Jonathan Kneebone Appreciates Australia's Upped Interest in Craft and Storytelling
A lot of great work was awarded last year in the AWARD Awards. What campaigns stood out to you and why do you think the juries loved them?
Honestly, I think my favourite piece of work was Telstra’s 'This is Footy Country'. The client and agency had 100% conviction in the idea. You could tell. And the director and cast were so apparently having fun that it became a truly infectious piece of work. It made Telstra a likeable brand. And it proved they understood footy. Maybe AFL more than NRL to be fair. But sometimes juries can get a bit indecisive about popular work. And think it can’t be truly creative if the broader public rave about it. But to some extent, I’d rather have a piece of work that is infectiously loved rather than dryly admired by a jury. But in this particular instance, they managed to win favour all round.
How do you think the definition of "creative excellence" has evolved in the last few years and where do you think it might go in the future?
At the moment, making any piece of work which you are happy to put your name to is quite an achievement. But still having work that raises the bar and sets the standards is vital to inspire us to see every opportunity as a chance to break new ground – for ourselves and our clients.
I think Hornbach is doing some of the best work in the world at the moment. They are referencing things that are almost so out they are in. And I think the public admires that confidence.
I think the best work around the world seems to be embracing the individuality and personality of left-field thinkers. Burberry, LV, and Gucci are raising the game. I saw this wonderful piece of work for Byredo by Gabriel Moses, and the Art Practice work for Channel 4 at D&AD.
Both projects gave freedom to individuals to prove themselves. That’s where excellence prospers and flourishes. But you have to give people proper freedom, not restrict them with your own expectations or requirements.
Which emerging trends or innovations are you excited to see represented in this year's entries and what would you be looking for if you were a judge?
At present, I think Australia has slightly turned away from brand ideas with purpose – and perhaps become more keen to make short commercial films or campaigns for one-off problems.
This has led to a bit more interest in craft and storytelling. So those are trends I think it will be interesting to assess.
In terms of innovations, I think the way that brands are utilising paid and unpaid channels to communicate a total story is interesting. The rise of social-led campaigns is also a trend that I think will impact a lot of juries – with everything from digital to PR categories.
Experiential is also becoming a stronger category in its own right. I think we have moved on from outdoor billboard stunts to things that closer resemble public art and how it engages and delights a live audience.
What kind of stories or cultural themes do you hope to see more of?
The currency of themes within the community is in a real shift at the moment. And the influence of the new government in the US will undoubtedly cause changes in how brands and agencies choose to react. It may bring more tactical and confrontational approaches – as well as more of a sense of ‘protest’ within some company’s work.
The success of the Dylan Alcott Foundation project has, I think, been one of the true successes in Australian advertising recently. I think the inclusion of people with disabilities in advertising is something that can be felt, but it has been delivered in a very non-token way.
I think the actual culture of casting has been influenced. We need more work like this to spark us more broadly in our choices. Because we know those who are self-proclaimed anti-DEI will be very vocal. So, work that supports authentic diversity needs to be just a potent.
What role does strategy play in a great creative campaign? Can you share an example where the strategy was just as impressive as the creative?
Any self-respecting creative person must have a passion for strategy. Communication art is somewhat meaningless without a point, message or reason for being. It is what elevates the best creative work in our business above the rest.
The UK probably are the masters of giving brands a new lease of life through brave new strategic thinking. And the ‘Believe in Chicken’ KFC work is probably right up there with the best of them. It is a totally unexpected way to sell fast food. Taking on society’s general mistrust of the world – whether it be AI or influencers. Aligning KFC’s authentic taste with something you can believe in is, therefore quite a leap, but one that also lands brilliantly.
It will lead to more interesting work down the line too – because it demands something fresh of the creatives.
In Australia, in terms of the story behind the story, you don’t have to look further than the Opera House work and ‘Play It Safe’ to realise how vital messages and tone of voice matter. If the Opera House was just a celebration without this twist and insight, it would be a far less engaging work. And it takes someone of Tim Minchin’s brilliance to run with that notion. I doubt he’s credited as the planner on the campaign. But to some extent that may be one of the best creative manifestos that’s been written.
