Dulux enlists MythBusters stars to front latest campaign via Communicado Marketing Comms
In an Australian first, Dulux has secured the presenters of hit television series MythBusters to front the biggest advertising campaign in the company’s 82-year history created by Communicado Marketing Communications, which was a break from Dulux’s traditional style of advertising.
Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage star in a campaign for Dulux’s new Wash&Wear range of paint – a product four years in the making.
Says Jo Katsos, marketing manager, Dulux: “Our brief to Communicado was to drive public relations to support the launch, but they answered the brief with an idea that could extend above-the-line. We knew immediately that the MythBusters concept was strong and that we needed to explore the fit with our audience. To ensure it resonated with consumers, we researched the concept along with an additional three creative concepts from other above-the-line agencies. Resonate it did, with research showing that MythBusters was by far the most engaging pathway researched.”
Says Murray Allen, marketing director, Dulux: “Our new range of Wash&Wear is the best
we’ve ever made – it represents a huge leap in technology and sets a new standard in the industry. It was important we matched this leap in technological advancement in the product, with innovation in our communications strategy.
“Jamie and Adam from MythBusters were the perfect choice. They align with the innovative nature of the product and demonstrate its performance in an informative and engaging way.”
Hyneman and Savage are synonymous with the Emmy-nominated show in which beliefs, rumours and myths are tested – often in extreme ways. In the campaign for Dulux’s new Wash&Wear paint, the duo completes a series of challenges to see how the product performs.
In addition to presenting the show, Hyneman and Savage are also very hands on in creating the episodes and producing them, often utilising their industrial design and special effects backgrounds.
In creating this campaign with Dulux Australia and New Zealand they were no different, developing thescenarios, co-writing the scripts and designing the machines.
Says Savage: “When we were presented with the Dulux opportunity we felt there was a real alignment. In ourcharacteristic style we jumped in with both feet and found playful ways to challenge the Dulux claims.”
Says Katsos: “Adam and Jamie have been part of the creative process every step of the way and the result is an authentictelevision campaign that captures their personalities while helping consumers understand, in a humourousand engaging way, some of the attributes of Dulux’s new Wash&Wear paint.
“Their blend of objective science and entertainment have combined perfectly to create a series ofcommercials with real cut-through.”
The Dulux commercials, each featuring a different product benefit of the new Wash&Wear paint,were shot in San Francisco, home to Hyneman and Savage, by their production company Non LethalProductions. The advertisements go to air in Australia and New Zealand on Sunday, 20 September on freeto-airtelevision networks.
In addition to the 30-second TVCs, Dulux will air 15-second versions, while the full versions of the videos willappear on YouTube and on a dedicated webpage duluxtested.com.au In a separate arrangement with Beyond Productions, the Sydney-based production company which createdand produces MythBusters, Dulux has negotiated the use of the MythBusters logo, which will feature onpoint-of-sale and in digital and social channels to support the campaign.
Says Katsos: “We have leveraged the MythBusters concept across multiple channels to make this a totally integratedcampaign that reaches consumers at numerous touch points. All of our retailers and customers are excited and engaged with the concept and are supporting it in store -it’s certainly going to impact the paint category.”
Joshua Hunt – Creative Director
Pamiela Kaplan – Creative Director
Shona Van Lieshout – Agency Producer
Kerrie Ryan – Managing Director
Jenny Littlewood – Account Lead
Giles Bruce – Head of Digital
Production Company: Non Lethal Productions
Producer/Director: Adam Savage and Jax Marker
Post Production: So Productions
Sound: Front of House
19 Comments
They don’t even look interested at all.
It’s fascinating to see the difference between when these Myth Buster guys do their own thing compared to when they’re forced into a script. Either they’re screwing this up on purpose (may be they got their noses out of joint for some reason) or they should never be asked to ‘act’.
Great idea, but they do seem very forced. Wonder how much freedom they were given?
Great way to show product testing. Good to see something different.
Is this what clients are happy with now? This is bad work. It is forced, it looks cheap, bad acting, the new product thing is overpowered by the badness. Sorry.
I haven’t seen the TV, but I hope that less screen time makes them better.
30 minutes vs 30 seconds of Myth Buster love is perhaps what Gary is longing for? Not sure what he and the other commentators are so down about. Our industry should celebrate stuff like this, consumers might actually watch it, not bash it for not being exactly like the TV show. Think they are actually funny and informative about products no-one ever cares about.
I don’t know who directed this but they did a good job I think in the MythBusters TV shows the are in there element being them selves this isn’t them which means they need to act so,., the production team seemed good but the editor seems like an on fart
Awesome ads Dulux. Love it.
Jefferson, I think you better re-read your posts before you press submit in future.
(P.s. If you think this is great direction, you are in trouble.)
Thanks for the comments. This campaign was very much a collaborative process with Adam and Jamie. Adam developed the scenarios and co-wrote the scripts and even during shooting they had input into the scenes.
Finally a paint campaign with a difference.
Fun, engaging and believable demonstrations (unlike what we’ve become accustomed to). I’m in the market for paint and when the ad was on on Sunday eve, I stopped cooking the dinner to watch it. It ticked all the boxes and I’ll be looking for this paint specifically instead of asking a sales guy to make a recommendation.
They feel so uncomfortable. The guys have a real energy when doing their own show, which they lack in these.
@Kate you are obviously from the agency.
They seem so thrilled about it all…
Amazing how good these two are on their own show compared to this ad.
Kudos for a strong, campaignable idea, which is all too rare in Australian advertising. Relevant star endorsement, mildly entertaining and good demos for a major brand. Any executional criticisms are just quibbling. Hell, they got the Mythbusters guys! Even after all these years, that’s a coup. I pray for work I can praise, and whilst this isn’t earth shattering, it’s pretty bloody good.
Isn’t that our account?
I found Jeffersnon 22′ s comments pretty entertaining.
I think he should definitely comment more often.
I get that most agencies praise their own work; who could resist the temptation of an anonymous public forum.
But the fake smiles from Kate and Old CD Guy (who clearly work for whichever agency put this together) are laughable. Well done guys – pat yourselves on the.. oh wait.
I left the business in 2005. The agency, which I’ve never heard of, didn’t exist at the time, as far as I’m aware. I don’t know any of the people involved. As someone who is usually scathing of the work PR’d on this site I finally offer faint praise, and I’m accused of being a stooge. LOL.
This is simply embarrassing for what was a highly regarded brand. Major fail. Go back to Clems before you completely mess with your brand reputation.