Telstra explains why it does what it does: Because Australia

Telstra has launched a campaign to introduce a new brand positioning. The work, by Accenture Interactive's The Monkeys, answers an unspoken question about the company's purpose with a three-word answer: 'Australia is why'.

Like most three-word taglines—including new ones like ANZ's 'We do how' and legendary ones like 'Just do it'—the phrase is relatively meaningless on its face. So it's good that the 60-second TVC anchoring the campaign (above) does such a good job of colouring in the meaning. 

Ad Nut also appreciates that the work doesn't reach too far in its attempt to attach purpose to the brand. Instead, it simply focuses on the core function a telco provides, connections between people, and finds emotionally effective ways to illustrate its commitment to providing that function. (Just last week we saw an example of how badly things can go wrong when brands fumble the attempt to imbue themselves with purpose: see "Tide washes away goodwill with an insulting and strategically braindead ad".) 

Jeremy Nicholas, Telstra CMO:

Our new campaign has been created to express the vital and sometimes overlooked role Telstra plays in taking our nation forward; to articulate not just what we do, but why we do it.

Because that umbrella is broad, the ad is also able to touch on other ways the company supports the nation, such as climate action, sports sponsorships and support of the arts.

'Australia Is why' is Telstra’s first brand-focused work since 2016. The campaign includes a website and large format out-of-home ads in addition to the 60-second TVC above and 15-second spots highlighting individual stories.

CREDITS

Client: Telstra
Chief Marketing Officer: Jeremy Nicholas
Head of Brand: Julie Caulfield
Principal of Media, Sponsorship & Awards: Genelle Sharples
Senior Marketing Specialist: Maria Rizzo
Senior Marketing Specialist: Rebecca Borgo
Senior Marketing Specialist: Alita McMenamin
Senior Media Specialist: Robbie Aoukar

Creative Agency: The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive
Group CEO & Co-Founder: Mark Green
Group Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder: Scott Nowell
Chief Creative Officer: Tara Ford
Chief Strategy Officer: Fabio Buresti
Managing Director: Matt Michael
Executive Creative Director: Vince Lagana
Creative Directors: Dan Fryer, Stuart Alexander
Creative Team: Jake Rusznyak, Dennis Koutoulogenis, Ben Sampson
Head of Business Management: Belinda Drew
Senior Business Director: Amanda Porritt
Business Director: Jack Stone
Business Manager: Ciara Moloney, Samantha Packham
Head of Planning: Hugh Munro
Senior Planner: Charlotte Marshall
Head of Production: Penny Brown
Senior Producer: Simone O’Connor
Senior Producer: Claudia Brookes
Senior Finished Artist: Leah Horsley
Senior Designer: Mel Watson
Senior Designer: Megan Leckey

Production Company: Collider
Director: John Hillcoat
Executive Producer: Olivia Hantken
DoP: Ross Giardina
Casting: Stevie Ray @ McGregor Casting

Post House: The Editors
Editor: Bernard Garry
Online: Soren Dyne and Matt Edwards
Sound Post-Production: Song Zu
Sound Producer: Kat Aquilla
Sound Engineer: Simon Kane

Print Production
Production Company: Red Door
Photographer: Paul Blackmore
Executive Producer: Natalie Loveridge
Retouching: Cream Electric Art

Media: OMD

Social & Web: Telstra In-House Creative & Production
Campaign Strategist: Nick Chin
Creative Director: Nads Spencer
Lead Producer: Melanie Stefanou
Creative Producer: James Nyssen
Editorial: Campbell Simpson / Harry Tucker

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