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Public dumping: PR gold

National Australia Bank’s (NAB’s) ‘break-up’ campaign was so good it ended up as the lead story on the news, and generated countless free publicity before going on to win last year’s Grande Prix at Cannes Lions. With digital technology evolving faster than you can say business model or best practice, it’s now even more important to stay up to date with PR. To this end, CAANZ Marcomms Leadership Group (MLG) is hosting a special event on 21 March: Re-Imagining PR. The brains behind the ‘break-up’ campaign, NAB’s Kevin Ramsdale and Clemenger BBDO’s Tim McColl Jones, will be sharing their creative nous at the forum, but here’s a few morsels of their method to whet your appetite. 

With the announcement that BNZ has recently shifted its account to Colenso BBDO, in a move that aligns it with parent bank NAB’s Clemenger BBDO, we could soon be seeing more stunts like the ‘break up’ on this side of the ditch.

Kevin Ramsdale, general manager brand, National Australia Bank:

Kevin Ramsdale joined NAB in 2010 after five years at Bupa Australia Health and 15 years with Ford Motor Company. Initially general manager of marketing & research for NAB’s personal banking business, Ramsdale took on the brand role for the broader NAB enterprise in 2011 and played a lead role in the strategy development and execution of the much-discussed Break Up campaign.

1) How do you define creatively-led PR?
I’m not sure there is a specific definition as the area continues to evolve, my perspective is that we are increasingly seeing the nature of marketing changing and the importance of ensuring that you have a core central idea attached to a creative concept which is communicated through a wide variety of communications beyond the traditional ATL alone. Within this the role of diverse media and in particular PR to create talkability and engagement to amplify the message beyond the limitations of paid media.

2) What’s your favourite example of that kind of work, either from your own agency/network or elsewhere? And why do you think it worked?
Some of the tourism campaigns in Australia have created significant presence – the ‘best job in the world campaign’ for Queensland in particular created phenomenal response. It was an audacious claim and offer so naturally that sparked world-wide interest.

3) Why do you think that, on the whole, advertising agencies rather than PR/Experiential agencies tend to dominate in PR/Exp categories at creative award ceremonies (i.e. Cannes, and domestically, Axis).
Probably because they are planning and creatively led in their ideas generation, much of what we have seen really are examples of the power of pure creativity and obviously that is a central tenet to the advertising model. Potentially also these agencies tend to be closer to the client and the strategy development and briefing process so hence they are more engaged and from an earlier stage in the development of campaign activity.

4) Why should people come along to the CAANZ MLG Forum and what can they expect to hear from you?
It’s a wonderful opportunity to hear about some very recent successful work from several brands in an engaging forum, personally I’m really looking forward to being a part of it and sharing some insights with the group.

Tim McColl Jones, business director, Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne:

Tim McColl Jones is one of Australia’s leading independent brand communications practitioners with a unique blend of global, regional and domestic experience across a range of industry sectors. McColl Jones joined Clemenger BBDO/Melbourne as board director and business director for NAB in December 2010 contributing to the development of Break Up, which has become a hugely successful business and marketing milestone.

1) How do you define creatively-led PR?
Have a BIG idea.

2) What’s your favourite example of that kind of work, either from your own agency/network or elsewhere? And why do you think it worked?
NAB’s Break Up. An idea so big it became the news lead.

3) Why do you think that, on the whole, advertising agencies rather than PR/Experiential agencies tend to dominate in PR/Exp categories at creative award ceremonies (i.e. Cannes, and domestically, Axis).
An ad agency DNA is about bold, convention-breaking ideas (or should be). They tend to create the stone that gets thrown into the pond.

4) Why should people come along to the CAANZ MLG Forum and what can they expect to hear from you?
Any forum that shares industry thinking is incredibly healthy. To participate is an honour.

Youtube Video

Other speakers at the 21 March event include:

Matt Bruhn Marketing Director, Diageo Australia
Lynne Anne Davis, Regional President and Senior Partner, Fleishman-Hillard Asia Pacific

Idealog editor Hazel Philips will MC the forum, which will also offer audience members the opportunity to put questions to the speakers in a panel session chaired by Vincent Heeringa, publisher at Tangible Media. And, of course, there will be some post-forum drinks.

Tickets are $250 for CAANZ members and $290 for non-members. More information and registration details are available at www.caanz.co.nz/re-imaginingpr.

Youtube Video BNZ Presents Plunket – A Success Story 2011

Youtube Video BNZ pig tales circa 2008

Youtube Video  1984 BNZ ad. Eighties gold.

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