Frank Energy launches new ‘Same Energy, Probably Cheaper’ campaign via Motion Sickness

You get what you pay for. Mostly true for brunch and haircuts, not so much for the juice powering people’s appliances. Back with a new campaign through Motion Sickness, Frank Energy tests its cheaper power against premium priced providers and comes out… tied.

 

With a blinder of a past 12 months, Frank Energy continues to break new ground. Saving the superfluous analyticals – just one year on from Frank’s major rebrand (previously Energy Online) it’s seeing record growth month-on-month, and all time low churn rates. Now, the power player is keeping up the momentum with a fresh new brand platform, ‘Same Energy, Probably Cheaper’, ushered in by a series of hero films, and rolled out across TV, digital and social.

In a context of rising costs, Frank doubles down on its position as a champion against the perceived complexity of the category, without resorting to any sales incentives, proving that a compelling brand proposition can win in a category still plagued by short-term gimmicks.

Head of brand and marketing at Frank Energy, Michael Wood says NZ’s cost of living crisis drove the shift in campaign messaging: “With many Kiwi’s looking to tighten their belts this year, it was the perfect time to highlight our competitive pricing and remind people that cheaper power still keeps the lights on, so why pay more.”

Through a rigorous series of controlled experiments, Frank challenges the idea of perceived value in the energy sector. Testing power against power, Frank doubles down on its value position in market, and highlights that ‘premium vs budget’ really doesn’t make a difference when it comes to power.

The same electrons, wrapped up in a different package, with a different price tag.

Says Jordan Stent, creative director at Motion Sickness: “We were inspired by late nights of watching ‘Will it Blend’ – keen to pull Frank into the same liminal space as that Youtube black hole. A crew of specialist hair applicators, vibration consultants, fishmongers and dedicated toast technicians all did an incredible job at helping us blur the lines of reality. The climbers who claim there are only 14 peaks, have not yet seen ‘Toast Mountain’.”

Built in the husk of an abandoned University, the purpose designed ‘Testing Lab’ provided the backdrop to the domain, and continues to explore the ‘lore of Frank’. With all variables controlled, the tests reveal a cast of oddly identical subjects, undertaking common household power tests. It’s Consumer NZ on steroids, and Terry is still there to this day.

The results? Same energy. Probably cheaper.

Client – Frank Energy
Head of Brand & Marketing – Michael Wood
General Manager – Stephen Imm
Marketing Manager – Anuksha Narayan

Media – PHD

Agency/Production: Motion Sickness
Executive Creative Director – Sam Stuchbury
Creative Director – Jordan Stent
Head of Strategy – Hilary Ngan Kee
Senior Creative – Melina Fiolitakis
Art Director – Kelly France
Copywriter – Andrew Hathaway
Junior Creative – Jolin Lee
Junior Creative – Schumacher Leona
Head of Production – Joseph McAlpine
Senior Account Manager – Joe Fraei
Director – Ryan Heron
DOP – Dave Garbett
1st AD – Jonny Moffat
1st AC – Dave Steel
Gaffer – Blair Teesdale
Editors – Jolin Lee, Andy Deere & Pete Hansen
Production Designer – Dion Boothby
Music – Bigpop Studios
Colourist – Alina Bermingham
Sound Design – Liquid Studios

Animation – Moves
Costume Design – Kristen Seth
HMU – Jacqui Leung
Photographer – Simeon Patience