Road to Zero

FCB, in partnership with Waka Kotahi, has launched the first public awareness campaign as part of the Road to Zero strategy. 

Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy, was launched by Te Manatū Waka, the Ministry of Transport, in 2019 and Waka Kotahi is the government agency leading its delivery. Underpinned by a vision of zero deaths and serious injuries in Aotearoa, Road to Zero specifically aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads by 40% by 2030 (based on 2018 levels).

Waka Kotahi Senior Manager Education and Marketing, Lauren Cooke, said “We want all New Zealanders to get where they are going safely whether they’re walking, cycling, driving, motorcycling or taking public transport. Zero deaths might sound impossible, but Road to Zero is New Zealand’s plan to get there.”

Road to Zero is guided by the “Safe System” approach which remains the international gold standard in road safety.  It recognises that whilst mistakes are inevitable – deaths and serious injuries from crashes are not – and seeks to create a safe and forgiving transport system that makes the safety of people a priority.

Commenting on the work, the first for Waka Kotahi from FCB, Sean Keaney, Managing Director of FCB Wellington, said, “Road to Zero is a bold and strategic plan to essentially save New Zealanders lives. The challenge is that we have become complacent around road safety and almost numb around the phrase “road toll” – it becomes just another number, when the toll itself is actually payment in human lives. It’s no longer acceptable that the cost of our mobility should be paid with the lives of hundreds of Kiwis every year. It’s time to create a disruptive, step change in our attitude towards this horrifying figure. The first part of this campaign seeks to do just that.”

Peter Vegas and Leisa Wall, Executive Creative Directors at FCB, said “The Road Toll is something we’ve become used to, something we hear in the media during the holiday spikes of the year, almost like the weather forecast. We’ve become immune to it. We accept it.

“But each number represents someone’s child, father or wider whānau. It’s actually totally unacceptable, and that’s the creative trigger we needed to pull in the advertising. It’s not a number, it’s a human life. You need to be confronted by that. We’re hoping for that reaction from the New Zealand public from the first initial TVC and are looking forward to the rest of the campaign rolling out.”

The campaign targets all New Zealander [aged 16 and over] and launches across TV, online, print, cinema, OOH, digital/social and partnerships.  

Mitre 10’s new brand promise, ‘With you all the way’, centres on the brand’s greatest asset and key differentiator: its people.

“We commissioned a significant piece of research to help us better understand our customers, their needs and expectations, and their perceptions of our performance. At a very high level, we determined our customers are looking to partner with a brand they trust and one that gives them confidence to get the job done right.

Jules Lloyd-Jones, Chief Marketing Officer, Mitre 10

‘With You All The Way’ is the external expression of a business-wide programme which has also been transforming the team member experience inside the cooperative.

The campaign explores the relationship between a Mitre 10 team member and a customer from their initial project dream to celebrating the finished result, including a bittersweet goodbye.

NZ Post delivers a new brand identity and campaign.

New Zealand Post delivers more parcels than any other courier service in the country. Yet, understandably, many New Zealanders still associate the brand primarily with mail.

With the wide range of innovative delivery services New Zealand Post offers today, and the spectacular growth of online shopping, this brand issue had become a barrier to growth.

Sarah Sandoval GM Consumer Marketing and Brand says:

“We’re more than a mail delivery business on the inside and how we look and communicate needed to reflect that. Customer research and insights showed that our brand salience linked to parcel delivery was low and fragmented branding was causing confusion in market. The need for change was clear and we developed a strategic direction to align under NZ Post to future proof our brand. With 182 years of heritage, enduring trust and a longstanding relationship with communities across the country our objective was to connect this to the future of our business. We wanted to show New Zealand that the world has changed, and we’ve changed with it to better facilitate their needs.”

A new brand identity was also designed to create a quantum shift in perceptions, created by Arch MacDonnell and Toby Curnow of design agency Inhouse.

The launch campaign is designed to connect with consumers but also, very importantly, the many New Zealand businesses that regularly use delivery services.

NZ Post and FCB wanted to create a creative platform that heroes the new brand for audiences, doesn’t just say ‘we’ve changed our logo’, shows how we’re delivering more and would also stand the test of time.

Leisa and Vegas, FCB ECDs are excited to share this new work with NZ

“We can’t wait to share the next chapter in the adventures of our much loved NZ Post courier. In this new campaign he’ll be joined by some charming and curious neighbourhood kids to create some delightful storytelling – a series which will be rolled out to the New Zealand public over the next couple of years.”

Leisa Wall and Peter Vegas, FCB Executive Creative Directors

Carmen Collected, Tilda Sweatpours or Jim Locker? You decide.

It’s a sad fact that in 2021, Aotearoa’s LGBTQIA+ communities have worse health outcomes than their peers in several different areas including mental health and HIV transmission.

So, to mark International Pride month in June, the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) is challenging people to ‘Sweat with Pride’ by exercising for at least 21 minutes a day to get active and raise money to support the Rainbow community. To help with this, NZAF has engaged the services of three ‘Perspirational Trainers’, fronted by some of the LGBTQIA+ community’s most fabulous drag artists.

Upon signing up to the Sweat with Pride challenge, supporters choose a trainer, then the work (and fun!) begins. Carmen, Tilda and Jim will encourage, motivate and cheerlead supporters through their sweaty fundraising efforts throughout the month of June, with the goal of raising as much money as possible for Rainbow communities.

Proceeds will be used to fund HIV testing, sexual health services, counselling and community events for gay and bi guys and gender diverse people at NZAF. In addition, RainbowYOUTH, who provide support, information, resources and advocacy for Aotearoa’s queer, gender diverse, takatāpui and intersex youth, will receive 10% of proceeds. And OutLine, an all-ages Rainbow mental health organisation providing support to the Rainbow community, their friends, whānau, and those questioning, will also receive 10% of proceeds.

