Belong asks Aussies to consider a refurbished device with ‘Second Life Phones’ via Howatson+Co
Belong, Australia’s first carbon neutral telco, together with Howatson+Company, has launched Second Life Phones, an eco-friendly alternative to purchasing a brand-new device, powered by Kingfisher.
Second Life Phones is a program that sources the best preowned smart phones, expertly refurbishes them and offers them to value and environmental conscious consumers at a great price.
Says Aaliah Eggins-Bryson, head of product and marketing, Belong: “Too many Australians believe mobile phones have no material impact on the environment than other things in their lives but in fact, every year, the world throws away around 44.7 million tonnes of tech. This is why we’ve launched Second Life Phones; because the most sustainable phone is the one that already exists.”
Every aspect of Belong’s Second Life Phones initiative removes the perceived compromise of purchasing a refurbished device. All phones are restored by Kingfisher, across a multi-point check, ensuring 100% functionality and battery performance at an 80% minimum of new. The packaging is 100% recycled and has been designed to provide the buyer with the same satisfaction of opening a brand-new device.
The launch film, directed by Owen Trevor Black (Rabbit), subverts the tropes of typical phone launches, gloriously showcasing an old man’s forehead instead of the tech, to ask the question ‘why not consider life on a refurbished phone, which can be used in the same way as a new one?’.
Says Gavin Chimes, executive creative director, Howatson+Company: “It has been amazing to work as partners with the brilliant Belong team to bring this program to life. We’re proud to be providing an alternative to unconscious tech upgrades. And when you consider what most of us use our phones for – brunch pics, baby spam, screaming goat videos – you probably won’t know the difference. But the planet will.”
Second Life Phones is supported by a paid media campaign, with a 45” launch film, and 30”, 15” and 6” cutdowns live from today across YouTube, OLV and social. The campaign will extend to OOH in the coming months.
Second life phones are available to order online at https://shop.belong.com.au
Every phone from the Second Life Shop comes with a free Belong SIM card with $80 credit.
Client: Belong
Agency: Howatson+Company
Founder/CEO Chief Executive Officer: Chris Howatson
Chief Creative Officer: Levi Slavin
Executive Creative Director: Gavin Chimes
Head of Production: Holly Alexander
Creative Directors: Jared Wicker, Elaine Li, Daniel Bolton
Design Lead: Reece Lawson
Group Business Director: Ollie Wearne
Business Director: Angela Lethbridge
Senior Business Manager: Maddy Phillips
Media Strategy: Howatson+Company
Media Trading: OMD
Production Company: Rabbit
Director: Owen Trevor Black
EP: Lucas Jenner
Assoc EP: Marcus Butler
DOP: Peter Eastgate
Casting Director: Felicity Byrne
Offline Edit: Arc Edit
Editor: Drew Thompson
Post EP: Daniel Fry
Post Production: White Chocolate
Grade: Fergus Rotherham
3D / VFX: Stage23
Sound Design & Audio Production: Rumble Studios
Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
23 Comments
I think I’m meant to get this phone at Aldi?
Are all ECDs getting the same cabal memo about V.O at the moment? McDonalds, Aldi, Medibank, and on and on and on.
Great film and great idea!
Like it. Well done
Unexpected, funny and attention-grabbing. More of this plz.
Hey, that’s my idea!
Is the talking forehead meant to match the talking rocks?
Another cracker!
I have more tricks than these guys.
Nice idea. Execution is poor. What’s with the VO? Sounds like the standard broadcast guy.
So a refurbished phone specialist is called, agrees to refurbish phones, Howatson rebadge the whole idea and write an award friendly case study?
So a tomato farmer is called, agrees to supply Coles with tomatoes, DDB rebadge the whole idea and say “Down down”?
Semi decent idea but will possibly be lost on the audience. Nobody wants to watch that.
Is perfect.
And they dropped the ball
What… this isn’t best practice?
Talking foreheads
I have TWO teenage kids. I’ve been buying refurbished mobile phones from Kogan for years. How is this AN IDEA?
left or there’s like 3 ECDs there now?
better than anything its competitors believe they can do
Excellent idea. Execution too long and adland-centric.
A 15 sec edit with the key theme and offer would work better.
Funny that you think these lot are making ads that are in the best interest of the client.
They made a 45 for the agency.
I just caught up with 70+ CB posts and this was the only ad that made me actually lol. I want to say thank you.