Uber Eats introduces the Grey Wiggle in latest ‘Tonight I’ll Be Eating’ campaign via Special Group
Famed talent show judge, record executive, producer and celebrity manager Simon Cowell has returned to Australian TV screens; this time joining Australia’s most iconic household entertainment group – The Wiggles as part of Uber Eats’ latest and most unexpected iteration of its ‘Tonight I’ll Be Eating’ franchise created in partnership with Special Group Australia.
The campaign features Cowell – a world renowned professional music critic – starring as the ‘Grey Wiggle’, the latest member of the family-favourite band. Throughout the campaign Cowell is seen bringing his unique acid tongue to the rainbow skivvied Wiggles as he dishes out brutally direct feedback to the much-loved entertainment group.
This is now the fifth year of the ‘Tonight I’ll Be Eating’ franchise which first debuted in 2017 with stars including Naomi Watts, Beau Ryan, Sophie Monk, Hamish Blake, Andy Lee, Rebel Wilson and Boy George. Since then, the now world-famous brand platform has gone on to win over 40 awards across the globe with campaigns running in over nine different markets.
The ‘Tonight I’ll Be Eating’ franchise has featured unexpected duos including global megastar Kim Kardashian-West and renowned Australian character Sharon Strezlecki from Kath & Kim. In November 2020 the platform was launched in North America with a debut battle between world famous superstars and on screen rivals Mark Hamil and Patrick Stewart.
Says David Griffiths, head of marketing, Uber Eats ANZ: “Aussies love nothing more than coming together with their friends and family, and usually, food is at the heart of these sharing occasions. Consequently we are seeing more and more families come into the category. The Wiggles are an Aussie institution and Simon was the perfect person to join the band as The Grey Wiggle. The campaign builds from week-to-week across all forms of traditional, digital and social media so keep an eye out for some amazing collaborations and VIP appearances.“
Says Max McKeon, Uber APAC creative director, Special Group Australia: “The ‘Tonight I’ll Be Eating’ brand platform has made its way to over seven different countries, but our latest campaign brings it home strong again – pitting the harsh critique of Cowell against the unbending optimism of the Wiggles. It not only shows what great sports everyone involved was, but every adult who’s ever had to watch the family-friendly group will automatically empathise.”
The integrated campaign will run across TV, out-of-home, radio, social, digital and owned channels with more Wiggles characters set to appear in upcoming featurettes, including fan-favourites Henry the Octopus.
CLIENT: UBER EATS
MARKETING DIRECTOR APAC: LUCINDA BARLOW
HEAD OF MARKETING UBER, ANZ: ANDY MORELY
HEAD OF MARKETING, UBER EATS ANZ: DAVID GRIFFITHS
MARKETING MANAGER: CHANNA GOONASEKARA
STRATEGY LEAD: ALLY DOUBE
CREATIVE AGENCY: SPECIAL GROUP
FOUNDING PARTNERS/CEO: LINDSEY EVANS & CADE HEYDE
PARTNERS & CCO: JULIAN SCHREIBER & TOM MARTIN
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: MAX MCKEON
CREATIVES: JOSIE FOX AND HARRY STANFORD
SOCIAL LEAD: LACHLAN STEWART
HEAD OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT: TORI LOPEZ
BUSINESS DIRECTOR: CAITY COWPER
BUSINESS MANAGER: DHARSH SUNDREN
GROUP STRATEGY DIRECTOR: CELIA GARFORTH
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: SEVDA CEMO
HEAD OF STILLS AND DIGITAL: NICK LILLEY
PRODUCER: STEPH WILKINSON (SOCIAL)
DIGITAL PRODUCER: STACY SZABO
TALENT DIRECTOR: EMILY STEWART
HEAD OF DESIGN: ADAM SHEER
SOCIAL AND INFLUENCER SPECIALIST: SARAH MCKIE
EDITOR: FRASER KELTON (SOCIAL)
MEDIA AGENCY: MEDIACOM
GROUP CLIENT DIRECTOR: LYNSEY MOGRIDGE
GROUP STRATEGY DIRECTOR: TIM HULL
GROUP INVESTMENT DIRECTOR: JEN DONALD
ASSOCIATE DIGITAL DIRECTOR: CLAUDIA DOMINGUES
SOCIAL CONTENT: R/GA
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: BEN WALL
CREATIVES: BEN NEWMAN & NEIL WALSHE
SENIOR SOCIAL STRATEGIST: CALLUM JAMES
FILM PRODUCTION: FINCH
PRODUCTION COMPANY: FINCH COMPANY
DIRECTOR: ALEX ROBERTS
CINEMATOGRAPHER: ANDREW COMMIS
MANAGING DIRECTOR: COREY ESSE
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: LOREN BRADLEY
PRODUCER: NICK SIMKINS
ART DIRECTOR: SAM LUKINS
POST PRODUCTION: ARC EDIT
EDITOR: LUCAS BAYNES
POST PRODUCER: MICHAELA FENTON
COLOURIST: FERGUS ROTHERHAM
ONLINE OPERATOR: VIV BAKER/CHRIS BETTERIDGE
SOUND: RUMBLE
SOUND ENGINEER: CAM MILNE, LIAM ANNERT & TONE ASHTON
SOUND PRODUCER: KATIE HARPER
SOCIAL DIRECTOR /DOP: WILL ROBERTSON AUS
SOCIAL DIRECTOR /DOP: DAVID SYMMONS UK
STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER: CHRISTIOPHER TOVO – AUSTRALIA
STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER: SIMON EMMETT – UK
STILLS PRODUCTION: CHEE PRODUCTIONS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: MATT CHEE
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: TAMIKO WAFER
RETOUCHING: CREAM / EA
FOOD STYLIST: HANNAH MEPPEM
43 Comments
But I love this ad. The best one yet? Just wish they left out the last “Quiet red one.” line. Very funny stuff.
