Energy provider Flick Electric has launched its first TV campaign in a bid to spread the word about what sets the company apart from its bigger competitors.
Led by three 30-second clips showing protagonists having lightbulb moments, the campaign is designed to draw attention to the company’s transparent pricing model that lets consumers know exactly what they’re paying for.
Since its inception three years ago, Flick Electric has built its business on selling electricity at the wholesale price with only a retailer fee attached. The thinking behind the approach has previously been explained in a series of animated online clips, which elaborated on the various points of difference of the company. Flick Electric has now also released an updated animation that digs a little deeper into a few of the statements made in the TV campaign.
The novel approach has seen the company grow quickly and led to it being acknowledged as the Energy Retailer of the Year by Deloitte last month.
Flick’s chief marketing officer Jessica Venning-Bryan says launching a television campaign is about taking the brand beyond the younger, early-adopter market.
“People are still watching TV as part of their overall media mix and it gives us an opportunity to talk to a broader audience,” she says.
“Early adopters, and digital-savvy youth, have been quick to see the benefits of our offer, and we can reach them via digital and social channels very effectively. But every New Zealander can benefit from more honest pricing – and serious long-term savings – so it’s time we took our message to a broader national audience.”
The TV campaign was crafted by Wellington consultancy Special Ad Service and directed by Finch’s Wade Shotter, who filmed the facial expressions of the talent in 800 frames-per-second slow motion (the voice-over belongs to Wellington actor and comic Cohen Holloway).
“To capture a moment’s change in expression, and do justice to it in a 30-second spot, we had to combine up to seven cameras, lighting and talent cues all within a two-second shoot window,” says Shotter. “In the end, they were computerised for maximum precision with a motion control rig, leaving just the talent to react to an audio cue. It took a bit of doing – but with an amazing cast and crew, our final takes (and ads) were everything we’d hoped for.”
Launched on September 4, the campaign also includes outdoor activations as well as radio spots in some markets.
CAMPAIGN CREDITS:
Client: Flick Electric Co.
Client team: Jessica Venning-Bryan, Jess Noone, Cam Price
Creative agency: Special Ad Service
Creatives: Scott Henderson, Jemma Titheridge
Production Company: Finch
Director: Wade Shotter
Producer: Sarah Cook
DOP: Ginny Loane
Photography: Steve Boniface
Retouching: Sixty Four
Audio: Native Audio
Media Agency: The Digital Cafe
