Special NZ and Export Ultra Win Two Cannes Lions for 'Cold Call Back'

Export Ultra has brought home two highly coveted Cannes Lions for its 'Cold Call Back Service' campaign, earning international recognition for its take on an all-too-familiar Kiwi summer dilemma.

The campaign was led by Special New Zealand, with Special PR driving earned communications. Dentsu Aotearoa led media strategy and execution, while Raydar managed through-the-line activations across retail. The campaign was directed by RSA Films’ Peter Martin, with production support from Heckler Sydney.

The campaign picked up:

• Silver: Media Lions – Local Brand
• Bronze: PR Lions – Best Use of Humour

The wins follow Export Ultra’s standout performance on the Cannes shortlists with six nominations across PR, Media, and Audio categories.

Created to solve the nation’s beer-freezing epidemic, the Cold Call Back Service offered a simple solution: put your beer in the freezer, text ‘ICE ICE’ to 423, and receive a perfectly timed reminder call from none other than rapper Vanilla Ice himself.

The campaign struck a chord with consumers, generating over 234,000 interactions and lifting Export Ultra sales by 38% year-on-year during the campaign period.

Fraser Shrimpton, marketing director at DB Breweries, said, "This idea came from a deeply relatable Kiwi moment -- and we had fun solving it in a way that only Export Ultra could. To see it awarded at Cannes is an incredible honour for everyone who brought it to life, and a proud moment for creativity in Aotearoa."

Export Ultra’s double win places the campaign in the top 2% of all entries, a rare feat for any brand and an extra special accolade for Aotearoa.