It’s time to welcome in a new electric future as we head away from our unsustainable oil past. Mercury and FCB have called on Kiwis to ‘kiss oil goodbye’ as we head towards a more sustainable future and welcome in the electric revolution.
The hero TVC shows different scenarios of usual, oil-loving folk, saying goodbye to vehicles that hold a lot of sentimental value and switching to electric versions.
Kiss oil goodbye hits the nail on the head, as a lot of electric promotions fail to show that Kiwis do in fact, have sentimental attachments to their cars. They name them, they look after them, so switching even for a good reason can be hard for some people.
Yet this campaign tackles the problem well; These vehicles, although they have done us a great service and allowed us to do great things in the past, are outdated, unsustainable, and not a reflection of our electric future as shown in the TVC by the people who are saying goodbye for a good reason.
CMO of Mercury, Julia Jack, says this change is one of the best we can make.
“It’s time to say goodbye to our old modes of transport because there’s a better alternative. We might have had a good time with oil in the past, but it’s time to move on.
“The electricity we generate and use in New Zealand is over 80 percent 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,” Jack says.
Mercury started its campaign towards the electric revolution five years ago and has since worked with FCB across a number of campaigns to promote this message. This included the previous ‘Energy made wonderful’ and Evie electric vehicle campaigns.
David Thomason, chief strategy officer at FCB said about the campaign;
“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.”
“This campaign isn’t just about talking the talk,” says Jack. “We’re putting offers in place, incentives and ways to engage with our customers, and are refreshing our online presence with information that supports the movement to cleaner transport options,” Jack says.
“Among other initiatives, we will be extending our Mercury Drive EV-by-subscription service, and partnering with a global operator, JUMP, renowned for innovative e-bike and e-scooter solutions, to help more people test whether the change is right for them.”
‘This is my last oil car’ stickers can also be collected by the public to place on their cars to let other drivers know their next purchase will be an electric one.
Jack highlights the issue we have with placing a massive sentimentality to our cars, and that it can halt our progress by refusing to change our ways.
“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 and there’s a better relationship out there for all of us,” Jack added.
The campaign’s television commercial (TVC) was directed by Nathan Price and edited by 2020 Academy Award nominee Tom Eagles (nominated for his work on Jojo Rabbit).
The new TVC first airs on Sunday, 16 February. It will be supported by billboard and street poster marketing.
