A campaign for the Electoral Commission, created in partnership with our friends at RUN Aotearoa.

FCB Aotearoa, RUN Aotearoa and the Electoral Commission have worked together to create an awareness campaign around significant changes to the Māori Electoral Option.

Sand Unity Kotahitanga builds on previous Māori Electoral Option campaigns centred around The Sandman aka artist Marcus Winter (Te Roroa, Ngāpuhi), who creates whakairo-inspired artworks using the medium of sand. This time, Marcus is out of his small studio, and surrounded by space, light and friends, all participating in making one of his jaw dropping creations on a giant lightbox.

WorkSafe's latest campaign reminds Kiwis to stay vigilant as they return to work.

During lockdown, workplace accidents were down dramatically. WorkSafe NZ wanted to make sure we didn’t forget to keep up our health and safety practices once we all went back to work.

There’s a lot we’ve missed in New Zealand over the last couple of months; seeing friends and whānau, our beloved takeaways, and of course being at work. What we haven’t missed is the workplace incidents that injure or kill our workmates, friends and family.

During the lockdown and in the weeks since, WorkSafe have seen record low numbers of work-related harm. In April and May 2019, 19 people were killed in the workplace. At the end of May this year, two people have been fatally injured in April and May. Suggesting lockdown has saved lives in more ways than one.

WorkSafe Marketing and Communications Manager, Chris Green, says that as New Zealand looks to get our economy moving again by businesses returning to work, the risk of potential workplace injuries and fatalities will be heightened. For this reason WorkSafe launched a campaign encouraging all businesses and workers in New Zealand getting back to work to do so in a healthy and safe way.

“As New Zealanders return to work we want to show them what we missed, as well as the things we haven’t, the campaign seeks to remind all of us that we need to keep up the incredible work this team of five million has been putting in to protect our workmates, friends and whānau.”

The campaign wants to ensure New Zealanders are diligent as they return to work and keep an eye out for any risks that may impact their health and safety and speak up as soon as they notice them.

“It is really important that businesses and workers know to speak up if they see anything that may harm themselves or their workmates. We want to make sure people aren’t just focusing on the risk posed by COVID-19 but also the everyday risks in their workplaces to ensure they get home healthy and safe every day,” says Green.

The campaign features placements across television, radio, outdoor, online and social media.

Addressing the issue of unattended cooking with Josh Emett

Fire and Emergency New Zealand, together with renowned chef Josh Emett, address the main cause of house fires in New Zealand: unattended cooking. This issue is particularly relevant during NZ’s Level 4 lockdown timeframe, when the campaign was launched.

In the latest evolution of Mercury’s Energy Made Wonderful campaign we’re encouraging Kiwis to break up with their old gas guzzling partners and make the move to a cleaner, happier future.

Mercury’s new brand campaign, launching this week, calls on Kiwis to “kiss oil goodbye” and join the electric revolution.

The aim of the new campaign is to support a more sustainable future by encouraging Kiwis to break up with petrol and diesel vehicles in favour of the growing choice of EVs and other electric transport options.

Commenting on the campaign, Chief Strategy Officer, David Thomason said, “Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Walks’ was the soundtrack to our strategy session. We were all feeling so personally inspired and revolutionary that it almost seemed trivial to be talking about a brand campaign. But this is how customers must choose brands today. We’ve been building to this campaign for years. Mercury are being provocative because the cause is not a marketing bolt-on, like so many brands have done. The environment’s central to everything they do, and now they need New Zealanders to join in making it happen.”

Chief Marketing Officer Julia Jack says moving away from petrol and diesel cars is one of the most impactful changes we can all make to reduce our individual and collective impact on the environment.

“It’s time to say goodbye to our old modes of transport because there’s a better alternative. The electricity we generate and use in New Zealand is over 80% renewable and that’s growing. It’s a massive natural advantage we have over many parts of the world. We don’t need to be importing and burning fossil fuels for transport when we have better, healthier and cheaper options,” Julia says.

The campaign is told through the lens of typical Kiwis who all have fond memories of their old vehicles but kiss them goodbye and then find freedom and happiness with new electric options that are right for them.

The campaign includes TVCs, Out of Home including billboards, adshels and street posters, digital banners and a social campaign asking New Zealander’s to take the pledge and “Kiss Oil Goodbye”. Mercury’s website and content has also been fully redesigned to support the campaign.

