FCB, Fire Emergency New Zealand and celebrity chef Josh Emmett have launched a gripping campaign reminding Kiwis that unattended cooking is the main cause of house fires in New Zealand.
The 30″ spot has Josh Emmett filming himself at home while cooking and talking to the camera. He begins by frying meat in the pan and is shortly interrupted by a doorbell, kids voices and dog barking, however instead of abruptly leaving the kitchen, he makes sure to turn the element off and remove the pan from the stove.
The audience then watches the kitchen for an uncomfortably long ten seconds, which demonstrates the time it could take for a fire to start if the element was left on.
Returning to frame, Emmett discusses how easy it is to get distracted while cooking, yet insists Kiwis remember to ‘switch off before you walk off.’
Fire and Emergency national advisor on Fire Risk Reduction, Peter Gallagher, says house fires are already a major problem in our communities and with the current lockdown at hand, the odds are even higher as the majority of meals are being cooked at home.
“We needed this campaign to quickly address the increased risk and remind Kiwis to switch off the stove top before they leave the kitchen.”
FCB chief creative officer Tony Clewett says the message needed to be simple and clear.
“With no Uber Eats, takeout or fine dining, it’s old fashioned home cooking for the conceivable future, which also means a heightened risk of kitchen fires. If we remember to switch off before we walk off, we can make all the difference.”
Tactically targeting viewers during cooking times, the TV spot will run 12pm and 9pm. Additionally, a 15″ version will run across YouTube, OnDemand and social to address Kiwis while they’re most likely being distracted.
