Mercury Energy is celebrating New Zealand’s “good energy” in its latest TVC. Tiki Taane has that in spades, and has happily lent his talent to the ad, which was made by TBWATequila, with the Always On My Mind singer recording a new version of Over the Rainbow and donating all proceeds from the sale of it to Starship Hospital. What a good country!
Taane joins the Jeremy Wells club of unlikely celebrities spruiking power companies. But, rather than focus on renewable energy like Meridian, Mercury Energy’s new TVC celebrates this country’s good energy. Kiwis, the ad says, are full of good energy.
“In their hearts, their minds, and their souls. We harness it, and we share it.”
It’s elaborate, heart warming, and it’s chock full of kiwiana. Buzzy Bee is there, along with honesty boxes, Hairy Maclary, and sick penguins. But rather than training Pukekos to paint, like Genesis, Mercury uses an animated Kereru to swoop over the country, linking scenes of good energy everywhere. Much easier, and less mess.
The phrase ‘Good Energy’ was Mercury’s internal rallying cry, explains marketing manager Mike Larmer:
“It felt like the time was right to take the message to New Zealand as a whole, with a new brand campaign. We want to celebrate what makes New Zealand Godzone, and explain that we have set ourselves the purpose of enriching New Zealand life everyday.
“Last year we were awarded Deloitte’s Energy Retailer of the Year, so now we want to become NZ’s Good Energy Company,” says Larmer.
Mercury Energy’s Star Supporter’s Club allows Mercury customers to donate to Starship through their electricity bill. The Club has grown to almost 30,000 members, and when combined with Mercury Energy’s annual donation it is the largest single source of funds, from a retailer, for the Starship Foundation.
Mercury Energy General Manager, James Munro, says: “The essence of this campaign is ‘Good Energy’, something that’s well and truly alive in New Zealand. All Kiwis have a good energy story – whether it’s the time someone stopped to help you when your car broke down on the side of the road or the stranger who returned your lost wallet complete with cash.”
“We all felt that partnering with Tiki to support Kiwi families when they needed it most was a great way to celebrate such a strong Kiwi concept,” he adds.
The Good Energy campaign from WhybinTBWA leads with a 60 second TVC supported by a fully integrated experiential campaign. It encourages all Kiwis to show their “good energy” by purchasing Tiki’s song, as proceeds raised go directly to Starship Kids.
WhybinTBWA chief executive David Walden says: “This campaign signals Mercury Energy’s intent to harness and share New Zealand’s Good Energy in everything that it does as a brand. Mercury is an amazing brand that touches a lot of Kiwis and this ‘Good Energy’ campaign is designed to share their point of view with the nation.”
“I reckon New Zealanders will really like it. It contains some iconic Kiwi images and the song is absolutely beautiful, so if you haven’t bought it I urge you to download it now, knowing the proceeds will go directly to kids in need,” says Waldon.
The big brown Kiwi smoke-cloud in the sky is an interesting choice of symbol for Mercury though, as one savvy viewer has pointed out. Mercury Energy is likely to be the first state-owned asset sold off overseas. Oh the ironing, as Bart Simpson would say.
The same eagle-eyed viewer also points out the power station in Mercury’s ad looks suspiciously like the Huntly power station, owned by Genesis, than any of Mighty River Power’s. You decide.
Mercury
To download the full version of Tiki Taane’s song from iTunes click here.
Credits:
Agency: WHYBIN TBWA
CEO: David Walden
ECD: Andy Blood
Account Director: Mandy Eckford
Agency Producer: Jackie Clark
Production Company: Exposure
Directors: Kevin Denholm & Chris Clark
Producer: Hamish Skeggs
DOP: Ginny Loane
Editor: Tim Mauger
Grade: Toybox
Visual Effects/ Post Production: Blockhead
Animation: Flux Media
Animated Characters:
Buzzy Bee – Lion Rock
Hairy Maclary – Penguin Group / Lynley Dodd
The Little Yellow Digger – Scholastic / Betty & Alan Guilderdale
Audio Post Production: Franklin Rd
Music: Tiki Taane
Song: “Over The Rainbow” Publishers Over The Rainbow, Written by H.Arlen / E.Y.Harburg, © 1938 EMI Feist Catalog Inc.
Voice Over: Moana Maniapoto