Old Bob meets young Bob in a new water saving campaign for Sydney Water via It’s Friday
To coincide with the arrival of summer, Sydney Water, working with agency It’s Friday, has created a new water conservation campaign featuring Sydney Water’s long-running water-wasting character ‘Bob’, played by Shane Jacobson.
Bob has become synonymous with Sydney Water and It’s Friday was tasked with breathing new life into the beloved character. So, this year, Bob is joined by an unexpected guest: his ten-year-old self.
Little Bob was cast after a nation-wide search for a 10-year-old boy with the identical bone structure of Shane Jacobson’s face in order to fit his mini- beard made out of human hair and make the match as close as humanly possible.
In the already popular TVC, Little Bob picks on Bob’s water wasting ways and highlights the simple steps he, and everyone else, can take to conserve it.
Sydney residents use 59% more water compared to South-East Queensland, and 11% more than Perth. This, combined with the return of El Nino conditions, and the onset of what promises to be a dry summer (including possible water restrictions) mean it’s imperative for everyone in Sydney to start saving water while they can. This campaign will help the city prepare for what lies ahead.
Says Sydney Water’s Head of Brand, Megan Miller: “Sydney Water is delighted to be partnering with Its Friday to create cut-through, clever advertising to spike awareness around the very serious issue of water conservation as we approach the prospect of another drought.
“Enticing Sydney to save water isn’t an easy task, particularly with unpredictable weather and fluctuating dam levels. It’s Friday injected new life into our long-running Bob campaign, ensuring that its water saving message will be noticed by as many Sydneysiders as possible at this crucial time for our water supply.”
Adds Vince Lagana, CCO and co-founder at It’s Friday: “We’re taught to save water as kids, but over time apathy sets in. Little Bob hits his older self and Sydneysiders with a truth bomb – you know not to waste water, you have always known, and you need to stop doing it.”
The campaign will appear across TV, radio, OOH, and social channels.
Client: Sydney Water
Agency: It’s Friday
Chief Creative Officer: Vince Lagana
Creatives: Benn Sutton and Neil Walshe
Production: Jeremy de Villiers
Senior Designer: Maria Ancines
Production Company: Rabbit Content
Director: Craig Rasmus
Executive Producer: Lucas Jenner
Producer: Morgan Hind
Post Production: The Editors
Original Composition & Sound Mix – Squeak E Clean Studios
Executive Creative Producer: Karla Henwood
Composer: Yonit Spiegelman
Head of Production: Emma Duncan
Creative Director / Sound Designer: Simon Lister
Media Agency: Atomic 212
5 Comments
This is good. I predict more comedy jobs coming Craig Rasmus’ way.
I would have thought Shane Jacobson is famous enough that he could probably just play himself in an ad, no? “Bob” seems like an unnecessary layer. Fwiw.
You’re right, I agree. But Shane’s Bob character was created by Sydney Water a few years ago.
it’s already popular!
Saw this ‘in the wild’ while watching old fashioned free to air telly.
Works really well.