Bonds gives ‘Big Icon Energy’ in latest campaign for its new Icons range via Special Australia
Bonds has launched its new Icons range with a new latest campaign via Special, reinventing its iconic styles with fresh cuts and bold patterns to match the vibe of a new generation.
Produced by Special and DIVISION, the Icons campaign leads with an anthemic film that embodies the unapologetic attitude of a generation that aren’t afraid to be themselves, bare their flaws to the world and unleash their ‘Big Icon Energy’. The campaign enlists the help of Olympic skateboarder Keegan Palmer, singer Mia Rodriguez, dancer Lance Savali, and DJ sister duo Kinder, who channel the ‘Big Icon Energy’ of their new Bonds Icons.
Set in a corner store to a bespoke track, the film follows four next-gen talent as their iconic energy is amplified by the Icons range to ripple out and affect the world around them — setting off car alarms, buzzing street lights and drawing the attention of every camera.
Directed by Sanjay De Silva, the film comes to life in a long form music video for Bonds organic channels as well as 30”, 15” and 6” cutdowns.
Says Kedda Ghazarian, marketing manager, Bonds: “Our new Icons range is an exciting reimagination of our classic styles, with bold cuts and fierce patterns that take them to the next iconic level! We want our campaign to be a rallying cry for people across Australia to embrace their ‘Big Icon Energy’.”
Says Sian Binder, creative director, Special: “Engaging with this audience is tough so we knew tone and vibe was going to be everything. The campaign is loud, bold and a bit wild, just like the Bonds Icons range.”
The campaign will roll out across TVC, OOH, OLV, Podcast Partnerships, Social and Owned Channels. Supporting organic content will also live across social on TikTok, IG and Snapchat.
Visit the website: https://www.bonds.com.au/stories/bonds-icons.html
Clients: BONDS
Head of Marketing: Kelly McBride
Marketing Manager: Kedda Ghazarian
Brand Manager: Edwina Moller
Agency: Special Australia
CEO/Partners: Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
CCO/Partners: Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber
CSO/ Partner: Rebecca Stambanis
Senior Strategist: Leoni Simon
Executive Creative Director: Ryan Fitzgerald
Creative Directors: Sian Binder & Lea Egan
Creatives: Lauren Regolini & Locki Choi
Designers: Sabine Schwartz & Bella Plush
Team Lead: Georgia Newton
Business Director: Atlanta Woolley
Business Manager: Phoebe Peralta
Lead Producer: Sophie Simmons
Film & Stills Producer: Alex Gillespie
Production Company: DIVISION
Director: Sanjay de Silva
MD/EP: Genevieve Triquet
Producer: Poppy Jones
Director of Photography: Max Walter
Production Designer: Imo Walsh
Stylist: Ella Murphy
Photographer: Stephanie Cammarano
Producer: Emma Patcas
Content Production: Nathaniel Kiwi
Post-production
Music Production: Public
Press Composition: El Plasticos
Post House: The Editors
Editor: Lily Davis
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham
Online: Blockhead
Sound: Gusto Studios
Retouching: Visual Thing
Talent Agency: ARC Factory
Media Agency: OMD
54 Comments
Do we not do ideas anymore? Seem’s like all you need is a slick director treatment, a servo/corner store and as many ‘borrowed’ gif-memes as possible.
Methvertising is here.
Sanjay doing some heavy lifting with execution there.
‘big *blank* energy’ feels done to death
…said the IDEA”
Oh, that’s right, it’s a music video so it doesn’t need one.
Really? This industry is heading into a very sad and lazy direction.
Bonds what has happened to you.
But I really don’t know how this is good advertising. All the gear, and no idea.
Big Boob Energy was launched just last week. From another brand by Hanes.
CMO’s, dancing isn’t an idea.
And everyone else is doing it.
No cut-through.
Please bring ideas back, and please stop the dancing.
Has A LOT to answer for. What a crap hollow baseless campaign and culture of no one’s who call themselves some one’s. Then again this client is a notorious joke of infighting toxicity so I guess this will be another campaign that rolls over and is replaced by another team who’ll fall for the Bonds BS.
It’s fashion.
Check out any fashion mag and 99% of the ads are no different to this
Great images.
Relevant attitude.
Lots of product.
In fashion advertising, 99% of the time that is the idea.
If it’s good enough for LV, Gucci, Hermes, D&G, Pucci, Rolex, Montblanc……it’s good enough for Bonds.
Comparing this mishmash already aged copy-cat piece to the brands you’ve mentioned is a massive insult. Those brands do have a concept, a philosophy and a style to their advertising and branding. Most importantly they don’t copy, they try to lead with originality.
Special are doing all sorts on dull lately. What this lacks in idea it sadly doesn’t make up in choreographed loudness. The Virgin spot yesterday was another sort of dull and was thankfully put in its place by BA over night. Special need to get back to the interesting work they were doing 2-3 years ago. Not the stuff they’ve been serving up lately
get me out of here.
We are are now totally dumbed down.
So depressing.
I am done.
the green hair guy.. wow..
Did that green haired dude in the middle TikTok just fake a pill drop??? TikTok is filled with 8 year olds.
Come on Bonds, you’re better than this (or are you?!)
Props to Sanjay for giving exactly what they called and asked for. ‘A flybuys ad with no idea’
Terrible
jacked up dude with the green hair looks like he’d deck you for looking at him the wrong way.
Really really dislike this work.
is this what the best in the business are serving up now?
I like it, it speaks to me.
This is what happens when all the kids are on the TikTube! Grrrr…
Howcome only one body type in this? Can those with curves not be fashionable too?
