Ampol helps the nation travel ‘far and wide’ in new campaign via Saatchi & Saatchi + iProspect
Iconic brand Ampol has returned to the nation’s roadside launching ‘Far and Wide’ a wide scale, integrated campaign via Saatchi & Saatchi Australia and iProspect, that celebrates the distance Australians travel, great and small, day-in and day-out.
The campaign idea centres on Australia’s sheer vastness and how it’s part of our country’s identity to drive extraordinary distances without blinking an eye.
Ampol Australia executive general manager Joanne Taylor reveals that the revitalised Ampol brand maintains the company’s values and core proposition that customers can rely on: “For over a century, Ampol has been there to help Australians get where they’re going, no matter the journey. With the relaunch of the Ampol brand, the campaign showcases how Ampol is a part of the fabric of Australian life, with fuel that connects the nation.
“We know all our customers are excited by Ampol’s return and we look forward to welcoming Australians onto Ampol forecourts as we roll out the brand across the country.”
Chief brand officer Jenny O’Regan, states the new Ampol captures the best of its history and aspirations for the future – born Australian, world class: “The Ampol brand will evoke fond memories for many Australians and the fresh modern mark for our company will connect it with a new generation of customers. We are committed to again making Ampol Australia’s most loved and admired fuel brand.
“Ampol remains a proud Australian company with the credentials and the infrastructure to power all kinds of journeys – big and small.”
Says Noni Guest, head of brand and fuel marketing, Ampol: “Over the past 16 months, teams across the business have worked hard to transition back to the Ampol brand, whilst ensuring we are doing so in a world class way. As we look into the future, our aim is to represent Ampol in all facets of Australian life and across a plethora of media channels, partners and sponsorships.”
Says Mike Spirkovski, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi: “Its second nature for Australians to travel long distances across this vast land. We do it without hesitation passing on these unique experiences from generation to generation. Ampol was there for us then and is back for us now with even more to help us on our way.”
The campaign has launched nationally on broadcast television and is supported by a large multichannel media campaign, planned and implemented by iProspect. Through a breadth of channels including outdoor, cinema, radio, online display, social and video, reach is far and wide. Additionally, integrations and sponsorships with Channel 10’s The Project, Channel 7’s Sunrise, Channel 9’s Today Show and Fox Sports, alongside ARN, Nova, Spotify, Snapchat, NewsCorp to name a few will all serve to deepen engagement. Not to mention Ampol’s recent sponsorship of State of Origin and the Red Bull Ampol Racing team.
Says Jason Smith, client partner, iProspect: “To quickly rebuild renewed awareness of Ampol, we wanted to engage Australians of all walks of life in the channels that speak to them. Our approach is to ensure that people connect with the Ampol brand.”
Ampol service stations are transitioning all over the country. The national rollout commenced in 2020 and the transition will continue to the end of 2022.
Client: Ampol Australia
Executive General Manager: Joanne Taylor
Chief Brand Officer: Jenny O’Regan
Head of Brand and Fuel Marketing: Noni Guest
Brand Development and Sponsorship Manager: Stefanie Favaloro
Creative Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Australia
Chief Creative Officer: Mike Spirkovski
Strategy Partner Sydney: Iona Macgregor
Head of Planning: Graham Sweet
Creative Director: Piero Ruzenne
Creative Director: Flavio Fonseca
Art Director: Celeste Watson
Copywriter: Mac Wright
Group Account Director: James Tracy-Inglis
Senior Account Director: Fanny Bersagol
Senior Business Manager: Izabela Gustowski
Senior Broadcast Producer: Elizabeth Nunan
Senior Integrated Producer: Holly De Roy
Senior Digital Producer: Danny Marston
Film Production House: Good Oil
Director: JH Walker
DOP: James Brown
Executive Producer: Sam Long
Producer: Helen Morahan
Editor: Bernard Garry @ The Editors
Post Production: Stuart Kadzow
Production Design: Tom Churchill Brown
Music: The Go-Betweens “Streets Of Your Town”
Photography Production House: Flint
Photographer: Jonathan May
Assistants: Felipe Neves, Dan Hilburn & Gerald Diel
Executive Producer: Rachel Henderson & Tim Berriman
Photography Retouching: Limehouse
Sound House: Squeak E. Clean Studios
Sound Design: Simon Lister
Head of Production: Emma Hodge
Licensing Manager: Chelsea Ramsden
Media: iProspect
Client Partner: Jason Smith
National Head of Investment; Ken Lam
Strategy Director: Tania Virkel
Senior Client Manager: Flo Horwich
Client Manager: Michael Myers-Snyders
Content Partnerships Director: Jessica Humphry’s
Senior Client Manager: Sydney Church
Client Executive: Millie Thompson
Client Executive: Lauren Haslett
Associate: Hamish Rose
44 Comments
nah
Saw this ad on tv and it’s the kind of spot where you ‘re left guessing what it’s trying to flog: a mobile network, health cover, life insurance, car insurance. Oh, it’s a petrol station.
You finally figured out what advertising is…
Hmmmm don’t know about this. Hate to sound like a client, but there’s too many negative moments IMO.
