G'Day, Y'all! Koala Campaign TV
Welcoming Kentucky's cuddliest new residents.
The Challenge
The Louisville Zoo was getting koalas for the first time ever, and we needed to get the city genuinely excited about these fuzzy visitors from down under. The only hitch? Koalas spend about 20 hours a day either eating poisonous eucalyptus leaves – or succumbing to the sleep-inducing toxins contained therein.
What We Cooked Up
To inject a little energy into the koala's arrival, we played with the historic significance of their arrival and the notion of "making their mark" on the city. We did this by scattering playful koala doodles all over Louisville; they popped up everywhere from local coffee shops to the tallest building in the state. Each act of marsupial vandalism was accompanied by their signature greeting: "G'Day, Y'all,"— a phrase that struck common ground between Aussie charm and Southern hospitality.
This is a great example of how a good VO performance can add so much to a script. Our voice actor was superb. A couple of members of the client team said that his delivery and tone of voice called to mind the work of the late, great Phil Hartman.
How We Pulled It Off
TV Spots: Warm, inviting commercials that drew people into the koalas' world
City Takeover: Koala doodles that surprised and delighted people in unexpected places
Social Buzz: A campaign that got everyone sharing their koala encounters and build-up excitement
My Part in All This
As Writer, Producer and Associate Creative Director, I was heavily involved in this project from conception to execution. I came up with the idea, wrote the scripts and cast / directed the VO artist. It was a quick turn on a major initiative, and we were lucky things fell into place.
The Happy Ending
'We crushed attendance records that summer. But honestly? The best part was seeing kids and families connect with these gentle creatures. Turns out sometimes all you need is a friendly hello to start something special.
