Ad Hoc
Hazel Phillips
2degrees launch ad fails to suck
Yes, you read that correctly, folks.
2degrees launched last night (watch the ad here) with a spot that immediately puts its advertising above the Other Big Two. Simply put, it failed to suck.
Cute, funny – and not contrived – repeated viewings do not result in one wanting to gnaw one's own limbs off. Rhys is cheeky, frivolous and fun.
The absolute best bit? When Our Man Rhys cries plaintively, "It shouldn't be that hard!"
Tissues in hand, I found myself sobbing along. "No, Rhys!" I cried. "It shouldn't be that hard! But they rip me off each month! Down to the very last penny!"
Anyone who's lived abroad and enjoyed the freedom of liberal phone plans will surely identify with his mantra. I recall $50 prepay cards for $150 of credit each month across the Tasman, for example.
Whoever the Backslash TBWA muffin responsible for writing that line is, they deserve a pay rise and extra sugar on their porridge at breakfast.
Will there be a bit of Rhys overexposure? He's currently the frontman for C4's 100 greatest pop culture moments as well as Prime's FOTC reruns. Time will tell.
So, what do you think of 2degrees' launch effort? Is it beating the pants off Skodafone and Smellycom already? Vote here.
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Comments
Doesn't suck but doesn't do
Doesn't suck but doesn't do much else either. Is Rhys the idea? That said, it trounces 027 and 021. That also said, that isn't saying much.
It's not bad
No, it doesn't suck, but it's not as brilliant as I was hoping it would be when I heard it would featyure Rhys Darby. I hate to be less than utterly positive but It's not really funny enough. Guess it's not written for his Murray character and tone, probably couldn't be. And I hate the way he pronounces 'logo'. But do like the end shot and it is so more 2009 than the Telecom XT ad from the early 90s which followed it this morning.
Good one.
I loved it. I was all prepared to bag it mercilessly but I can't! Because it's great! And I thought the way he pronounced logo was genius. Nice work Whybins, you've made an ad that I actually want to watch multiple times. More importantly you've introduced a new company/brand to me in a way that makes me feel instantly positive about them.
2deg
Recently I had an experience with "skodafone" that left me certain that i would change providers for my business & personal use but felt that going to "smellycom" would make absolutely no difference so stuck it out. Im actually excited about giving 2deg a go... actually i cant wait. Love the ad.
log-o
OMG, if someone doesn't get log-o is clearly a play on words, as they say, ifs its too lud, your too old"
traget market stuff, very funny IMHO
not funny enough?
Geez High Standards Much? Rhys Darby's comedy was around before his Murray character. Murray was based on Rhys Darby...
Its an excellent choice in front man - wheather people "get" his comedy or not.
2 Degrees have, overall, made a great first impression
Who is that man with the strange accent?
Hey ...what the hell? I'm supposed to have the funny kiwi stereotype gigs around here!
Didn't do it for me
Sorry- but I thought the advt was pretty poor
Serious Comment
Definitely entertaining but otherwise vacuous. Where are those old-fashioned advertising concepts like propositions, differentiation, benefits? Waiting, waiting, waiting.
Skodafone
Hahahaha "Skodafone", love it! You're right Hazel, anyone who has bleft these shores for any amount of time will be able to tell you we're all being completely ripped off. Vodafone should know better, they're competing in the global game yet continue to rip us all off here in NZ sending billions of dollars overseas and charging us like wounded bulls in the process. The fact they were outed by TV3 for colluding on prices with Telecom was final straw for me, I can't wait for 2degrees to add some competition into this cosy little duopoly we have in the Telco market right now. It's been a long time coming.
loved it
Smart choice, Rhys Darby is the "man of the moment". Not one cringe throughout the entire ad for me. Well done.
Awesome
That was one of the best launch ads I've ever seen fro any NZ business - there is a lot to live up to and creating the right brand is one of those key things - the ad was a very clever and very good start. Especially with the Great Chinwag offer at the back of it!
Rhys resonates
Great going 2degs and I'm with most the population in loving your choice of front guy. Key for me is the personality coupled with the content. "Smellycom's" XT campaign has, in the end, backfired big time on me because I blame them for turning me off the Hamster and, by implication, compromising my long-time enjoyment of Top Gear...!
