The Royal Australian Navy launches new ‘Live a Story Worth Telling’ campaign via VMLY&R
Defence and VMLY&R – WPP’s brand and customer experience agency – have launched ‘Live a Story Worth Telling,’ a campaign which brings to life the diverse and extraordinary lives of Royal Australian Navy personnel.
Providing insight into the variety of meaningful, purpose-driven careers on offer in the Navy, ‘Live a Story Worth Telling’ portrays the real-world impact that can be made from a life in the Navy.
Says Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Chief of Navy: “The Navy makes a critical contribution in protecting the nation’s maritime security and economic wellbeing which underpin the Australian way of life. Being part of your Navy provides the opportunity to contribute to something very meaningful, as diplomats and defenders of our maritime interests and Australia’s way of life.”
The campaign features over 80 pieces of content across national TV and cinema, OOH, radio, digital and social media. The stories shown portray a broad picture of life in the Navy, as well as addressing specific questions potential recruits have asked, like “Is there time for a social life?” and “What’s life like on a submarine?”.
The executions depict epic moments – both big and small – while featuring more than the ships, submarines, and helicopters of the Navy. This unique perspective of the campaign captures Navy sailors’ real-life moments of human connection and chronicles their experiences as they live their day-to-day lives on the vessels.
Says Kieran Moroney, creative director, VMLY&R: “When set the task of recruiting the next generation of Navy sailors from an everdemanding talent pool, we needed to show just how fulfilling life at sea can be. And so Live a Story Worth Telling was born. An epic, cinematic tale of purpose and contribution starring real Navy personnel who truly live their story every day.”
Big Sync Music’s head of partnerships, Georgia Roberts said “From the moment we set eyes on the treatment, we knew this was going to be an incredible film, and that the score would play a key role in telling the story. There’s no doubt the film is epic and full of adventure, but there’s also real beauty and vulnerability to it; in the vastness of the ocean and the bringing together of communities through challenges. We think the music does a great job of conveying the emotion and complementing the visuals whilst being the centre point that brings all the stories together. Stunning film – Bravo VMLY&R and Navy.”
Says Sarah Bailey, managing director VMLY&R Melbourne & Sydney: “From the outset this campaign was epic in ambition and scope and we’re extremely proud of the final product. It required true partnership at every stage and we are excited to see it connect with Australians looking for a unique and fulfilling career in what is an increasingly critical industry for our country.
Client: Defence
Chief of Navy: VADM Mark Hammond
Director General, Defence Force Recruiting: BRIG Duncan Hayward
Director Military Recruiting: GPCAPT Chris Ellison
Deputy Director Recruiting Attraction: WGCDR Fleur James
Recruiting Liaison Officer – Navy: CMDR Phil Smith
Deputy Recruiting Liaison Officer – Navy: LCDR Sarah West
General Manager: Justin Stanic
National Marketing Manager: Zerlina Burns
Navy Brand Portfolio Manager: Anjali Bakaya
Former Navy Brand Portfolio Manager: Jess Goggin
Navy Brand Senior Marketing Officer: Gemma Tait // Liam Walford
Staff Officer Recruiting Attraction – Navy: LEUT Alexandra Morthorpe
Creative Agency: VMLY&R CCO: Paul Nagy
Group ECD: Jake Barrow
Creative Director: Kieran Moroney
Senior Copywriter: Jess Wheeler
Creative: Shane Geffen
Head of Design: Lewis Brown
Designer: Lewis Barnes, Simon Gray
Executive Producer: Rachel Rider
Senior Producer: Stevi Russell
Managing Director: Sarah Bailey
Group Business Director: Bindy Bassingthwaite // Rhys Thomas
Senior Account Director: Meaghan De Laurier
Account Director: Sarah Latremoille
Senior Account Manager: Alex Aikman // Madi Moorhead // Jen Moffatt
Account Executive: Jess Osrin // Tom Hogan
Production Company: DIVISION
Director: Jason Bock
MD | EP: Genevieve Triquet
Producer: Alice Grant
DOP: Jeremy Rouse
Underwater DOP: Rick Rifici
Aerial DOP: Peter Beeh
Production Designer: Lucinda Thomson
Costume Designer: Joanna Mae Park
Casting: Citizen Jane Casting
Offline: The Editors
