GWM ‘ramps up’ ute game as Australia’s first hybrid ute debuts in campaign via The Hallway
How do you launch Australia’s first ever full hybrid ute to Aussie ute buyers? With a boat. A boat ramp. And a steep road. That’s how a new creative campaign from independent advertising agency The Hallway introduces GWM Australia and New Zealand’s all-new Cannon Alpha Hybrid as a fierce new entrant in the utilities vehicle segment.
The integrated campaign, with the tagline ‘Makes effort look effortless’, demonstrates the powerful performance and off-road capabilities of the Cannon Alpha as it draws on its exceptional engineering technology and 3.5 tonne towing capacity to tackle the most demanding of tasks.
The campaign’s hero TVC opens in an unforgiving, rugged, windswept location. Equally unforgiving and rugged-looking locals watch on bemused, then in open-mouthed amazement, as the Cannon Alpha effortlessly rises to the challenge and tows a hefty boat from the water, up the boat ramp and along a steep road with ease.
Says Simon Lee, CCO and partner, The Hallway: “There are no doubt there are pubs in Australia that you’d be laughed out of if you mentioned the words ‘ute’ and ‘hybrid’ in the same sentence, so we knew there’d be some raised eyebrows at the launch of Australia’s first ever full hybrid ute. You’ve got to see it to believe it – and there’s nowhere better for a ute to prove its worth than in the cauldron of performance anxiety and machismo that is the steep Aussie boat ramp.”
Says Steve Maciver, head of marketing and communications, GWM Australia & New Zealand: “This new campaign for the GWM Cannon Alpha showcases the world-class engineering that delivers a full hybrid powertrain to Australian ute buyers for the first time. Combining a familiar and often daunting scenario with a hint of humour, while demonstrating hybrid performance, this campaign should resonate well with potential buyers and help solidify GWM’s position as one of the country’s most innovative auto brands.”
The integrated campaign launched in late May and will run across TV, online video, social media, digital and out of home.
Client: GWM Australia & New Zealand
Head of Marketing & Communications: Steve Maciver
Marketing Specialist: Rebecca Jeffery
Creative Agency: The Hallway
Production Company: Scoundrel
Executive Producers: Adrian Shapiro and Kate Gooden
Director: Ariel Martin
Producer: Alex Tizzard
Director of Photography: Campbell Brown
Editor: Luke Haigh
Post-Production: Blockhead
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham
Rumble Studios (Audio)
Music & Sound: Rumble Studios
Composer: Jeremy Richmond
Sound Designer: Tone Aston
Music & Sound EP: Michael Gie
Media: Nunn Media
35 Comments
…that is a huge missed opportunity.
The outdoor is superb. The ability to deftly cut the proposition from the brief and effortlessly paste it onto the images is next level.
Big fan of this. Loved the cut to the dancing dude in front of the caravan.
Scoundrel are the new Finch.
The TV is great, and nicely done.
The TVC is fun. Very nicely directed.
So he chickened out and decided not to take his boat out because he got scared of the locals?
I’m guessing a not plugin hybrid… the shark would be better for sure if that is the case.
Shark is only 2.5T towing
Man with boat feels judged.
Cool.
Good to see Matthew doing well back out in the world.
https://campaignbrief.com/sydney-water-confronts-sydneysiders-bad-flushing-habits-in-new-campaign-via-its-friday/
The toilet blocker guy!
Casting is excellent but I watched and waited for something to happen. Some drama, a joke perhaps, but alas all I got was disappointment. Kind of pointless and with no crescendo.
Would have been better and funnier with Duelling Banjos as the soundtrack. Not good, or funny. Just better, and funnier.
Can someone please explain the premise of the film?
Years after his eviscerating encounter with Barbara from Bank World, a paranoid man attempts to reintegrate with society.
The VO.
The crowd represent the tough Aussie, anti-hybrid naysayers. The guy proves them wrong right in front of their eyes.
I didn’t get this until i read the release about guys in pubs etc. though.
The negativity from the bang average creatives clearly with their LinkedIn’s set to open to work is cringeworthy 🤣
…very average.
Nice TVC. OOH feels very lazy/client pleasy
How do you like living on your knees?
Better than waiting in the Centrelink queue every week 🤣
TV is lovely and cinematic, good cast of characters feels crafty. OOH though……who let that out the door
I like it. Good tension. Everyone’s felt a similar pressure behind the wheel. Does it really deserve the hate… it’s just an ad!
Seriously, if you don’t get this ad or are hating on it you’re in the wrong industry. A simple insight about boat ramps and locals vs townies. A subtle well executed spot that doesn’t over egg the gag (the dancing caravan guy is excellent). Only grumble is it could have used another gag at the end, something happens to the slightly cocky ute owner townie. Other than that this is a decent spot.
Makes effort look effortless is a killer line. This is good – was just duscussing yesterday how only a few years back Scomo was claiming that EVs would steal our weekends, because EVs can’t tow.
Strong insight. Good work. Fuck the haters in the fuckhole.
I reckon the confusion about the film is that the car is 100% dry, and so is the boat. There is no evidence that the boat is being pulled *out* of the water. No tyre tracks no nothing. Perhaps not as clear as it could be.
The guy is towing a boat away from the waters edge. What else could he possibly be doing?
Love it. Top work.
Really good despite a bit lacklustre VO. Good line at the end. Few things more harrowing than dragging a boat out of the water in front of lots of people. They could have done a true to life product demonstration here.
FFS, are you serious. The boat is on the back of the car. He drives up the ramp. He drives away. Do you need every little detail spelt out for you. Maybe the ad should be 2 hours long and show his entire fishing trip?
Have to say I didn’t understand it either. Regardless of whether he’s dropping the boat in, or pulling it out of the water, why is everyone staring at him? Why are ‘locals’ pissed off? Maybe is there were other ute drivers looking on enviously it might make more sense, but even then… He doesn’t actually do anything. He just climbs into his car.
Please never go to the cinema “together”
Mate, even your comebacks don’t make any sense