Coles champions all Australians in new ‘Value the Australian Way’ campaign via DDB Australia

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Coles is launching a new campaign “Value the Australian Way” celebrating the role it plays in sustainably feeding all Australians and helping them lead healthier and happier lives. The new brand positioning via DDB Australia champions Coles as an organisation that lives at the heart of the nation and proudly supports team members, community partners, suppliers and millions of everyday Aussie shoppers.

 

As part of its new positioning, Coles has undertaken an Australian Kitchen Census to uncover what Australians value most when it comes to cooking and sharing a meal. Coles surveyed almost 5,500 customers around the country to understand Australia’s modern food values and how they shape our approach to shopping, cooking and eating in 2020 and beyond.

These key insights are reflected through the multi-channel campaign launching nationally today to support the Value the Australian Way positioning.

Created by DDB Australia and directed by Justin Kurzel, the campaign proudly champions Australia and encourages people to appreciate what we have while shining a light on our true values. It captures the very essence of what makes modern Australia unique and features real Australian friends and families, not actors.

At the centre of the campaign is a 60-second TVC set to a reimagining of Missy Higgins’ 2009 hit ‘Feel Like Going Back Home’ recorded especially for this campaign as a collaboration between Missy Higgins, Dingo Spender and the current lead singer of Yothu Yindi, Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu. The original track was written by Stephen Pigram and featured in the beloved film musical Bran Nue Dae.

Says Lisa Ronson, CMO, Coles: “As one of the first supermarket brands in the country, Coles has been at the heart of Australian society since 1914. Our purpose is to sustainably feed all Australians, so we understand the integral role food plays in our lives – and when it comes to how we shop, cook and eat, our new campaign Value the Australian Way celebrates our past and future.

“We know providing value through our trusted Down Down and everyday low prices is more important today than it’s ever been, and so is listening to what Australians value in their lives. Our research shows Australians cherish sharing a meal with friends and family and they want to support Aussie farmers, food producers and their local community. At Coles we’re committed to helping our farmers and fishermen produce ethical and sustainable food for all Australians so we can continue be a part of Australians lives for many more centuries to come.

“Our new campaign tells the story of Coles’ legacy while also contemporising its role in society, serving customers and the wider community each day. We’re incredibly proud of the work and thank DDB Australia, Big Red, OMD and Mango for helping us achieve our ambitions.”

Says Ben Welsh, chief creative officer, DDB Australia: “We are incredibly excited to be a part of the next chapter for Coles. Despite facing many hurdles this year, Australians are an optimistic, down-to-earth, authentic bunch, which is why we decided to feature real families enjoying small moments of human connection centred around food. The music, paying homage to Australia’s rich cultural history, makes this campaign even more special.”

Coles is proud to be Australia’s largest private sector employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Nine- time Aria Award winner Missy Higgins said this was the first time she has been part of an ad campaign because it was supporting Indigenous artists.

Says Higgins: “It’s been a tough year for lots of Aussies, so I love the optimistic feel of this new campaign. It’s great to see how diverse and inclusive it is. It’s also great to see Coles backing great Indigenous Australian talents like Stephen Pigram, who wrote this tune and Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu with whom I dueted on the track.”

As part of the fully integrated launch, spanning TVC, social, radio, earned media, website and instore, a simple new logo will be applied to all Coles Supermarkets touchpoints moving forward.

Michelin-starred chef and Coles ambassador Curtis Stone is proud to be part of the Value the Australian Way campaign and says the Coles Australian Kitchen Census shows how much Australians have in common when they think about cooking and mealtimes.

Says Stone: “For me personally, the campaign combines two things that are very close to my heart – Australia and all the goodness from our Great Southern Land, with the mission of putting the best food on Aussies’ tables at the lowest possible price. I love Australia and I love food, so I can’t help but be really proud of what this campaign is all about.

“I was 4 years old when I had my first truly memorable food experience – I tried my granny’s Yorkshire fudge and I just couldn’t get enough of it. The fact that many other Australians believe their childhood memories play an important role in how they cook today makes perfect sense to me. My own memories of food have most definitely shaped how I cook.

“These days, my cooking philosophy is to keep it simple and cook with naturally produced ingredients. It’s wonderful to see that a significant proportion of Aussies value the same approach when shopping and cooking at home, with many of us favouring locally grown, responsibly sourced food.”

Client: Coles
Lisa Ronson – Chief Marketing Officer
Michael Laxton – GM, Brand, Digital & Design
Kate Bailey – GM, Media, Sponsorships & Events
Bianca Mundy – Head of Brand & Content
Patrick Breen – Senior Marketing Manager
Sally Mann – Media Manager
Geoff Turner – Head of Group Marketing Research and
Insights
Martine Alpins – Senior Communications Manager

Creative Agency: DDB Australia
Andrew Little – Chief Executive Officer
Priya Patel – Managing Director
Leif Stromnes – MD, Strategy & Innovation
Dom Hickey – Head of Planning
Ben Welsh – Chief Creative Officer
Noah Regan – Head of Art
Tim Woolford – Creative Partner
Tommy Cehak – Creative Partner
Topher Jones – Managing Partner
Katie Franklin – Business Director
Sarah Cox – Senior Business Manager
Renata Barbosa – Head of Integrated Content
Tash Johnson – Lead Senior Broadcast Producer
Cushla Morton – Senior Print Producer

Media Agency: OMD

PR Agency: Mango Communications

Research and Corporate Strategy: Thinkerbell

Production Company: Revolver/Will O’Rourke
Director – Justin Kurzel
Managing Director/Co-Owner – Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Partner – Pip Smart
Producer – Serena Paull
Director of Photography – Lachlan Milne
Editor: Alexandre de Franceschi @ The Editors
Post Production: Heckler
Colourist – Olivier Fontenay
Online – Jonathan Hairman
Music: Feel Like Going Back Home
Recording: Missy Higgins, Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu, Dingo Spender
Songwriter: Steven Pigram (Universal Music Publishing)
Music Supervision: Level Two Music (Karl Richter, Marcus Brooke-Smith, Hugh Owens)
Audio Post: Sonar Music
Engineer: Timothy Bridge
Casting: Natalie Jane Harvey @ Citizen Jane
Stills Production
Photographer: Ben Baker
Producer: Chris Hemmings @ Still Rep