Advertising agency Mechanic Group and independent marketing agency PistolShrimp are welcoming the new Jac T9 ute to Aotearoa in style.
The idea was the ‘Ultimate Tradie’, the brainchild of multi awarded senior creative and founder of Mechanic Group Richard Loseby. He first presented the rough concept before sailing off to Tonga and Fiji on his 14m sailboat for the winter.
‘Thanks to Starlink we were always in touch throughout that time, so when Jac were ready to push go in the summer of 24/25, so were we,’ he says.
A JAC of all trades
Loseby teamed up with PistolShrimp’s Lisa Gwynne to bring the campaign to life. Director Vicki Leopold from stills and film company ReloadPictures directed and produced the campaign and award-winning photographer Stephen Langdon shot the stills and was DOP across the films.
Loseby adds: “The team of Vicki and Stephen blew us out of the water with their dedication and enthusiasm, not to mention the skills to create a really top content and social media marketing blitz for our client.”
The car is known for being a “Jac of all trades” so, naturally, they needed someone who could put it through its paces. Enter, the Ultimate Tradie – a character reminiscent of a certain famous and ‘anonymous’ test driver (hint: it’s the Stig).
“They say he’s part builder, part sparky, part plumber, part roofer and part accountant,” says the voiceover in the campaign’s hero film.
The ute has off-road and towing power, over a tonne of payload capacity, room for the apprentices and even has a pie-warmer, the voiceover continues.
The final campaign is made up of a collection of long and short form video content that feature different aspects of the T9 use, while a range of stills all help the T9 shine – all produced on a shoestring budget.
“We’re absolutely thrilled,” says Jac marketing manager Kathryn Hayward.