The television commercial was directed by Nathan Price and edited by 2020 Academy Award nominee Tom Eagles (nominated for his work on Jojo Rabbit).

The campaign is substantiated by several initiatives to enable Kiwis to try electric transport including extending the Drive EV-by-subscription service, and partnering with a global operator, JUMP, renowned for innovative e-bike and e-scooters.  

 “We know there’ll be people who can’t easily say goodbye to their internal combustion engine vehicles or don’t want to, and that’s okay. It isn’t about pointing any fingers; it is about opening the door a little wider to those who are ready to consider a change in habits, and to get a few more to that point of consideration.

Through the campaign we want to show that while change might seem difficult, once you’ve taken the first step, it can be wonderful,” concluded Julia.

With the help of FCB, the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) and Durex are setting out to tackle this problem and put it back where it belongs; in the dark ages.

“Syphilis? That’s something from hundreds of years ago, right?” That’s the general reaction when you talk to people about New Zealand’s very real, and very 21^st century problem with this archaic sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Syphilis has become such a problem in this country, that it’s now at its highest levels ever. In fact, syphilis diagnoses have increased from approximately 200 in 2014 to over 1,500 last year.  

With the help of FCB, the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) and Durex are setting out to tackle this problem and put it back where it belongs; in the dark ages.

“Syphilis is not something many people thought they’d have to worry about in their lifetimes, so there’s a real lack of knowledge about it,” says NZAF Marketing, Communications & Fundraising Manager, Mickey Power.

“People are not schooled up on its symptoms, the way it’s transmitted or how to find out if they have contracted it.

“NZAF is on a mission to end new HIV transmissions in Aotearoa by 2025, which largely affects gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. Given 70% of new syphilis cases are also being seen in our communities, we knew we had some work to do increasing knowledge and testing to help keep them safer and bring those new diagnosis numbers down.”

The campaign task is to educate, and that reaction of, “Really? Syphilis is still a thing?” became the insight. 

The campaign focuses on creating a “clash of eras”. We took modern hook-up language and situations, and inserted a character out of time – someone in 16^thcentury garb, looking to proposition partners. Modern pick-up lines, such as “Down to f*ck?” have been given a Shakespearean makeover – “Art thee down to fornicate?” Even Kiwi classics took on a dated feel – “Dost thou wanteth a root?”

In the dating app, Grindr, the campaign borrows from the vernacular of the medium, as men-out-of-time proposition users with lines like “Upeth to?” and “May I behold thine aubergine?”

As this campaign is aimed at helping LGBTIQ+ community members play safer, the talent was sourced from these communities. Working with models like drag queen and activist Medulla Oblongata, further added to the authenticity of the message. 

The historic look was achieved in collaboration with the Pop-up Globe Theatre and stylist Lucy Jane Senior. Authentic period costumes were created for each model and Abi Taylor provided era-appropriate hair and make-up, including a bespoke wig made for Medulla in the style of Queen Elizabeth I.

Combine these meticulous details with the artful lighting and skill of photographer Ross Brown, and the result is portraits that look like they stepped out of a 16^th century painting, contrasted by undeniably modern backdrops. 

Power continues,“Syphilis is very dangerous and can eventually be fatal if left untreated, so we teamed up with FCB to raise awareness about this outbreak in a way that would get our communities’ attention. Syphilis can often be symptomless – so the main message is for people to get tested regularly.”  

“Realistically, to really make sure we can leave syphilis transmissions in the past, we also need people to embrace safe sex. To further encourage this and keep playing safe front-of-mind, we’ve made thousands of condom wallets with safety messages like, ‘Cloak thy tallywacker’, ‘Wrappeth thy pecker’ and ‘Sheath thy wang’, to be distributed at venues, by order and at community events.”

Tony Clewett, Chief Creative Officer at FCB said, “To halt Syphilis in its tracks, we needed an engaging and thought-provoking campaign that our audience simply couldn’t ignore. I’m thrilled we’ve achieved it with a powerful message that was not only beautifully executed, but brings a smile to your face. A big thanks to everyone who went above-and-beyond to make it happen.”

Stickman has welcomed in the festive season with a low budget extravaganza designed to tug on the heart strings. without pulling on the purse strings.

Stickman has welcomed in the festive season with a low budget extravaganza designed to tug on the heart strings, without pulling on the purse strings.

This direct response campaign for Onechoice flips traditional storytelling by using a eulogy to deliver the product benefits, while focusing on the emotional reactions of the benefactor.