Why is the driving instructor so aggressive? That wasn’t funny, just bad.
Why is the band going to miss their show? The ad could have been just as good if they jumped back in the van and hurried onwards in order to make the show. Or her scream could have been a happy ‘Yeeeeeewwwwwww!’
Why was the ambulance driver laughing on the way to the scene?
Why couldn’t they have got to see grandpa then driven home the next morning, via the Ampol, of course?
It’s not bad bad, but could have easily been better.
…So we should all continue to create work that tell the lie of a perfect world with perfect moments and perfect people doing perfect things using perfect products?
Get real. That style of work is a dead-end and the sooner it dies the better for us all.
At least this attempts to be a slice of life and it’s a breath of fresh air seeing something not so contrived as what you propose.
Advertising’s version of this…
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/144326363045000993/
Felt like they were trying to connect the scenes but they didn’t quite work.
I suppose it was the consistent use of vehicles and reference to distance which made you think: health insurance and mobile phone coverage over fuel, travel or automotive. I bet if they’d put an Ampol logo, or a bowser shot on every second cut, plus people filling up and a long VO throughout, you would’ve loved it and it would have been super clear. Love your thinking.
Well you waited, didn’t you? Success.
Nice one Saatchis
This’ll work. Strong relaunch.
They found the one thing a petrol company could say that wouldn’t piss everybody off.
Sometimes, ideas that make sense on paper just don’t translate to the screen.
Do petrol stations even need to advertise?
Man: “Honey, I just need to duck into 7-11 for some petrol while it’s cheap”
Woman: “7-11!? No we need to drive a few suburbs over to Ampol, don’t you know Ampol is the fuel that gets you there? I want a divorce.”
Beautifully shot JH. Love the edit transitions. Gonna steal some of those ; )
Can I get a version without supers for our next generic Australian mood film? Ta.
…Really need to start doing more producing and less creative interrogation and analysis.
Good spot for a good Aussie brand.
Wow – a little like Ampol service stations – the art direction in those posters is all over the place.
Each corner gets a piece of the action.
lazy, lazy print design. it’s laughable. an intern could do better.
A well crafted film in my opinion
I like the song…
Fuel is a tough one to advertise
I think they picked a good angle
I liked the song
It’s pretty good
Everyone from other agencies will shit on it because they are either bitter or jealous
Laters
Nice to hear the Go-Betweens track
Yep, fuel is a tough gig. This is actually a pretty nice result.
Sorry, but this a very weak idea. Doesn’t all fuel ‘get you there’? Give me a reason why I should drive to Ampol to fill up, not a generic series of vignettes featuring grandpas and families.
You honestly think any fuel has a legit point of differentiation from other fuels?
Not a single shot of anyone filling up at the bowser.
How!?
The art direction and the cinematography of the thing deserve some recognition no??
Better than that oil slick BP left behind
Very simple idea but one you can see Ampol running with for years.
Just because it’s old and maybe some small number of people have very mild nostalgia does not make it iconic.
It’s iconic if it dominates mental availability in its category and it’s the one that the industry and community looks to for leadership.
Otherwise it’s just a brand.
Good ad though.
I believe it’s our job to create a point of difference, or at least give consumers a reason to choose. Otherwise what’s the point?
In a saturated category where price is generally the key driver, a USP is useless. Being top of mind, conveniently located and competitive in price is the only way Ampol is going to win.
The subtle type treatment could’ve easily been big and obnoxious. The nostalgic track could’ve been some crappy cover. The locations could’ve been somewhere to get the “feel” of distance. This could have been so shit. But it’s not. It’s big brand work made properly. Well done. Now hopefully they swap the bowsers for power plugs and we can all live happily ever after.
This is some gorgeous work made by some gorgeous humans. Really well done folks. Beautiful spot.
Having been held up at gunpoint at an Ampol servo in my youth, you could probably call me a detractor.
This is really good.
I smiled, my heart strings got tugged, the track nails it, and I left feeling positive vibes and a distinct absence of PTSD.
Well done everyone.
This is the best ad I’ve ever seen.
P-man, and Flavour Flav, good to see you the other week, and yes, good to see this out and about. You guys and the team have created something people will connect with. I like it, not that anyone else will give two hoots about my ‘like’ though. Lol (Is that still a thing, or too 2011???) Lol.
I’m confused, why do the headlights on grandpa at the end signal their arrival, only to cut back to them 180 kms away at the service station?
Track is perfect. I can see what they’re trying to achieve. Nice work!
Premium!…….. Duuuude!!!!!
Hello Wizard Lizard
Not bad. Loved the edit despite some silly shots eg. L plater.
To you Australia Creatives – this beats your crappy empathetic TVCs anyday.
You combine 8th grade poetry with some generic cinematic shots or a loosely tied story to please brands. Slap logo on the end for good measure (make it 20% bigger while you’re at it).
Then go and plague the post-houses with your crappy amends and call it innovative.
Do us all a favour, get a government job and stop whinging about something you couldn’t pull off yourself.