Belong creates love song to the internet in latest campaign via Howatson+Company and Eardrum
Following the launch of its new brand platform ‘It Feels Good to Belong’, Belong has launched a 2-minute radio ad celebrating the joyful and unexpected wormholes the internet leads us down via Howatson+Company and Eardrum.
Featuring musician Andy Hopkins, the spot takes the form of a modern love song to the internet, journeying from facts about octopus flatulence to apps that help you speak Spanish.
Belong head of brand, communications and culture, Kelly Schulz said the internet gets a bad rap sometimes, but it can be a wonderful joyful and exciting place. From streaming hours of random content to joining forums about things that taste like blue, it’s where everyone belongs, no matter what you’re into: “As a telco that’s all about inclusivity and Belonging, we felt compelled to sing about it with some wonderful Australian musical talent.”
Howatson+Company creative duo Jared Wicker and Elaine Li said the internet has always been there for us all and this was our chance to work with Belong to return the favour for consumers with a light hearted modern love song.
The campaign will run on across the national Nova, KISS and Triple M networks in specially designed 2-minute ad placements.
Belong is Australia’s first carbon neutral mobile and internet provider. In June 2021 the telco announced the appointment of Howatson+Company as its creative and media strategy agency of record. This latest work launches less than one month after the agency launched Belong’s new fully integrated brand platform, extending across brand communications, product, sim card packaging, website, UI/UX, staff collateral and more.
Client: Belong
Head of Brand, Comms & Culture, Kelly Schulz
Brand + Creative Lead, Leanne Boyd
Brand Specialist, Clare Taylor
Creative: Howatson+Company
Media strategy: Howatson+Company
Media trading and buying: OMD
Song written by: Andy Hopkins and Ralph van Dijk
Produced and Arranged by: Andy Hopkins
Directed by: Ralph van Dijk
Production Company: Eardrum
Production Company Producer: Lesley Chambers
23 Comments
That’s horrific maybe the second minute is better but I didn’t get that far. Give me the Land Shantys any day.
They want to give you some pointers on how it’s done
I actually love this. Funny as.
Someone’s been listening to the Hamilton “King George” song.
lol yes! no wonder it sounds familiar
This belong work is definitely cool and innovative but I just can’t see it performing well with consumers. We fawn over the creativity in the industry, but is a regular punter really gonna listen to this and feel compelled to switch their internet provider? I highly doubt it.
If you’ve nothing to say, sing it.
Love this work. It’s about time that telcos put creativity first and gave consumers something to actually engage with rather than a few RTBs and a price point.
On the radio the other day and loved it. Nice long format.
Reminds me of ben folds five
Love it
Belong radio
Belong to ad
Keno tv ad
Have Howatson + made anything that stands alone as an idea without being sung? Serious question? It was a common theme at CHEP too with Flybuys Virgin and Latitude.
Cringey and unfunny.
But can I get away with commenting on Clemenger’s disposal of Pete here? Only time will tell.
Thank God it’s not a hokey sea shanty. Love this. Classy, all round.
Anyone who refers to the ‘old adage’ immediately gets me off side.What utter bullshit.Especially when they trot out the old ‘if you cant sell it…’ waffle.Try telling that to Adam& Eve or to any amount of other award winning agencies that have used songs brilliantly.There are no rules.
seriously good, seriously not like a telco, love
Missed opportunity to mix in obvious “Internet” sounds (notification bells for percussion etc.) in the background so it won’t be overlooked as a regular song. But hey, at least this makes more sense than those weird singing rocks.
I thought the sea shanty stuff Deloitte did was interesting until I found they just borrowed it from a TikTok meme.
stick to love songs directed at the internet. safer that way.
Great song, no idea if it’ll do anything for the brand but i listened twice. Ben Burnham would be proud
‘no idea if it will do anything for the brand’
I think that’s the issue
The ‘Creatives’ get too creative sometimes and make the ad their ‘canvas’ so it looks good on their resume.