Opera Australia says ‘If you love drama, you’ll love opera’ in new campaign via DDB Melbourne

Australians love a bit of drama. Why else would shows like Married at First Sight be popular? Even our daily news is sensationalised to appeal to our lust for fuss. And drama is something the opera has in spades. The stories are filled with great passion, sorrow and tragedy. So, if you love drama, you’ll love opera.

Opera Australia and DDB Melbourne together are tapping into Australia’s innate love of drama in their latest campaign.

The campaign, which promotes the arrival of ‘Rigoletto’ and ‘Turandot’ in Melbourne, was designed to dramatise the emotional and joyful experience the opera can offer and appeal to a wider, contemporary audience.

Both the social films and radio spots talk to everyone out there who loves drama, concluding with an invitation to experience the opera themselves.

Their humorous approach was new territory for Opera Australia. After all, you wouldn’t think Rigoletto and the concept of catfishing would ever appear in the same sentence.

To support the social films and radio spots, comedian and TV writer Rosie Waterland was invited to review a Rigoletto performance. Well-known for her hilarious recaps of The Bachelor, Waterland’s funny and honest reviews positioned the opera as the original home of drama.

Says Anthony Moss, ECD, DDB Melbourne: “Working on a client like Opera Australia was a true pleasure. Their business problem is an intriguing one; trying to get Opera virgins to give it a try. They agreed with us that Opera posters only preach to the converted without enough information or motivation for a novice. By comparing the drama of the Opera to that of an episode of Married at First Sight or a game of footy, we could speak to the right people and appeal to their existing behaviours and preferences.”

Says Georgia Rivers, executive producer and marketing director, Opera Australia: “We went to DDB for a creative solution to a strategic problem and they generated a lot of fantastic ideas very quickly, and were able to execute to a high level.”

Opera Australia Executive Producer and Marketing Director – Georgia Rivers
Executive Creative Director: Anthony Moss
Art Director: Becky Morriss
Copywriter: Bec Griffiths
Head of Client Services: Jess Hughes
Business Director: Katie Franklin
Account Manager: Season Sutton
Agency Producer: Mel Herbert
Production Company: Filmgraphics
Director: David Denneen
Producer: Anna Fawcett