Selleys proves to tradies ‘If it’s Selleys  it works’ in latest campaign via Howatson + Company

Selleys, together with Howatson+Company, has launched a bold new campaign aimed at tradies, demonstrating Selley’s product’s ability to handle the toughest, gutsiest jobs – the kinds of jobs you’d only want to do once.

Leveraging their iconic line, “If It’s Selleys It Works,” the campaign, the first for the brand since being appointed Creative Agency of Record back in August, takes the brand beyond the world of DIY and into the realm of tradies – ingenious professionals and masters of their craft, who don’t settle for just any product on the job.

The spot, shot by Michael Hili via FINCH, features two tradies dangling in a high-pressure, high-altitude scenario, casually bantering as they apply Selleys to the job.

Says Livia McKenzie, Head of Portfolio, Brands & Advertising: “Our aim is to super-charge our next stage of growth and get more tradies exploring the depth of the Selleys portfolio. To elevate Selleys’ place on the job site, we had to take it out of the world of DIY jobs at home and show it could handle the necessary level of gutsiness trade professionals need.”

True to tradies’ motive of avoiding the dreaded call-back of fixing a job, the assets set out to reintroduce the iconic brand to them in the most epic way possible: showing it being used in high-stakes situations where it simply has to work. The audience won’t find tradie tropes or slapstick humour. Every element of the campaign purposely feels professional, careful and considered – just like how tradies would use Selleys.

Says Dan Smith, Senior Art Director at Howatson+Company: “If it’s Selleys it works has been around for decades, but it’s been a bit of a dormant asset. To reclaim the brand’s iconic status, we needed to make it the headline – not the punctuation. This campaign is a testament to the strength of Selleys as a brand, and we look forward to building on this momentum and continuing our work with the Selleys team to win over tradies’ trust across Australia.”

Adds Ernie Ciaschetti, Senior Copywriter at Howatson+Company: “As an ex-tradie, it was an absolute honour to tackle this challenge for such an iconic Aussie brand. I hope my old mates in fluro see a bit of themselves in the work and start reaching for Selleys as a result—otherwise, I might be back on-site with them.”

The campaign is supported by an integrated mix of broadcast, digital, and outdoor media.

Agency: Howatson+Company
CEO: Chris Howatson
Group Managing Director: Renee Hyde
Chief Creative Officer: Gavin Chimes
Chief Strategy Officer: Dom Hickey
Creative Directors: Simon Friedlander, Scott Zuliani
Head of Craft: Ellena Mills
Senior Art Director: Dan Smith
Senior Copywriter: Ernie Ciaschetti
Design Director: Trent Michael
Client Partner: Sophie Sykes
Senior Business Director: Lisa Zimpel
Senior Business Manager: Eddie Moult
Planning Director: Georgia Pritchard
Studio Lead: Simon Merrifield
Senior Producer: Caitlin Perz

Media Company: IPG Mediabrands
Group Business Director: Charlotte Wills
Head of Strategy: Ali Coysh
Communications Design Manager: Ben Breden
Group Investment Director: Tahnee Fleming
Client & Investment Director: Eliza O’Connor

Production Company: FINCH
Director: Michael Hili
Producer: Amy Dymond
Executive Producer: Loren Bradley
DOP: Gregoire Liere
Production Designer: Ella Butler
Casting: Byrne Casting
Editor: Andrew Holmes
Post Production: Heckler
Colourist: Matt Fezz

Client: Selleys
General Manager: Jemma Carison
Global Marketing Director: Endi Asmira
Head of Portfolio, Brands & Advertising: Livia McKenzie
Group Marketing Capability Manager: Erin Porter