If you’re going to use a celebrity, use them well. This most certainly did. Very funny. (When did the Wiggles update their skivvies?).
Shame they weren’t Australian !!!!!
Menulog had snoop and this is the response.. Wow, Uber used to be the gold standard.
Yep. Special have done it again.
If you’re going to shoot Simon Cowell against green screen in the UK and then plonk his head on a body that is shot in-situ in Australia then you’ve at least got to match the cameras, cut the angles that obviously don’t work and tidy up the green spill a bit more. I know we’re working in a difficult environment but this is very sloppy stuff imo.
it was like floating all over the show
Might be my new favourite thing. These made me giggle a lot – nice one guys!
Love these, well done Special.
Can someone tell me what the actual /idea/ is behind these?
You didn’t want to be… but it was still important enough that you were that guy.
Great stuff Special, that first song is going to be stuck in my head for days (and I want zucchini linguine for dinner now)
Nice work Special. Very Entertaining.
Well done everyone involved.
Very funny. But I can’t help but feel these ads are category generic.
Made me laugh. Especially love the Hot Potato. Congrats
It started off as something like;
Whoever you are, watever you like… you can get it on Uber Eats.
But as the celebs gradually amped up, it’s becoming a claim of supremacy, like even celebrities eat it, so something like;
If you could have anything for dinner, you’d get Uber Eats
It would be something like: Anyone can get something they love on Uber Eats. Even your favourite celebrities.
But it’s really just a rip off of the Uber Eats campaign
It is an Uber Eats campaign?
Gold. You win Campaign Brief comments for this week.
This is probably the best one. Especially if you’re a parent…so can relate.
So great to see such commitment to a brand platform. The executions are hilarious.
Stupid and embarrassing.
Awww diddums
Uber is a great example of Big Brand advertising,. Of course they are also prolific in the bottom of the funnel, short term ad space as well… Imagine what other brands could do if they had the same commitment to big brand budgets!!!
I like it. Good use of Simon Cowell.
Dude! Thought the same thing.
Really funny spots too. Great writing. Just couldn’t get over the crunchy grey wiggle, different camera too.
You could tell, looks like a wiggle cut him out and stuck him down with clag glue.
Disappointing for everyone I’m sure.
Ahh the Genius of the group, lets talk about hat guy…
That guy was he the one that lost the pitch?
That guy was he at the shoot, if he was it’d be best he resigns.
That guy was probably not there during the post production process either, or if he was he should refer to point two above.
That guy also has no understanding of fast turn around jobs?
If that guy wasn’t there at the shoot and wasn’t present for the post production process to see any challenges that needed over coming the I’d suggest that guy just STFU.
Stoner advertising at its finest.
(High praise.)
Wow….hahahaha!
Been a while since I actually laughed in an ad. When the world seems to be obsessed with purpose led ads designed to make “move you” it’s refreshing to see Uber sticking true to to their lighthearted DNA! Brilliant.
So damn good. Really, really entertaining.
love this
It’s an interesting question as to what tips a consumer to pick one delivery service over another. There certainly is no brand differentiation in these spots. How do you get to be top of mind? Is that worth the spend? And for how long?
Honestly, do you really think the average parent sitting on the couch with their kids, pissing themselves laughing gives a crap about camera angles and green screens? Nailed it, love it.
It’s often referred to as brand building. Tone of voice, scripted mechanics (think, “Tonight, I’ll be eating”). It’s these types of things (There a several other key differentiators available for you if you watch it again) that generally allow the consumer to catch on. Oh, and Menulog is driven by quite the catchy jingle. If you watch both very closely, without blinking, you may find the answers you seek.
Build a great platform and keep breaking it. This is really nice. A shame about the post.
Few cheap cheese plate laughs with a kids show band. No flavour in these for me. A colloquial no thanks.
Surprised how easily people are impressed on this forum.
V F Funny – Uber & Specials – boom you’ve done it again. Congrats!
So jealous. So good.
What a horrible MEAN add with nasty Simon Cowell !!!
The wiggles image will be tarnished with this add campaign !!!
We are trying to teach kids and ( adults) to be KIND and TOLERANT to each other !!!
And you come out with these adds !!!???
SHAME ON YOU !!!
A nasty add !!!
Using the wholesome wiggles !!!???
UP YOUR GAME !!!
There is no way this ad would make me use Uber. Very sad.