Dame Edna rescues meerkats in a classic case of mistaken identity in new TVC via VCCP Sydney
Insurance comparison service Compare the Market has launched its third and final chapter of its new campaign via VCCP Sydney, to the nation on Sunday night with its latest TVC.
The TVC – ‘Hello Possums’ – sees Aleksandr and Sergei looking a bit worse for wear after wandering around the Australian bush, all because a possum catcher failed to compare. As the meerkats emerge from the wild , they are just in time to hitch a ride home in style. When Aleks and Sergei get inside the car, they are met by none other than Dame Edna, who greets them with her famous expression ‘Hello Possums!’
Christopher Catchpoole, chief marketing officer at Compare the Market, says not everyone makes the right decision the first time, even if you are a celebrity: “Our latest ad concludes the amusing series with the colourful Dame Edna, who comically also appears to confuse the meerkats for possums via her trademark greeting. The storyline serves to subtly remind consumers about the importance of comparison and doing their research before making any significant purchases. At the end of the day, it really does pay to compare, as you could be saving time, money and even stress in the long run when buying a new product through Compare the Market.”
Says Paul Sharp, creative director for VCCP Sydney: “It’s such a fitting way to end our epic three-part (mis)adventure. We’re also very excited to be sharing the complete three-part story online and as a limited 90-second cinema spot.”
Everyday Aussies will be saying ‘Hello Possums!’ in no time with the use of Compare the Market’s latest Instagram and Facebook story filter. Whilst wearing the infamous Dame Edna glasses, you can choose from a range of frame colours by tapping the screen and deciding which palette is right for your look. Aleksandr will also make an appearance in the filter, so you’ll have a chance to take a selfie with him too.
Search “Hello Possums” on Instagram or Facebook today – you’ll be feeling like a pretty possum in no time.
Make comparison a part of your everyday living too. Compare over 1000 products from more than 100 brands at comparethemarket.com.au, from health insurance all the way through to petrol prices and much more. It doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming (like the meerkats getting stuck in the bush), you can easily compare prices, features and benefits in just a few minutes. You never know, you may find a deal that suits you better and feel ‘fabulous’ in no time!
Melbourne Passion
EP – Graham Pryor
Live Action Producer – Vivienne Jaspers
Post Producer – Megan Plane
Colourist – Martin Greer at Passion and Daniel Pardy at Vandal
Online Editor – Tom Marley and Adrian Oostergetel
London Passion
Director: Dave Scanlon
Producer: Anna Cunnington
Live Action Producer: Patrick Duguid
Head of Production: Mike Turoff
Head of CG: Jason Nicholas
VFX Supervisor: Dave Walker
CG Co-ordinator: Charlotte Harris & Roxanne Sibilski
Head of Animation: Aldo Gagliardi
Editing: Gus Herdman @ TRIM
Tracking: Hulahoop VFX
Sound: Ben Leeves @ Jungle Studios
Agency: VCCP Sydney
Senior Account Director: Edward Hughes
Senior Account Manager: Daniel Wood
Producer: Sue Hind
Creative Director: Paul Sharp
Writer: Gary Dawson
Executive Planning Director: Kim Feitelberg
CTM
CMO: Christopher Catchpoole
Brand and Campaign Manager: Karen Gear
Brand and Campaign Specialist: Carolina Perez Rebolledo
14 Comments
Nice work Mr. D. Surely you should be credited with ECD too given it’s work approved and shot on your guard!
100% agree. Gary was ECD on the job. Just because he left doesn’t change that. Poor form VCCP.
90 sec spot is great fun!! Well done Dawson and Sharpy. Pure entertainment and super simples idea.
So Dame Edna was rescuing possums from the bushfires?
but tbh, I’ve almost forgotten what they are advertising.
Saw this on air last night. Talk about jumping the shark! What a shockingly sel-conscious, forced script and performance by poor Humphries. I wouldn’t have thought he was that desperate for a pay day. I have been a long term fan of earlier incarnations of this campaign and have praised it effusively, but surely the end is nigh.
What are you on about?
This is funny, clever, laugh aloud stuff that you don’t seem to get.
Get a life.
Possums have been feature of this advertiser’s advertising. “Hello possums” is Dame Edna ‘s catchcry. And thus some genius thought “let’s put them together”. That’s where it should have been euthanised. Utterly cringeworthy writing and excruciatingly embarrassing performance by Barry Humphries. Perhaps he was just confused about what on earth he was doing in the back of that car delivering his lines to an empty seat. I suspect it was not explained to him that CGI meerkats would be added later in post.
Fun. Not enough of it. Pure brand that will work it’s socks off. Liked it a lot but then you’re either a fan or you’re not.
The meerkats were introduced as the owners of ‘Compare the Meerkat’ which was often visited by mistake when people were searching for Compare the Market.
They now seem to be representing Compare the Market. What happened? Did Compare the Market buy them out?
It’s just a horrible mess now on all levels.
Old CD Guy summed it up; Meerkats have jumped the shark.
‘It pays to compare’ – Doesn’t get any simpler. And they become the brand many moons ago. Well done all.
You old coots just don’t get it.
Love it and so do my friends.
It works very well, but you can’t see beyond your own narrow fields of vision.