Fly buys aesthetic without the great VO, without the originality , without an actual concept , without a message , and without anything other than superficial over art directed neon colour palettes. I can’t wait for this type of imposter music clip to go back to where it came from. Also big ‘energy’ must have had a copywriting fire sale … credit to the director who dealt with that client. Never again ( says every naïve production company in Australia). Glad my producing days are over.
Genuine question. Is BONDS owned by BRA’S N’ THINGS who is currently running the campaign ‘Big Boob Energy’?
Everyone is arguing over a commercial like it’s some piece of art.
It’s a fun ad, made to sell undies to young people that see Bonds as the uncool brand they grew up buying in Woolies.
Don’t overthink it, yeah? The ad’s obviously aimed at young people, not washed up wankers who should be working, but instead sit here lamenting that a film designed to sell skid-mark collectors doesn’t have some hidden deeper meaning.
OATH
SPOT ON. Also lost it at “skid-mark collectors” hahahahaha
This overly colourful style was cool in music videos 5 years ago.
It’s trying so hard to be edgy it does the complete opposite.
I like.
But theres’s no idea.
But I like.
But no idea.
But I like.
But no idea.
I’m confused.
I wish there was an idea.
Dear Confusion
There is an idea.
Bonds Big Icon Energy look cool.
What bigger better idea can there be for a fashion item?
As I understand it, they are both owned by the same parent company. Hanes Brands.
Same head office.
Marketing teams must not talk to each other
The best way to see if an ad is powerful is how you describe it to a friend.
“Hey, have you see the new Bonds ad where good looking people dance around in Bonds?”
Yeah, not good.
I’m sure there is an idea in here somewhere. Somehow it has been lost.
Gen Z deserve better. Don’t insult their intelligence.
is disappointed by the lack of puns or some over wrought ‘idea’ that only appeals to other 45 year old white males.
Hey Diversity are you and your zealot buddies ever happy?
They look like different body types to me.
It’s like the I Give A FlyBuys TVC mated a Diesel paste up campaign and saved it onto VHS. I dig it.
This stereotypes Gen Z. We’re not all Tik Tok dancers, inked or ride skateboards. Don’t insult our intelligence.
Find a way to showcase the merch.
Probably met the goal.
The issue here isn’t about whether it has an idea in it or not, the issue is that there’s nothing creative, entertaining or unexpected about it. There’s also just enough in it to still make it feel like an ad. No Tik Tok munching person will give this a second thought.
Borrows heavily from Nike LDNR. You can still be cool and have an idea.
Why even brief this in to creative? This could have gone straight to the director at this point.
Some people are still stuck in a world where an idea has to be explained to them.
I’ve been looking for one more reason to finally hit eject on ad land. I think this glimpse into the industry’s future might be just what I’m looking for. I’d rather be laying bricks for a living. Thank you Bonds. Thank you Special.
So many references and techniques from ads or music videos from 5 years ago mashed together for no reason?
The youth this is marketed to will see straight through it.
“How do you do, fellow kids?”
Enough said.
Spot on
Apparently Gen Z are so brainless that all they do is vibe pose and take selfies. Great insight.
Would be funny if it was taking the piss.
To everyone carrying on, call a spade a spade: ads are designed to interrupt what we’re doing and get our attention.
So it may as well be entertaining and hold me captive til the end- which this is and did!
Well done to the creatives on this, bloody sick.
Yes correct. But it’s either interrupt and make you hate the product for interrupting you with their lameness or hopefully make you intrigued. Which is this?
I’d say you may watch this to the end and then go fuck, why did i watch that? Bonds is lame.
The target audience isn’t going to think this is cool. Because they’ve seen this same shit regurgitated for 100’s of brands over the last 5 years.
Reading through this thread of comments is so amusing, clearly a lot of has been CDs and “advertising types” who are probably stuck executing the same old hyberbole with “an idea” which makes them feel all warm and fuzzy and leaves the rest of everyone else hitting propping our eyes open with toothpicks. Get your head out of your own arses…
This is great and clearly aimed at a specific target, better than some of the other drivel been served up lately… and from the big end of town too, wankers.
Nah i think you’re a bit lost. Think of who this ad is for and what they watch everyday. Thinking this is great is undermining the intelligence of the kids it’s aimed at and also shows how out of date and out of touch you are. Simply copying visuals from the last 5 years isn’t going to impress the target market. They’re smarter than that and more culturally aware.
This was the BIGGEST SLAY of my life. They caught the vibe and brought it to the people. I often hate campaigns that just have a lot of b-roll and no intention but this is art, from the choreography of the talent to the camera movement.
This makes me proud to work in the media industry and the team should feel like this is a BIG WIN!
To the people that are overlooking it or trying to run the data through it step back and just enjoy it.
THE ONLY THING MISSING ARE BIG BODS, as we slip back into this hyper 90s aesthetic we need to remember the progress we have made for body positivity!
I know you worked on it, and good effort.
It’s not bad at all.
But it isn’t art. Not at all. It’s an ad. Without much of an idea.
The style, vibe, look and multiple nonsensical camera movements are simply copied from work overseas from 4 years ago.
90’s has been well and truly in for ages, it’s not coming back in.
Yes it is fun, and I’m sure it was fun to make, but to think Gen Z hasn’t already seen this 100 times is to insult them and shows that you are old and out of touch.
Yes it’s a step in a good direction in some ways, in other ways not.
ALL YOU HATERS SOUND OLD AND BORINGGGGGG lmaooooooo have a bit of fun.
A real Gen Z person would actually find this boring. Trust me, I’ve asked them. They see it as try hard.
It’s the older generations that haven’t seen it before that think it’s ‘fresh’ and ‘brings the vibe’. That’s because they’re out of touch.