Whybin\TBWA launches mentalist ANZ campaign
Published
The agency that brought us Goldstein is now pushing another American—this time an Aussie, pretending to be an American, telling us about an Aussie bank. Confused?
The ad is ANZ's first global ad campaign, and features Aussie actor Simon Baker in character as The Mentalist's Patrick Jane. The campaign has been launched in Australia and Asia, with New Zealand soon to follow.
So far it has received mixed reviews in Australia and, unusually, the lips of Whybin's TBWA\ in New Zealand were closed, even those of the bank whisperer himself, Dave Walden, who's currently in Melbourne. But ANZ said in a statement the campaign "supports its super regional strategy and continues the evolution of ANZ's brand as customer centric and uncomplicated".
TBWA\ Melbourne has stuck with the 'We Live in Your World' tagline and brought in the character of Jane, who "uses his keen powers of observation, deduction, and knowledge of social engineering coupled with his genius to help lead the investigation" in the show, to tell you what you're thinking and what the bank does to make your life easier.
Joyce Phillips, a woman with a very long job title (ANZ group managing director strategy, M&A, marketing and innovation) says Jane "knows what people are thinking because he lives in their world. He's an observer of life and that's what we strive to be" (of course, as ASB can probably attest, banks that try to become too matey, insert themselves in customers' lives and portray themselves as loving, caring friends is usually pretty creepy). This makes him the "ideal personification of ANZ's brand as insightful, sophisticated, worldly but with a strong connection to Australia".
The problem, however, is that Baker is a fairly well-recognised Aussie actor playing a character from a reasonably popular US TV show and speaking in an American accent, so it's possibly not quite as uncomplicated (or Aussie-focused) as they'd all hoped. And, judging by the Twitterati's response, there has been quite a bit of confusion so far (someone's even made a spoof video).
Still, as Phillips says, the evolution of the brand through this campaign "reflects a need for a globally consistent campaign that supports our super regional strategy," and using an easy-on-the-eye celebrity (or, more accurately, a the fictional character he plays) is a good way of crossing borders.
"It will help build awareness and relevance of ANZ in our key emerging markets while reinforcing what it is that makes us different from other banks," she says. "This campaign is an exciting step forward in a journey we began 18 months ago with the launch of our new brand. This new campaign shows how we understand the needs of our customers, providing insights and delivering ideas that help people progress."
Comments
Bobby
Mmm. Nice idea and well executed but I can't help but think this has quite low longevity potential as a concept compared to way the ASB Goldstein adverts progressed.
It's slick for sure but one a whole swing towards run-of-the-mill ads that enlist “now” actors. (2degrees comes to mind). They're not a good substitute for a great concept historically.
Johnny
I hate the plan sycophancy of bank ads, and this type in particular, where they offer no examples at all of how exactly they “think differently” or “outside the bank/box/*insert cliche*” and try to convince me you're my buddy. It's so false. To me you're just the “pale blue” one, and sorry mate, I think I'll just keep using the yellow one thanks, as there's no point switching, which is what you want me to do isn't it?
Virginia T.
The spoof doesn't play. Here's the correct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUb8s5uWUsI
Esther Goh
Thanks Virginia, you're quite right! We've updated the video link.
Mike BINIS
The TV ads for a NZ market are offensive when they allow the Mentalist character to refer to needing a big 'yard' when kiwis use the term 'section' or garden (a yard being a commercial storage facility) and a 'mobil phone' when everyone outside the US says MOBILE phone as is correct. We know the TV show is American, we don't want a yank to tell us what local bank to use in 'yank' vernacular… best reason to use another bank I can think of!
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