The campaign encompasses video content, OOH, social content, Print and Radio elements.

Dr Jason Myers, CEO of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, says, “Aotearoa is often portrayed as a progressive country because we’ve achieved milestones like marriage equality. But the fight for equity for Rainbow people is far from over. Half of Rainbow New Zealanders have experienced mental illness, and STIs like syphilis and HIV disproportionately affect the Rainbow community. We need to act now to provide Rainbow New Zealanders with the support they desperately need. We’re asking everyday Kiwis to take a stand for our Rainbow communities by signing up to Sweat with Pride.”

Toby Sellers, MD at FCB Auckland, says “This is a cause close to our hearts at FCB, and so it was a privilege to be in a position to help the NZ Aids Foundation with this campaign. We’re passionate about ideas that lead to behaviour change and move New Zealand forward. To achieve this ambition, we ensure that we understand and connect with all New Zealanders, embracing a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to this within our own internal culture, and our partnership with the New Zealand AIDS Foundation and Sweat With Pride is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment”.

Visit https://sweatwithpride.com for more information.

Wattie’s latest brand campaign invites Kiwis to “feed the love” using their iconic products to deliver the message.

“It’s a celebration of the little moments,” says ECD Leisa Wall. “We break bread with those we care about most and in that simple gesture, we say a lot. We might not literally speak the words ‘I care about you’, but we don’t have to. That moment and the offering of food says it all.”

The campaign tells a series of stories – each an affectionate moment between friends or family. And each very much a case of actions speaking louder than words. The characters leave a lot unsaid, but by switching out their well-known product labels for expressions of affection, Wattie’s let us in on what they’re really saying.

Wattie’s Head of Marketing, Kiri Hyde says, “Wattie’s has been known and loved for generations. Our products are found in the cupboards and on the dinner tables of Kiwis from all walks of life, up and down the country. Meaning we’re there for all the moments in their lives – both everyday and special. We couldn’t be happier with how the new campaign brings this sentiment to life.”

From the classic bag of peas on a hurt knee to a unique tomato sauce application technique, the stories will run as standalone spots, as well as culminating in a hero TVC, celebrating the seemingly small, but very meaningful things New Zealanders do every day to feed the love.

ECD Peter Vegas commented, “It’s really exciting to be launching this new platform for one of New Zealand’s most iconic brands. And we couldn’t be happier with how the work has turned out. It’s such a lovely thought and has been delivered beautifully.”

You have less than three minutes to escape a house fire, or you die.

And the difference between those two endings is having a working smoke alarm.

But people are complacent about smoke alarms and the speed of house fires, because they’ve only seen Hollywood’s version. 

The movies show characters stepping through neatly flaming doorways, people heroically running back in to save their children and everyone making it out just in time. But that’s not how it goes. Fire gets real, fast. And no one knows that better than the fire fighters who’ve seen the real story. 

“What the movies don’t tell you is that it’s the smoke that incapacitates people in real house fires.” says National Advisor Fire Risk Management, Pete Gallagher. “You don’t have time to talk or plan heroic escapes.”

FCB Executive Creative Directors Peter Vegas and Leisa Wall liked that the “Firefighters Don’t Like Fire Movies” campaign was a new take on the category. “We were instantly taken by this fresh new insight and the team have brought it to life beautifully”.

The 60” TVC was shot by Wade Shotter of Finch: “My main focus was to bring the powerful voiceover to the screen in a senstive way that invited the viewer to feel, rather than telling them to feel”.

The ad features Aaron Jackson, a full-time career firefighter at Ellerslie Station in Auckland (and also an actor who may be familiar from his role in Shortland Street). The spot launches March 7 and a Te Reo version will screen on Maori Television.

The “Firefighters Don’t Like Fire Movies” thought was continued through press execution “Return to Script department” and the campaign will appear in environments where the movie comparison works hardest. FCB Media have partnered with TVNZ to show a Fire and Emergency warning before four Hollywood movies featuring misleading depictions of fires. These films will play on Saturday nights on TVNZ 2 later in March and April. In addition, this campaign includes online video, social, digital, post-trailer cinema ads, and placements in online movie environments: flicks.co.nz and NEON.

Bashing beets, smashing avo and butternutting up brunch with Kraft Heinz.

Just Smash^TM is a new range of chunky dips created to help you get gorgeously gourmet any time of day, without needing to get the blender out.

We created a series of deliciously colourful images designed to hero the ingredients for maximum appetite appeal.

Which is your favourite?

WorkSafe asks New Zealanders to listen to their inner meerkats.

WorkSafe and FCB New Zealand have launched a wild new campaign, challenging New Zealanders to take a fresh look at workplace safety. The launch TVC, hitting screens big and small this week, asks workers to be more vigilant and proactive, by listening to their inner-meerkats.

Chris Green, WorkSafe Marketing Manager, commented “Ultimately, we needed a campaign that empowers all in the workplace to take action if they are concerned about something going wrong. From the shop floor to the boardroom. This is about moving away from considering health and safety as clipboards and checklists – to really caring about people. Meerkats have each other’s backs and New Zealanders should have each other’s too”.

Directed by Mark Albiston and visual effects by Blockhead VFX, the TVC leads into an integrated campaign which will extend into OOH, digital and social.

Leisa Wall and Peter Vegas, FCB Executive Creative Directors, said “We really admire WorkSafe for their bravery. They knew that if they wanted to create real behaviour change and a platform that’s going to last, they’d need to do something radically different. They took the leap with us and we couldn’t be more proud of the result.”