DDB rolls out three new TVCs as part of Telstra’s Sushi Plane campaign targeting youth market
Early next week Telstra will start rolling out a series of reality-based TVCs designed to support its marketing strategyto better connect with Australian youth.
An assembly ofcandid, action-packed footage, the new commercials were shot in Tokyo andfeature 14 young Australians who won Telstra’s Sushi Plane online promotion inAugust.
Telstra’s Director, Advertising and Digital, Chantal Walker, said the new ads are part of a wider brand advocacy initiative presenting a new image of Telstra to young Australians.
“We know the youth market is more connected to technology than almost any consumer segment in Australian society and that the mobile phone acts as a social accelerator in their lives. Our TVCs try to capture this spirit in a way that’s very different to anything we’ve done previously and we hope this will have a positive impact on how they perceive our brand.”
In addition to the three 60-second TV commercials, a series of webisodes showing more highs and lows of the Sushi Plane adventure will bebroadcast online, along with a specially-created Motion TVC which brings tolife the contestants in traditional comic-book format.
“These new TVCsare an exciting new direction for Telstra, with the aim of lifting brandconsideration by changing young people’s perceptions of Telstra and what itstands for,” Walker said.
Telstra’s Sushi Plane departed Sydney for Tokyo in early August and waspacked with the fourteen lucky winners of the Sushi Plane online promotion.
A reality TV crew followedthe winners as they raced the neon streets of Tokyo and participating in theultimate Japanese Game Show experience in the hopes of becoming the Sushi Planechampion. Each contestant was equippedwith one of Telstra’s latest Android devices, the HTC Desire, so they couldpost, tweet, snap and share the whole crazy ride with their communities backhome. The reality TV crew captured all the twists and turns of their journey,the best of which has been used to create the new TVCs, including:
* Sushi Pain – contestants’nerves and stomaches were tested with a variety of “tantalising” Japanesedelicacies. Which team had the guts to conquer their sushi pain?
* Megapixel Sumo – with anancient shrine as a backdrop, contestants had to “man up” for a challenge thatput them in the ring with a professional sumo wrestler.
* Tokyo Adrift – driftingis considered one of the most exhilarating motorsports in Japan, so Telstra gotcontestants revved up with a breathtaking demo before turning the challenge onits head and having them race each other on hilarious tiny tricycles.
Sushi Plane is the latestinstalment in a line-up of youth marketing activities from Telstra including Free Run – a fleet offree cabs let loose over weekends in Sydney and Melbourne as a little welcomesurprise for young people enjoying a night out with friends and not having topay for their cab ride home, thanks to Telstra. Cabbie-Oke – combininga free cab ride with an awesome karaoke experience, Cabbie-Oke fast became aweekend highlight that youth in Sydney and Melbourne could share with friendsvia mobiles and online and Partycatchers – aunique, VIP city-swap experience, whereby Telstra held simultaneous parties inSydney and Melbourne, jam-packed with top Aussie bands, DJ’s and lots of extrasurprises.
CREDITS
DDB
ECD – Matt Eastwood
CD – Mark Harricks
Adam Ledbury, Art Director
Alex Stainton, Copywriter
Digital CD – Matt Grogan
Digital Art Director – Shanan Goldring
Digital copywriter – Karen Ferry
Agency producer – Kristy Fransen
Account manager – Clare Anderson
Account Director – Mel Harold
Brent Annells, ManagingPartner
Kristina Frost, GroupBusiness & Project Director
Anna Kismet, Senior BusinessDirector, Digital
Mango
Steve Fontanot, Head ofExperiential
Michael Ozard, ExperientialDirector
Larissa Best, AccountDirector
Naked
John Halpin, Senior CommunicationsStrategist
OMD
Katrina Jones, AccountDirector
12 Comments
So where are the ads?
Interesting how half the team who actually worked on the campaign aren’t listed in the credits. Wonder which DDB genius put that together. Clearly one that’s missing a lobe of their brain. Or didn’t actually do any work on the campaign.
Great campaign for HTC. Or Tourism Japan.
And the point is?
What a pile of shit.
Refreshingly different.
Wow! That’s brilliant.
After 4 years of trying, at least someone finally got their “We open in Tokyo” script made at DDB. Jealous.
So it’s Scott Pilgrim, poorly executed, using trendy inner city wankers.
Well done Telstra/DDB, you’ve totally connected with Australia’s youth market.
Like seeing a middle man in an Ed Hardy T-shirt.
Chantal Walker is going and shouldn’t be quoted.
This is brilliant work. Especially for Telstra. Telstra, people!!! Well done DDB.
this is really fresh & different..havent seen anything like it…tough gig getting young people to like telstra and this is a unusual but pretty interesting way to do it…good on telstra and DDB for breaking the mould