Editor: Bernard Garry & Lily Davis
Assistant Editor: Shannon Michaels & Liam Riley
Post Producer: Liv Reddy & Charlotte Griffiths
Online: Fin Design
VFX Supervisors: Mikey Brown & Stuart White
Executive VFX Producer: Alastair Stephen
VFX Producer: Isabelle Howarth
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham
Audio
Music Supervision: Big Sync Music
Musical Director: Ramesh Sathiah, MassiveMusic
Composer: Adrian Sergovich, MassiveMusic
Sound Design: Abby Sie, MassiveMusic
Voice Over Casting: Ralph van Dijk, Eardrum
Voice Over: Stephen Peacocke & Deborah Mailman
Stills: FLINT
Stills Photographer: Andreas Smetana
Stills Photographer: David Maurice Smith
Executive Producer: Rachel Henderson
Producer: Petra Valent
Retouching: Cream
Creative Director: Kieran Moroney
Creative Director: Robyn Bergmann
Bespoke Social Content:
National Social Media Manager: Marc Unger
Social Media Content Manager: Maria Ngo
Production Co: VAULT
Director: Bill Bleakley
DOP: Samuel Phibbs
Junior Art Director: Andrew Bao
Junior Copywriter: Charlie Dejean
Lead Producer: Mel Herbert
Producer: Maddie Fricker
Senior Account Manager: Madi Moorhead
Photographers: David Maurice Smith, Rod Pilbeam
Editor: Aleksandar Janev, Opie Sayner-Hassall, Sara Glaoua,
Brendon Killen
Grade: Peachy Keen Music: Massive Music
Media Credits: Universal McCann Australian Government team
24 Comments
More account managers then clients 😳
That got me in the feels.
Reminds me of every other defense force job ever. Have you seen any movie ever? Yeh that’s Samuel Jackson
How expensive yet average
Mate, you can’t even spell ‘defence’ or ‘Laurence Fishburne’.
4 editors for a 90sec ad….righto
I can spell okay materoo
Absolutely epic. This couldn’t have been an easy feat. Well done.
Thanks Scotty
We remember Scotty.
you pay peanuts-
Love it. Treatment is great
You must know that those who haven’t been there,are not interested in your story. They wouldn’t understand anyway.
The Navy is –or should be a fighting force, with no other objective but to close with, and destroy the enemy.
It is not a public service career for mummies little boys and girls.
Tthe best sailors have always been the kids from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have found a home, discipline, and mates in the service.
Recruit the old fashioned way. Send experienced Chiefs to country towns to inspire likely lads and ladies to spend time at sea in the defence of their country.
All this other is just expensive b/s, and the tough and hard people we need at sea, will see right through it.
Yes____I was a DDG sailor
My grandfather toured Africa, Germany and Papua for WW2 and only said one thing about the war. ‘Those who actually went, never talk about it. Those who didn’t, never shut up about it.’
Am I missing something? Where are the stories?
And I thought they wasted all their money on their defence subs. Guess I was wrong.
The production company / director deserves all the praise for this job.
It looks beautiful. WELL DONE JASON AND DIVISION.
I love it! For my next Naval exploit (reincarnation) I’m coming back as a submariner m, rather than a nurse after seeing this. Well done to all.
and these comments show it.
Well done VMLY&R. That would have been a tough brief and shoot and you’ve produced something lovely.
Real research shows most submariners are ice addicted and suicidal ( see the Perth bases drug problems and subsequent high ranking inability to recognise suicidal behaviour from their crew) . The living quarters are horrendous. The job is like a life sentence. But yes lets glamorise the bs that the ADF continue to force feed the public in a desperate attempt to recruit people into toxic jobs.
As a community that claims to support the arts we shouldn’t be working for government agencies like this. They waste money on non essentials…including this bland piece of content
…so your solution is what exactly? Not sure the agency can do much about the realities of being in a metal tube deep underwater. I think your issue is with the workplace experience which shockingly is not under the influence of a bunch of creative types.
“Live a story worth telling” – Pray tell, who signed off on that tagline during a Royal Commission. I know the ADF part labour hire, part meme generator these days but this is ridiculous. The CDF would accuse this tagline of walking alone and attractive after midnight.