AMI + Habitat for Humanity address substandard housing in new campaign via Colenso BBDO
A new partnership between AMI and community housing provider Habitat for Humanity New Zealand aims to address substandard housing experienced by 75,000 Kiwis over the next three years. The partnership has launched a campaign via Colenso BBDO, to highlight the plight of Kiwis living in cold, damp and mouldy homes and to give New Zealanders an avenue to help.
The campaign creative follows AMI’s signature style of bringing inanimate objects to life to tell the story of everyday situations. It stars ‘The Heroic Peg’, a long-suffering clothes peg who tries with all his might to keep his charges – a young girl and her sister – warm by holding up a thin sheet, where a curtain would normally go, to little avail. Audiences can see clearly that, despite Peg’s best efforts, the room is cold, threadbare, and affected by moisture and mould.
AMI marketing manager Jessica Bunker says the campaign was guided by the joint values of the insurer and Habitat for Humanity, described in the joint partnership objective, as “creating safe and healthy homes together.
“Having provided home and contents insurance to New Zealanders for over 90 years, AMI knows the importance of living in a safe and liveable home.
“With the past year being characterised by greater health awareness and greater time spent at home, it was important to us that the story of Peg gives audiences a real glimpse into this issue, while treating this situation that many Kiwis will be facing, with the requisite sensitivity.
“Having the benefit of Habitat’s almost-30 years of experience in housing in New Zealand on hand to guide us throughout the creative process made all the difference.”
Says Rachel Aikin, managing partner, Colenso BBDO: “We were really excited about working with Habitat to help solve such an important problem and to continue building the AMI ‘On Your Side’ brand positioning.”
The campaign is the first of a three-year programme of creative activity involving AMI and Habitat for Humanity NZ, and includes TVC, radio, digital and press, with AV directed and produced by Good Oil.
Says Bunker: “Our activity will be programmed around the twin aims of generating awareness around how Kiwis with the necessary means can help with Habitat’s work for those in need and generating awareness around practical steps people can take in their own homes to stay warm and dry, especially over winter.”
Client: AMI; Jessica Bunker, Melanie O’leary
Agency: Colenso BBDO
Media Agency: PHD
Production Company: Good Oil
Director: Michelle Savill
Managing Director: George Mackenzie
Executive Producer: Andrew McLean
Producer: Anna Stuart
DOP: Ginny Loane
Editor: Simon Price
Colourist: Dave Gibson
Online: Stuart Bedford
Sound Design: Franklin Road Music & Sound
Sound Engineer: Stefaan Van Leuven
Stills Photography: Sacha Stejko, Image Driven Content