Youtube VideoThere’s been plenty of heated discussion about the new Z brand that’s being rolled out in New Zealand at the moment. Now BP has joined the petrol party with a big new brand out of Ogilvy NZ.
Much like the fantastic new Mitsubishi ad, the campaign, shot beautifully by Curious Film’s Josh Frizzell, is all about typically New Zealand journeys and the role the brand has played in enhancing them over the past 65 years. And, like the big Dr Seuss-inspired National Bank ad, it employs the power of rhyme and some warm fuzzies to get that message across.
When asked if the campaign was a response to the launch of Z, Ogilvy’s Michelle Boag said, after a rather long pause, “it’s something they’ve been working on for some time and it wasn’t prompted by any external factors”.
Of course, BP has had a pretty tough time of it recently. The big oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the behaviour of its US chief executive got the goat of pretty much everybody and there seems to have been an increase in negative sentiment towards oil companies in general as the price of petrol trends upwards. So to claim that BP is all about ‘Road Happiness’ at a time when people really aren’t happy with the company and what it sells seems like it could be a slightly bitter pill to swallow.
“BP is more than a fuel offering,” says Ogilvy head of planning Rupert Price. “When you choose BP, you find a host of other benefits that make your journey a happy one. From Wild Bean cafés to car washes, AA rewards to discount vouchers and the convenience of 200 friendly locations, BP is an integral part of a happy road journey.”
The campaign will be spread out across other media, but Boag says it’s just TV at this stage.
Credits:
Client: BP New Zealand – Nicki Nicol, Janene Linford, Samantha Climo, Vicki Bealing
Executive Creative Dir – Damon O’Leary
Group Creative Heads – Richard Loseby, Martin Hermans
Head of Planning – Rupert Price
Client Service – Nikki McKelvie, Cam Murchison, Karen Boulton
Agency Producer – Nikki Walker
Director – Josh Frizzell Curious Films
