Marketing plays of the week: Air New Zealand's safety video, Toyota enlists Apiata and Spark teams with Adams

#1 Agency: True

Client: Air New Zealand

Every six months or so Air New Zealand releases a new, innovative, in-flight safety video. This time, the airline has opted for the uncontroversial Hobbit theme again in anticipation of the final film in the trilogy. The video was released yesterday and has over one million views already. It follows two Hobbit fanatics’ journey through Middle Earth with a solid line-up of cameos of cast members and film makers from The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. The instructional video, directed by Takia Waititi, was filmed over six days with help from Weta Workshop. It will replace the current Bear Essentials of Safety, which was re-run following controversy around a Sports Illustrated video. Air New Zealand denied public pressure motivated the change. But the new safety video will no doubt rival the previous Hobbit-themed video, which was released in 2012.

#2 Agency: Media Blanco

Client: Toyota

An ad this long can be a hard act to sell but Toyota has enlisted two alpha male New Zealanders to promote its Hilux. The video follows war hero Willie Apiata, TV personality Mark Ellis and a competition winner (who turns out to be an expert archer) on a hunting trip. It’s an ad well-produced enough to be its own TV show albeit with heavy Toyota branding. Toyota assistant general manager Andrew Davis says the video is part of the wider Hilux Proven campaign and will be promoted via Toyota’s media channels and will rely on partners from the adventure weekend (for example, hunting and hishing). The clip is targeted at the “manly man” but Mr Davis says a “massive number” of women were interested in seeing what the NZ Victoria Cross recipient was up to when the teaser aired. It will be interesting to see whether Toyota cops some criticism for using the military hero as an ambassador ...

#3 Agency: Dynamo

Client: Spark

Spark is capitalising on the rapid rise of Kiwi basketballer Steve Adams with a new teaser as part of the ‘Never Stop Starting’ campaign. The second instalment has a more serious undertone in that Mr Adams hints at fixing the dire state of New Zealand’s basketball courts. Spark isn’t going to defeat the purpose of a teaser clip and spill the beans but says we can expect an announcement next week. The clips themselves prove how natural Mr Adams is behind the camera and but his provocative tone towards fellow Oklahoma City team mate Reggie Jackson borders on condescending.

#4 Agency: [unknown]

Client: Auckland Council

This summer Auckland Council is bringing back the Summer Skate Series in which 13 events will be hosted.  This promo is light on the editing side but I reckon the music and skate-porn will be enough to please most people. It was a little odd to see Mayor Len Brown pop up as a name among the locations but it turns out he has a skate park named after him. There will be six skate competitions in the series; here’s hoping that Mr Brown participates in one of them.

#5 Agency: MediaWorks Integration

Client: MediaWorks

Like all things on social media, the Ice Bucket Challenge is a phenomenon that was over in a couple of months but The Rock is giving it one last hurrah by bringing famous rapper Vanilla Ice to New Zealand for one show. Tickets to the show were snapped up in three minutes according to MediaWorks. The stunt was inspired by V’s ‘Give it a V’ campaign (ie. giving a V to the Ice Bucket Challenge).

cgibson@nbr.co.nz