Deakin University launches new campaign ‘Let’s Keep Earth Wonderful’ via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Partnering with Melbourne independent, SICKDOGWOLFMAN, Deakin University has launched a new sustainability campaign, ‘Let’s Keep Earth Wonderful’, to remind us of the small, beautiful, unique things about everyday life on planet Earth that we often take for granted, but are unquestionably worth protecting and sustaining.
Boiling oceans. Melting ice caps. Impending doom. For years now, messaging around sustainability has leant on fear and negativity to paint a bleak vision of the future.
Deakin University, however, has a very different outlook. Spending each and every day working on projects ranging from the development of Australia’s largest university solar farm to complex integrated water management programs to cultivating rare forms of methane-reducing seaweed, has replaced that sense of fear with something else. Positivity, curiosity, and wonder.
Says Matt Edge, chief marketing officer, Deakin University: “Fear might be a motivator, but it’s not a problem solver. As an organisation, we believe deeply in approaching our collective sustainability challenges ahead with positivity and optimism. ‘Let’s Keep Earth Wonderful’ is a beautiful summation of the way we approach sustainability at Deakin.”
To execute the campaign, SDWM teamed with acclaimed production company, The Sweetshop, and director, Jared Daperis, to produce a series of admittedly ‘un-university like’ films.
Says Jess Wheeler, creative director, SICKDOGWOLFMAN: “Refreshing is a word that comes to mind. In people and practice. When Deakin approached us with this brief, we were quite taken aback by their sense of optimism for the future. Then we kept talking with them, and working with them, and seeing what they were doing and planned to keep doing. And, suddenly, it all made sense. Curiosity has always been the antidote to fear, and to build a better future that’s the attitude we need to take into each and every obstacle we face. We’re thrilled to partner with Deakin University on such a positive platform in a critically important space.”
Says Abbie Allen, director, brand and marketing communications, Deakin University: “It’s exciting to work on a campaign that truly represents our progressive thinking and optimistic perspective. Built on positivity and wonder, this campaign beautifully aligns with what the Deakin brand stands for. We couldn’t be happier in partnering with SICKDOGWOLFMAN, a group of similarly curious folk, to help capture and instill this sense of wonder in present and future Deakin students and ultimately encourage action.”
The campaign will launch on TV and digital media, and will be supported in future by radio and OOH executions.
Client, Deakin University
Chief Marketing Officer, Matt Edge
Director, Brand and Marketing Communications, Abbie Allen
Manager, Campaigns, Nicole Henden
Creative Agency, SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Creative Director, James Orr
Creative Director, Jess Wheeler
Design Director, Jake Turnbull
Business Director, Jarrick Lay
Senior Account Manager, Caterina O’Brien
Production Company, The Sweetshop
Director, Jared Daperis
Producer, Tom Davies
Managing Director, Edward Pontifex
Executive Producer, Greg Fyson
DOP, Sean Ryan
Art Director, Ella Carey
Colourist, Fergus Rotherham
Online Editor, Jamie Scott
Sound Design, Production Alley
Sound Engineer, Rodney Lowe
Composer, Nir Tsfaty
20 Comments
I really like this
SICKDOGS!!!
Friggen LOVE this. Made me forget about the whole impending doom thing.
Nice pieces but don’t know it’s doing much for Deakin. Connection between each “earth thing” and Deakins work seems thin. Also don’t quite get to the emotional connection because of the silly tone of the VO and music. Why a british accent?
A British VO, my good fellow, because it’s the type of upper class, educated, hoity-toity, voice job I’m sure I was the basis for, but I was sadly unavailable. I accept your implied thesis that Australians still struggle to accept their own accent as being intellectual based on the class prejudices instituted throughout the ABC in the 1950s.
sickdog continually makes my earth wonderful with their creative.
anyway – I’m off for a dart.
Positive. Like.
Will this be featuring on his death to shit ads blog?
Utter waste of money
Watch the brand metrics dir, as enrolments don’t change
It’s completely unbranded
On the contrary! The tone, visual, direction and sound immediately pulls us in, which then makes the audience NOTICE the brand more…too much brand splashing gets mixed in as ‘just another commercial’ – it’s nice to enjoy an ad again for a change.
…but that’s just my opinion.
A Deakin?
These are quite lovely and unexpected. Nice work Sweetshop and co.
There’s stuff on earth, and also, Deakin University.
You don’t know how advertising actually works do you.
Not a question.
You should work it out quick before you’re found out.
What on earth (no pun intended)? How is any of this relevant to or connected to Deakin? What a waste of money.
*inner monologue*
A punnet of hairy berries? SNOOZE. MUTE.
*continues relevant conversation with friend*
So Elon implanted chips into chimp brains.
Wait, why are we watching free to air tv?
Nice work SS and JD!!
Better than a lot and clever. Students are young (either in age or mind) and like things that make them think. Sustainability is better chosen than dictated. This is a winning angle.
The English accent is a problem. My immediate thought is it reflects the disproportionate number of male planners and creatives from the UK I’ve encountered in my career who seem to trade on their accents but don’t actually add the value everyone hopes their accents represent. But I think it’s more a case of just leaning on dusty old tropes of what educated or curious sounds like. What does Australian academia actually sound like? Broader, and more diverse. Accented for sure, but as likely to be a thick Indian or Chinese accent, or some kind of European, not just English. Where’s the bravery? Wheres the casting brief that isn’t just “Attenborough or Stephen Fry, but not too obviously”. Why are we still regarding that tiny island on the other side of the world with such exaggerated deference? Maybe we need to look at them more like the States does: quaint. No longer an empire. More important, what’s the message this choice sends? Is it that in these utopian-yet-nostalgic glimpses of life on earth, old ideas matter most? Doesn’t seem very progressive to me. And I love the way these spots feel. They’re cosy and delightful. With beautiful colours and a gorgeous dreamlike feel. Charming. But are they right?
well done on sneaking a nicely shot piece of content past the client that speaks to men 35+ that work in the ad industry. Interested to hear how many of them enrol in the new year.