Mars Wrigley’s Extra helps Melburnians get their Ding Back with their very own dating line via Thinkerbell
As yet another Victorian lockdown bites the dust, residents across the state prepare to get back to life as it should be: wining, dining and celebrating all the joys of being together. So, to help inspire the state to get behind small businesses once again, gum brand Extra has set up a Melbourne Dating Line to help encourage Melburnians to fast track their plans back into bars, pubs and restaurants.
The initiative from Thinkerbell – asks Melburnians to text 0488 345 345 with their name, their email and the venue they can’t wait to visit again. And Extra™ will take care of the bill, into the thousands*.
Tom Wenborn, Executive Creative Director, Thinkerbell, explains: “With every Melbourne lockdown comes another kick in the guts to the hospitality industry and another unwanted pause for the city’s dating population. Thankfully Extra has been quick to react and help drag Melbournians off the couch and straight back into bars and restaurants where they belong. This has been a fun project to collaborate with at speed via Zoom, but we’re really looking forward to enjoying it in person… we hope. We love the Celen Dion film, and the Melbourne Dating Line feels like a good extension for this market”.
Melbourne Dating Line launches in line with Extra’s newest TV campaign (above), via Energy BBDO, Chicago, which makes its Australian debut tonight – specifically in Melbourne. View the ad and credits on Bestads.
Says Michelle Gazzola, Portfolio Director, Gum & Mints, Mars Wrigley Australia: “While we’re all feeling the pain of the prolonged global pandemic, it’s important to celebrate the small wins. Our film – For When It’s Time – celebrates the small wins in a big way. And while we don’t expect Melburnians to horde out on the streets in the thousands and kiss, we do hope they can get their Ding Back and support small businesses while they do.”
Melbourne Dating Hotline:
*Extra Gum will foot the bill of up to $10,000AUD. The $10,000AUD is split between 100 $100 vouchers.
Client: Mars Wrigley – Extra
Agency: Thinkerbell
Media: MediaCom
19 Comments
But where’s the creative for Thinkerbell’s text line?
love this!
Another idea Thinkerbell latches onto and appears like it’s theirs. I’m still trying to figure out who actually did the beehive thing. Because that seems like a client initiative not agency. This arms race by agencies to put out ridiculous stuff has to reach peak stupidity soon. Please just build brands and create brand preference. That’s what our job is.
Why so cheesy, American, stupid, overacted, try-hard and pointless?
Simple, timely, and a nice extension to a great global campaign.
For absolute clarity the ad is from energy BBDO chicargo – we have done a promotion off the back of it launching here. Says so in the release.
Jumping the gun a bit aren’t we? Melbourne still in Lockdown, can’t venture further than 25km, Masks inside and Outside and no-one wearing them in these spots, interstate travel banned from Victoria, O/S travel banned everywhere.
Was this meant to be released sometime in the future but you just couldn’t wait?
So only heterosexual people exist in Wrigley’s Extra world?
1:38
Apologies, I must have blinked.
It’s a great piece of film and for anyone casually browsing through Campaign Brief, it would appear they were behind it… The fact that it was Energy BBDO isn’t revealed until deep into the release.
Jeez there are some dicks on this blog.
The team at Thinkerbell have already made a case study for this
I know that the client would have pushed to use the film, but it doesn’t work at all. Aside from being terrible cringe, American production, it is meant to be of the moment. And this just just isn’t, even in Melbourne. Maybe after the prolonged lockdown last year but not now. Also, hopefully it changes a lot for Aussie TV because ‘product demonstration’ uses gum that is completely different to Aussie gum, the packshot is unrecognisable and the VO is distinctly American.
To the text line it’s a good try to rescue a trainwreck of a TVC (well done Thinkerbell) but “Extra™ will take care of the bill, into the thousands” isn’t true – it’s up to $100 by the sounds of it.
Irony is dead. Apparently.
“Jeez there are some dicks on this blog.”
Oh the irony. based on where you work.
I could have saved this ad,
@No you are an idiot, and what’s worse, you’re an idiot who deeply, passionately believes they are intelligent.
🙁 my feelings