VODAFONE SHOWS KIWIS THE POWER OF 5G IN LATEST CAMPAIGN VIA DDB NEW ZEALAND
On 1 August, Vodafone New Zealand announced it would be switching on its 5G network in December. To mark the occasion, they teamed up with DDB New Zealand to create Huxley, a powerful commercial demonstrating the incredible everyday possibilities this transformative technology will help New Zealanders to realise.
The debut spot features two minutes of emotive storytelling, giving the audience a glimpse into two very different worlds. It tells the tale of a bereaved widower and the love for his dog Huxley, juxtaposed against the life of a Japanese veterinary surgeon in Tokyo. The two lives play out in parallel on opposite sides of the world, eventually coming together through remote surgery – enabled by the power of 5G.
In launching 5G, the challenge Vodafone New Zealand and DDB New Zealand faced is that many people don’t fully understand what 5G is, let alone what it will enable. The Huxley campaign is designed to show Kiwis how this leap in network technology will change the world as we know it. With infinite new opportunities due to higher speeds and lower latency, Huxley grounds the multitude of possibilities presented by this new tool in a simple emotive story and makes it relatable to Kiwis.
Damon Stapleton, DDB Regional Chief Creative Officer Australia & New Zealand, says the interesting thing about this campaign was the task of getting people emotionally invested in what could be seen as just a technological upgrade.
“This was a big task. We had to make people feel something for an intangible gift. We consciously decided not too go to crazy futuristic – we wanted this grounded in a human truth,” says Stapleton. “That’s part of the reason for the 120’ spot. We needed to spend the time to connect the dots between 5G and a better life.”
Nileema Allerston, Vodafone New Zealand’s Masterbrand Manager, says Vodafone is excited to see how New Zealand thrives with the 5G network up and running
“We are beyond excited to bring a world-class 5G network to New Zealanders. We’ve been so inspired by the 5G transformations in our other markets – including the first remote surgeries. After seeing this first release of the Huxley campaign, I think people will begin to realise how 5G can genuinely change how we connect.”
The debut Huxley TVC will roll out in 120”, 60”, 30” and 15” formats.
Agency: DDB New Zealand
Chief Creative Officer: Damon Stapleton
Executive Creative Director: Gary Steele
Creative Director: Matt Williams
Creative Director: Freddie Coltart
Lead Business Partner: Karla Fisher
Business Partner: Natalie Pierpoint
Senior Business Director: Jaheb Barnett
Business Manager: Toni Guy
Chief Strategy Officer: Rupert Price
Planning Director: Thinza Mon
Senior Integrated Producer: Nigel Sutton
Agency Producer: Esther Watkins
Agency Producer: Charlotte Glennon
Production Company: The Sweet Shop
Executive Producer: Ben Dailey
Executive Producer: Kate Roydhouse
Producer: Andy Mauger
Director: Mark Albiston
DOP: Ziga Zupancic
DOP: Marty Williams
Editor: Luke Haigh
Soundtrack/composer/Music: Cam Ballantyne
Stills Photography: Steve Boniface
Nileema Allerston, Manager Masterbrand
James Mason, Brand Lead, Masterbrand
Louise Kuegler, Brand, Advertising & Customer Insights COE Lead
Carolyn Luey, Consumer Director
15 Comments
congrats on discovering wifi
It shows it to be day in New Zealand but night in Asia. NZ would have the sun set before any major Asian city. The only explanation is that the operation is happening early in the morning in NZ and because of 5G technology the vet has to get up before the crack of dawn to operate. Totally takes me out of the moment. Unwatchable.
That’s exactly the sort of comment that stops work like this getting made in Australia. Pedantic fuckwits en masse who focus on the smallest most trivial things and contrive to kill ideas.
Lovely work DDB and Voda NZ
Thought this was quite lovely personally. Also, that dog’s “play dead” deserves an Oscar. Excellent performance!
beautiful but ….
Is the suggestion, this is only now possible because of 5G?
If the vet had relied on NBN we’d have a different ending. And by the looks of things the old man seems to be in a pretty remote part of kiwi-land.
Lighten up a little.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UBLjdtwxag
The rotation of the earth is only “trivial” if you’re a Flat Earther…. J’Accuse!
Well, no.
In one, a remote heart surgeon uses the latest telecommunications technology to perform life-saving surgery on a kid. In the other, a remote veterinary surgeon uses the latest telecommunications technology to perform life-saving surgery on a dog. Absolutely, totally 100% different.
Also, the new one is twice as long, making it twice as different.
Get your facts straight.
Nice spot… Shot well and great performances (even the dog!) I had a lump in my throat.
But what I REALLY love is “Greenwich’s” comment… Utterly insane.
If that made it “unwatchable” for you, I imagine you must not get many invitations to the pub…
That’s unfair – neither of the two CDs would be aware of that ad you’re referencing all the way back in South Africa back when they worked there
Both ECD and CCO are SA born and bred.
Got me in the feels.
“Unwatchable” LMAO. Vintage @Greenwich
much too long. Ahh, I miss the days of distilling a story. so much more powerful.
What’s the issue with Kiwi vets? They no good or something? Japan has the best vets who love to operate on Kiwi pets? I don’t get it but I work in advertising so that probably explains it.