2 degrees
I loved the new ad with Rhys ..... and have already signed up for a free SIM. I've lived overseas and was shocked to see mobile prices when I recently moved back to NZ - shame on you Vodafone and Telecom !
Old idea done like an ASB ad
Prancing around the country, with a script that reads like a planners document, with a quirky execution is not an idea.
This an XT are from the same school. Except one is serious, the other is not.
It's not a giant creative leap, and every agency has written this script.
Still, good on TBWA, this ad will make up for the lack of ASB ads on TV. Until the client release the other half of their marketing budget, I guess we're stuck with only one Goldstein ad on TV.
It was ok - but not a fan of
It was ok - but not a fan of Concords so it missed a beat with me using Rhys - in the end at least they tried - but a little too hard and their target market showed through too much for me
Skodafone
Hey! I coined the phrase Skodafone about two months after I had to use them to get an iPhone and found their coverage and customer service abysmal.
I realise it's maybe a bit obvious but I spread it around a bit in Hazel's world (?) and now It has entered her vocabulary!!
How exciting - from Welly to the Queen city in less than 8 months! Perhaps this could have been a basis for Telecom's comparative speed approach?
Thanks Hazel, my day is made - spread the word!
Skodafone
Actually, I first heard Skodafone amongst my irate student friends in Dunedin in 2000. So it's been a slow journey from the south island.
It's a well-deserved moniker, in my book.
2degrees, here I come.
By the way, has anyone checked out their website? (2degreesmobile.co.nz) On the main page it says "Talk to a real person". Nice.
And this is the message you get when you register: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugqpEoKLtIM&feature=player_embedded
rhys
I love the ad. at it actually makes the 2 degrees concept work, which i was skeptical about.
the only thing missing as far as i can see is rhys is noticable absent on the website, email coms, and print advert so far. ........
Advert aside i think they
Advert aside i think they are all the same.. Upon some investigation, 2 Degree, was actually New Zealand Communication Ltd, which had been around for awhile, but is trying to compete for the mainstream mobile share as Vodafone is a little vulnerable..
Well, lets hope they will be truly competitive plans..
I like it. It's good. And
I like it. It's good. And it's better than XT too. The only thing that sucks is the industry's incessant nobbling of each other's work. The word for that is 'jealousy'. Several words for that are 'Not Invented Here Syndrome'. My advice to those who suffer from those afflictions is 'Get over yourself. You didn't win the business. You didn't get to work on the TVC.' Better luck next time.
I can't wait
The ad is ok. Infinitely better than that awful shipping container ad.
I cannot wait. Vodafone customer (non)service is doing my head in. It is worse than abysmal. They have driven me to change, and i am actually kind of excited about 2deg (never thought i would say that).
side kick required
The new Goldstein eh? Rhys needs a side kick., Jacqui Brown would be ideal. Did TBWA do the god awful website?
I doubt
that Rhys will stick around to become the next Goldstein, that would be career suicide. He is destined for greater things and has to strike while the irons hot.
Suck it telecom. Suck it real good.
I agree, the website lets
I agree, the website lets them down unfortunately.
Good
Rhys = :)
i'm just really hoping that the prices will be like R - E - A - L - L - Y cheap like 4 - 6 cents a message. also very curious about the release day, not just the month.
Love it
Much better than Xt's ad. No-one cares how fast the mobile broadband is if they can't afford it. Anythings better than my 30kbps on Slingshot anyway...
2 Degrees
Im unsure how good 2 Deg will be after all are they not using Hellicom and Loadafone network.? Which makes me think that being a second user the big players will surely be making sure there txts go through first. Why would they priritise a second players connection.
Its a known fact that xtra delay non xtra emails through there servers.
I think that XT advert that was screening about being able to get a signal in a shipping container way out at see was a bit misleading as would be impossible to get signal inside a shiping container as steel would cut signal out. Should be reported to Broadcasting standards authority.
...but what support
Ads are good, but why is the next port of contact - the website - SO average, a real let down in fact. Lacks consistency, no real information, no vitality like the ads. It leaves me with the feeling the whole thing was rushed to market, now that is my expectation of their network.
There's a new website yet to
There's a new website yet to come when the company launches its plans and phones etc on August 5.
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