Discount flyers, irritating retail voice voices and red sales balloons: Energy provider AGL is taking a swipe at common clichés across the retail world in its latest work from CHE Proximity.
As consumer mistrust builds in the energy category, AGL is keeping things simple in its latest ad, poking fun at the sea of confusing deals and discounts in the industry.
The campaign highlights AGL’s new Essentials product that offers low rates, fixed for 12 months with a series of artistic ads.
With production company Scoundrel, CHE Proximity collaborated with renowned Australian artist and director James Dive to create a campaign based around minimalist installations.
It's the first work from CHE Proximity on the AGL account. Last year, AdNews revealed the energy giant had begun a statutory review of its media buying and planning arrangements, placing McCann Melbourne on notice. AdNews understands McCann is no longer working with AGL.
In the first 30-second spot, a wall of paper is destroyed to reveal a simple billboard that reads: ‘No discounts. No tricks. Just low rates’. A bunch of balloons are destroyed in a similar fashion in another spot and a retail radio message is interrupted with the simple sales deal.
The films mark the start of an ongoing brand campaign and are designed to be a force for disruption in a noisy and predictable category.
AGL head of marketing Jamima White says: “Many customers find discounts confusing. We were one of the first Australian energy retailers to offer consumers the choice and control of a guaranteed low rate product. This is just one of the new products and services we have launched to help give our customers a fairer, better deal.”
CHE Proximity chief creative officer Ant White says: “People just don’t believe the language of sales and discounts anymore. This campaign was all about the art of the unsell: customers are looking for transparency and don’t necessarily have time to decode hundreds of deals looking for the best offer. We’re proud to support AGL as they help customers trust this industry again.”
