NRMA Insurance recruits the help of an Aussie Pavlova in new holiday spot via Colenso BBDO
NRMA Insurance has launched its latest Christmas campaign via Colenso BBDO, delivering an important reminder to holiday drivers that too often we forget what’s precious – our children.
The film, directed by Steve Rogers, follows a family on Christmas Day carefully transporting the center piece pavlova on a journey to lunch at Gran’s house. We’re then sharply reminded that we’ve all been guilty of this exact scenario, cautiously driving to protect something that’s completely meaningless and unimportant like a cake, a new plant or take-away dinner, but what we should actually be paying attention to is how we drive with our children in the car.
The holiday campaign covers cinema, OOH, digital and a human behavioral experiment. The campaign was crafted with an integrated agency team from Mindshare and Thinkerbell.
Says Brent Smart, chief marketing officer, NRMA Insurance: “This is a helpful brand act at Christmas with a simple message – it’s one of the busiest times of the year, remember to drive safely.”
NRMA Insurance is delivering this road safety message at the most dangerous time of year for drivers. December has been the worst month for road trauma over the past 29 years. With drivers travelling longer distances, often on unfamiliar roads and with so much occupying their minds, NRMA Insurance wants to ensure we’re all taking care on the roads these holidays.
Says Nick Worthington, creative chairman, Colenso BBDO: “It’s a simple insight, and one that everyone seems to connect with. We all do it, we drive ridiculously carefully with a cake, coffee or in my case Wonton soup on the passenger seat, and we don’t think twice about driving way faster with our kids. It doesn’t make any sense, which is the whole point.”
A part of the integrated campaign, OOH photography was shot by James Tolich. Children’s eyes piercingly looking at camera, the OOH campaign reminds drivers on the roads to protect what’s precious, their children in the backseat.
As part of IAG’s agency roster, this is the first piece of work from Colenso BBDO for NRMA Insurance. Currently Colenso BBDO is the lead creative agency for IAG NZ. The Monkeys remain the lead creative agency for IAG in Australia.
Client: NRMA Insurance, IAG AU
Chief Marketing Officer: Brent Smart
Marketing Director: Sally Kiernan
Creative & Innovation Lead: Elizabeth Stokes
Creative & Innovation Specialist: Danielle Picker
Creative Agency: Colenso BBDO
Media Agency: Mindshare, AU
PR Agency: Thinkerbell
Stills Photographer: James Tolich
Production Company: Revolver / Will O’Rourke
Director: Steve Rogers
Managing Director / EP: Michael Ritchie
EP/Producer: Pip Smart
DOP: Mandy Walker
Post Production: The Editors
Editor: Alexandre De Franceschi
Colourist: Trish Cahill
Online: Richard Lambert
Sound Design: Franklin Rd
Sound Engineer: Shane Taipari
Music company: Soundtree Music Limited
Track Title: Drive Home
Composer: Luis Almau
Soundtree producer: Jay James
Published by Soundtree Music Publishing Limited
29 Comments
You can’t be serious?
I like this a lot. Simple and powerful. Well done.
I like it.
The mistake here was pre-assembling the Pavlova. Everyone knows it should be done at the last minute to keep the meringue dry and the cream and fruit fresh. The whole spot I couldn’t understand why she assembled it at home with a long drive ahead on a hot day and bumpy road.
excellent observation Nigella, Charles would never have approved this script.
I can’t stop laughing
I was expecting more having read the release. Insight is great. Finished film is so so. Missed opportunity
So sexiest….! I would have thought these days it would have been politically correct for the wife to drive and the husband to make and hold the pavlova.
Brilliant idea.
The sad music so early is a niggle, but what a great insight.
Woolies did the pav last year with nana and pop and it made me smile.
This take on the mobile pav didn’t as the woman is just weirdly neurotic and it’s a bit sad.
So, let me address the elephant in the room.
Why is Colenso doing NRMA work and not the Monkeys?
I’d maybe understand if the work was great but this ad is weak especially in comparison to the koala campaign the Monkeys did.
What’s the go?
Elephant alright, Hats off – someone has pulled one epic power play!! For the IAG NZ team to lead the Australian leading premium brand NRMA CHRISTMAS campaign is bloody hilarious and really embarrassing for the Sydney marketing team (another restructure no doubt?)
The ad – it’s alright. It will fit nicely into the noise with little brand recall or cut through. I do wonder if they are going to re skin it for the NZ brands? But seriously, the client brief CANT keep knocking off the creative template of a John Lewis AD over and over – – seriously, WTF.
And on another note, I feel sorry for the Monkeys, but congrats you’re not a real agency until you earn your strips with an IAG shafting!
Why no Monkey .. IAG AU v IAG NZ? #deathofcmo?
Meth. It’s a hell of a drug.
Couldn’t the monkeys crack it ? Trouble ahead
So have Monkeys/Accenture lost the NRMA biz?
It’s good. It could be better but it beats half the rubbish being PR’d these days. Well done and Merry fkn Christmas.
I heard the CMO at a talk where he mentioned how much he envious the John Lewis Christmas ads and how he wants to emulate them for NRMA.
Well, he has a long way to go.
If the best agencies in Colenso and the Monkeys can’t do it then maybe the problem isn’t the agency.
Comment with what you’ve done or shut up. This is a a great feel-good piece, powered by a brilliantly simple (locally relevant) insight.
I personally think they nailed it.
but you would be wrong
Hey an actual insight. Great work.
Jeez @MD you sound as jolly as the poor woman in the film looks.Cheer up mate it’s Christmas.
Except that pavlova is not Australian but was invented in New Zealand.
Excuse me but, how dumb are the people that bag this? Love the wheels bumping over the steel barrier. So cute.
Great insight. Great work. Well done all round.
The direction and performances are comically bad. The poor mother comes across as being traumatised, almost like last Christmas she botched the pav, ruined Christmas and her mother hasn’t spoken to her since. I did feel a sense of relief when she made it there with the pav in one piece only now I think her mum is going to get up her for being late. Next year maybe someone else could bring the pav and she can look after a salad or two, maybe a cheese plate. Can’t get over how bad this is, what a waste of money.
They went to a NZ agency for this crap?
Up there with my favourite ads – ever! Very clever insight. Love the 90sec.
I was just wondering where is the location of this ad. I live near Camden NSW and it looks like the bridge and road which goes to Camden/Picton. Can anyone verify this?
And who cares who invented the Pavlova it looked so yummy.