A cast of charming animals star in RACQ’s new brand campaign ‘You with RACQ?’ via VML
RACQ has launched a new brand platform via VML that celebrates Queensland and features a cast of charismatic animals to deliver humour, emotion and insightful commentary about situations that Queenslanders face every day.
The new brand platform, ‘You with RACQ?’, embraces the cheeky, larrikin nature of Queenslanders while reinforcing the features and benefits of RACQ’s roadside assistance, insurance and banking products.
Each commercial in the campaign features a pair of watchful characters, effortlessly blending light-hearted humour into relatable situations that are often stressful and tense (for the humans).
This shift is a deliberate move by RACQ to continue to connect with its audience and members on a more personal level, reminiscent of the brand’s beloved ‘Charter Boat’ campaign that left a lasting mark on Queensland’s advertising landscape.
The new brand platform has kicked off with four unique scenarios promoting different product offerings featuring cockatoos, kookaburras, water dragons and possums, in a fully integrated campaign across TV, radio, outdoor, online video, digital, and social.
Says Tim Cochrane, general manager marketing membership and digital, RACQ: “This is our new interpretation of what it means to be quintessentially Queensland, and we are excited to take the brand to a new level.
“It leans into our core of trust and safety; and aligns with our vision to be a trusted partner for our members providing solutions to move and live safely, securely and sustainably.
“We are proud Queenslanders and believe this is reflected in our ads. We have served here for 119 years and are honoured to be Queensland’s largest Club.”
Says Adam Kennedy, managing director of VML Brisbane: “It’s a privilege to create a new platform for an iconic Queensland brand, like RACQ.
“This new creative direction for the brand takes relatable Queensland scenarios and combines them with the personality, charm and cut-through observations of our feathered, furry and scaly friends.”
VML worked closely with Chop Shop to create 3D animals, overlayed with the facial expressions of real people, to bring each story to life.
This is the first work that VML have created since its appointment in 2023 following a competitive pitch process. This new partnership leverages the full breadth of VML’s service offering, including brand, creative, digital, design, and programmatic.
Client: RACQ
Tim Cochrane: General Manager Marketing Membership and Digital
Helen Dearling: Manager Brand and Marketing Sponsorships
Candice Watt: Manager Member and Consumer Research
Annie Deeth: Marketing Lead
Sarah Ford: Marketing Specialist
Catie Baumgarten: Marketing Specialist
Kelly Gorry: Manager Marketing Operations and Creative
Alex Pain: Creative Designer
Creative Agency: VML
Managing Director: Adam Kennedy
Head of Strategy: Andrew Kolb
Head of Client Engagement: Janelle Shinners
Client Partner: Ingrid Postle
Account Director: Camille Briscoe
Account Manager: Ali Candrick
Chief Creative Officer, APAC: Paul Nagy
Executive Creative Director: Stu Turner
Senior Art Director: Cameron McDonald
Senior Copywriter: Shaun McMahon
Head of Production: Mignon Van Weeren
Studio: Santi Drane
Head of design: Melissa Radman
Design: Jaz Baker
Media: Zenith
Group Business Director: Emma Davis
Client Partner: Lauren Greer
Digital Director: Louise Marks
Account Manager: Tim Svenson
Digital Account Manager: Paulina Munoz
Production: Chop Shop Post
Directors: Lav Bodnaruk + Mike Mier
Producers: Lav Bodnaruk + Mike Mier
DOP: Lav Bodnaruk
VFX: Chop Shop Post
VFX Supervisor: Romain Bierman
Post Production Producer: Murray Pope
Offline Editor: Steph Liquorish
Online: Scott Wilson
Production Manager: Carolina Gesser
Talent:
Stephen Curry, Bernard Curry – Cockatoo voices
Madeleine Levins & Sam Simmons – Kookaburra voices
Damien Garvey & Leon Cain – Water Dragon voices
Adam Zwar & Nelle Lee – Possum voices
18 Comments
…far out these are grouse.
Oh dear.
Fun and I actually enjoyed them. Decent writing.
These are great. Fun casting too.
Pretty ropey
These are unexpectedly great. Comedy is hard and I actually lol’d.
What’s with the logo on the bottom right? Seems like a mandatory rather than actual thought…
Made me laugh.
Nice to see all the old Optus animals getting new jobs with Telstra and RACQ.
You know what everyone really loves? Animals! HBF and Compare the Market nailed it. It doesn’t even have to be that funny—just throw in a talking animal, and people will laugh anyway.
Way too hard in this instance, it would seem.
Deciding to choose animals to execute the strategy is not a decision in strategy, or planning, but a creative one.
Maybe if you were a planner you would know this.
I like ’em
…I want my campaign back (again).
First ‘A Bear in there’ rips it off, and now VML.
Australian advertising, where has your originality gone?
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the new campaign platform featuring Cockatoos, Kookaburras and Water Dragons!
Every time they come on the TV, my husband and I have to stop and watch and always end up smiling!!!!
Well done!
Not funny in the slightest, and odd to run these while Telstra’s superior ‘two animals chatting’ ads are on airwaves
You have to be joking. Telstra was hundreds of dull variations of the same joke – animals breaking the 4th wall. The worst part of this RACQ campaign is the sign off gags where they emulate that – I don’t think they need it, and it only then begs the comparison. But Telstra had zero insight – they just kept parroting the client written line about best coverage in wherever. This has an insight – about yellow cars, which is clever.
The animals talking idea has been around on film since the dawn of animation, but you can still be creative with how you use it. For mine RACQ’s use is smart, Telstra’s was self indulgent.
The possum ad is absolutely brilliant, hilarious and entertaining.
Big shout out to the marketing team behind this – well done can’t stop laughing every time I see it.