GMSV’s Chevy Silverado gets an Australian twist in latest campaign via MBCS and MIK Studio
As GMSV continues to generate excitement for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 fleet in the Australian market, integrated creative agency MBCS recently teamed up with MIK Studio and director Jolyon Watkins for its new campaign.
The spot addressed common queries about the fleet, the adaptability of its range, and urban myths relating to the application of larger vehicles in busy city streets, putting them to the test in real-world scenarios.
Says Shanan Goldring, creative director at MBCS: “We set out to craft a campaign that taps directly into the excitement surrounding the 1500 series, drawing inspiration from authentic conversations happening across social media. By harnessing the real buzz from passionate voices, we aimed to amplify their enthusiasm and make it the heart of our story.”
Says Trent Peppercorn, head of Melbourne at MBCS: “Since GMSV’s inception and the remanufacturing of the USA Silverado for ANZ, we have endeavoured to carve out our own path in the market and hit different to make a difference. Our strategy was to uniquely own the large pickup truck segment, with our tagline ‘Live Big. Truck It,’ a rallying cry among our drivers that signals their hunger for adventure and capability to tackle the harshest that ANZ has to offer.”
MIK also collaborated with XM2 GROUP, leveraging their drone capabilities to deliver some incredible trick shots, including a drone taking off from one truck and landing on another — a first for the Australian market.
Says Watkins: “Dynamic tracking and a truly unique location will only get you so far. The cornerstone of our storytelling became our dynamic trick shots and eye-catching transitions, which really tapped into aerial specialists XM2’s innovative and ‘can do’ attitude.”
The crew worked across some incredible locations throughout Victoria, from Melbourne to the deep country, showcasing the versatility of the 1500 range as a truck that truly belongs everywhere.
Says Ty Linegar, executive producer of MIK Studio: “Jolyon is a force of nature who has an admirable fanaticism for his work. He’s an inspiration to watch, and once he’s in the zone, there’s no stopping him. Pairing Jolyon with our incredible Senior Producer, Alan Robinson, meant we had an unstoppable force that navigated extreme weather in deep off-road locations to create a truly beautiful spot.”
First introduced to ANZ by GMSV in 2021, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 range quickly proved itself as a capable fit for the rugged landscapes, despite the incredibly saturated Ute market. This was reflected in the creative as we see the fleet seamlessly blending in with the iconic landscapes.
Says Watkins: “MBCS set the stage beautifully with simple, duelling narrative journeys that showcased the versatility of the two flagship trucks: the all-rounder LTZ Premium and the off-road ZR2. The brief from here was simple: how can we make these iconic Chevrolet trucks stand out in a crowded ANZ utility segment? Big, bold, and badass, the Chevy Silverado 1500 range demands attention, so it was only fitting that our approach did the same.
“Working together with MIK Studio, our approach was to tap into what sets the Silverado 1500 range apart — their unique on-road presence and brutal 6.2L V8 performance. The support and trust from the teams at MIK, MBCS, and GMSV were phenomenal, right through to MIK’s sound design and their embrace of Dead Button’s track. There is so much production value in the synergy between creative partners and clients. At the end of the day, it’s this synergy that allowed us to create a Silverado film that really stands out from the pack!”
Says Linegar: “It’s been a pleasure overseeing the growth of MIK’s content division over the past couple of years, and I’m incredibly proud to see our team deliver such a bold spot that truly makes these American trucks feel uniquely Aussie/Kiwi. We look forward to continuing to create beautiful work with the awesome team at MBCS.”
Creative Agency: MBCS
Managing Director – Olivia Warren
General Manager – Marshall Campbell
Creative Director – Shanan Goldring
Creative – Jacob Abi-Arrage
Head of Melbourne – Trent Peppercorn
Head of Strategy – Toby Maclachlan
Senior Account Manager – Kylie Searle
Senior Designer – Plinio Nitzsche
Designer – Dylan Watt
Client: General Motors Specialty Vehicles – ANZ
Marketing Director – Heath Walker
GM Marketing and Communication – Jodie Lennon
Digital Marketing Manager – Cameron Farrant
Product Marketing Manager – Gervee Sarmiento
Marketing Specialist – GMSV: Emily Asta
Production Partner – MIK Studio
Director – Jolyon Watkins
Executive Producer – Ty Linegar
Senior Producer – Alan Robinson
Producer – Lauren Cooper
Production Manager – Juliet Smith
Cinematographer – Richard Kendall
Sound Design – Nick Loane
Online – Cassie Thompson
Offline edit – Mr Fox
14 Comments
It’ll be pulled or edited in 2 weeks because the grass divots look too much like burnouts… Or that the accelerator was pressed ‘aggressively’…
But like me a good, ‘red-blooded’ car (read: tank) ad!
Really stands out. I’d never mistake that unique car from a RAM, Ford or Hilux. Must be the super unique idea. Keep up the great work.
Yeah I can really imagine seeing one of these massive trucks towing a boat or caravan in *checks notes* inner Melbourne.
Imagine yourself working on a creative account and then maybe you could.
Pretty sure the purpose of that sequence is to show the versatility of the LTZ with work / play and despite its size can still get in and out of the city. Hope thats cleared up the narrative for you.
Bring back the extended cab option more practical when big 4dr is not needed..???
These cars cost SIGNIFICANTLY more than popular utes in the market. However you’ve made an ad that shows it doing and looking like every other Ute. In essence a copy cat commercial, which begs the question, why? I’ll wait.
Think you answered your own question no? MUCH bigger trucks, with the versatility of a standard size ute! 🙂
It’s actually not versatile in this country at least. That American long wheel base becomes a seesaw on Australian 4×4 tracks. Not to mention the Silverado’s general terrible off-road reputation. And for anyone bold enough to take it into a major Australian city, good luck fitting into the European sized street parks, and getting under a car park building without scraping the roof. Good for towing heavy things though. At least that part was right.
…want their song back: https://youtu.be/Uz1Jwyxd4tE?si=q7om3oLEvXJy-wvd
…
What none of you desk jockeys even see is the enormous strain that so called ‘truck’ has on it towing a tiny boat. Look at the raised front wheel arches. Any wa?!$er that thinks they need an American monster truck has a truly tiny Penis. Enough of these stupid cars already. You can tow most stuff with a four cylinder Prado for gods sake.
Same versatility just a MUCH bigger truck. For a MUCH bigger price. So how does this ad prove I need or want the bigger truck? The ad isn’t even about a much bigger truck, it’s a Ford raptor ad with a different badge. The question was if it’s different to other utes why did you make your ad look like every other Ute ad? Every single shot can be found in the last 15 years of Ute ads. Your strategy is as old as the dodo, Udodo.
Why are car ads so devoid of anything you could call an idea?
The last photo, showing the vehicle with caravan attached, makes the vehicle look like it has very soft rear springs, not designed for towing. I suggest you replace this image with one with load-levellers so the vehicle and caravan are shown sitting level.