air, streaming, or via apps.
A partnership forged with Today The Brave and Collider worked wonders in encapsulating the new proposition of Fetch TV being “The Way to Watch” by bookending the UI animation with post-apocalyptic entertainment overload.
What worked so well was the shared focus of ensuring the best outcome for Fetch TV - working closely enabled refinement of all elements that came together in the end piece.
Alistair> The creative process for the campaign involved addressing the challenge of integrating an upfront world with Fetch’s existing UI. In order to build out this world, we first had to find a production solution and partner that could help create a landscape that could be used as a mechanism/ or a tool to take consumers into this new user content world.
Together with new partners P2 and Collider, we chose to depict a TV tower to convey the concept effectively. Since building a massive tower in reality was impractical, we opted for a post-production approach. This collaboration with Collider and P2 allowed us to envision and create the unimaginable, surpassing what could be achieved in the physical realm.
Compared to previous projects, this campaign was distinctive in its need for a unique visual narrative. The partnership with P2 and Collider enabled us to push creative boundaries and seamlessly blend the digital world with Fetch TV’s interface, resulting in an immersive and visually striking experience that set it apart from competitors.
Hoss> The Fetch TV project was a pleasure to work on. We love working with briefs that are so concise in what they are looking to achieve but also allow us to build imaginary worlds. This project was a real balance of art and science. The strength of the concept really needed a believable world that could provide the scale and grandeur to support the tv sculpture. We knew it needed to feel vast and endless with a deep frame but still give enough cues to scale with close foreground detail to provide realism and tangibility.
We initially used AI and existing location photography to quickly iterate different landscape ideas. Then several 3D applications were used to create bespoke landforms and terrain detailing. A couple of different directions were explored for the TV designs before we settled on the final options. Additionally, atmospheric details such as dust devils and tumbleweeds helped to further lean the concept into the desolation trope.
LBB> What was one thing that you learnt during the process, and what will you take with you when working on other jobs?
David> Something Arnold Schwarzenegger talks about a lot in his recent book is to “Be Useful”. Most creative projects require a degree of collaboration between experts from differing ends of the playground. All working together to create something unique for a client with serious business imperatives. It’s our responsibility to get the job done. Working together, anticipating potential bottlenecks and genuinely being useful to everyone was a tangible outcome from our experience on this project.
Alistair> Timing is critical, especially when operating on a tight schedule. To remain agile, it’s essential to involve partners early in the discussion. Having partners such as P2 and Collider meant we were able to connect the dots and make clear distinctions of who was handling what.
Building trust was paramount. Our relationships with Fetch TV, P2, and Collider were built on trust, with relationships and expertise laying the groundwork for seamless collaboration
Hoss> While we’ve created bespoke landscapes before for various projects, because this had such a large focus on landscape we were able to spend much more time on this aspect.
We worked with the latest landscape generation software and had the time to refine and explore different weathering and geological processes to bring as much of a natural feeling of beauty as possible. This development process will play an important role in future projects with CG landscape settings.
LBB> How do you go about understanding a brand’s image and values in order to produce something that speaks to them as a brand but also allows for creativity?
David> Each of us holds a specific relationship, hence understanding, of every brand we interact with. Each subtly unique and special for specific and sometimes innocuous reasons. In an attempt to replicate the key markers of a brand a degree of deconstruction is needed to pinpoint the distinct brand assets the brand is most famous for - colour, sound, tone, message. Using these ingredients allows creativity to flow. Same, but different.
Alistair> Frank, robust questions up front and a deep understanding of the problem Fetch TV were facing and what they truly needed was key - as was ensuring the work we created was always in service of the problem. As a collective team, we were checking in with Fetch TV daily, and were clear on what the creative guardrails were upfront, so we had the ability and licence to know where we could play.
LBB> Talk us through the strategy used to enhance the brand’s image and attract consumers to the brand?
David> Fetch TV has been aggregating popular content forever. The strategy at work here was to highlight a common pain point and reveal how they are the solution. Ever spent more time searching for a show than you did actually watching it? This is not uncommon. Fetch TV provides a new way to watch that resolves this headache.
LBB> How do you go about combining creativity and strategy?
David> For me, strategy answers the WHAT and the WHY, whereas creativity nails the HOW. Both are indelibly linked.
Alistair> Both are inherently interlinked, with creativity visualising the strategy. While strategy is a creative springboard, there is a need for creative thinking in order to understand, tackle and address the problem at hand. At Today the Brave, our creative team is involved in the entire strategic process, ensuring that our strategists make the creative leap beyond what already exists to truly invent a genuinely new way of doing things.
LBB> Finally, what do you think divides content and traditional advertising? Are we slowly moving into a world where content is more valuable than traditional ads?
David> Every single aspect of a brand contributes to the value - or otherwise - of any brand. The price, place of distribution, and packaging all have a direct impact on perceived value. As do any form of communications - be it user generated or highly produced. It’s a fascinating eco-system of interconnecting elements that all play a part in the perceived value of a brand.
Going back to my point earlier - they just need to be distinctive and consistent. Easy, right!!?!
Alistair> While traditional advertising still plays a significant role in marketing strategies, there is indeed a noticeable shift towards valuing content more in the modern landscape.
In saying that, we are seeing an increasing trend to consumers increasingly preferring content that entertains or adds value, they often actively seek out content that aligns with their interests and needs as more people opt in to watching on streaming and digital platforms such as Fetch TV.
There is a growing emphasis and need on content that reflects a broader shift towards building meaningful relationships with consumers through valuable and relevant storytelling, which was uniquely interesting when working with Fetch TV.
