Tui brings back iconic ‘Yeah right’ billboards via Saatchi & Saatchi NZ, Special and dentsu Aotearoa
After almost a decade since Tui’s last ‘Yeah right’ billboard ran, DB Breweries has announced their return. A slew of new billboards will appear all around the country, boasting lines with the same hilarious irreverence from the past. Saatchi & Saatchi led the creative with Special heading up PR and dentsu Aotearoa in charge of media.
The revival is in response to making beer brand marketing fun again, stepping away from the recent ‘do it by the book’ approach and walking the precarious line of cancel culture to bring Kiwis a good laugh.
Tui’s Fraser Shrimpton says, “We’re living in a world where everyone has an opinion about everything, all the time. There’s no avoiding feedback, so we’ve decided, as a brand, we’re not afraid to say what we’ve all been thinking.”
“The billboards are our way of connecting with Kiwis, aiming to help them lighten up and have a laugh”, he adds.
The strategy, idea and advertising has been brought back to life by long-term DB partner Saatchi & Saatchi, who famously led the initial campaign for the original billboards that ran from 1997, with lines such as “Of course I like your Mum. Yeah right” and continued for sixteen years until 2013 with social commentary like “Let’s hear what Gareth Morgan has to say about it. Yeah right.”
The new billboards will take the same irreverent, tongue-in-cheek tone as the original campaign.
Sean Cummins, founder of cummins&partners, who created the initial ‘Yeah Right’ campaign is proud to see the campaign’s return: “My whole approach to creativity is not to write ads… but write platforms. When in New Zealand I wrote this campaign ably supported by Jason Ross as art director and a young Richard Maddocks.
“Whilst we were all Aussies, we listened to the staunch drinkers from Hawkes Bay. And this was the result. Really proud to see the agency bring back a campaign that became so iconic. And props to the agency creatives that carried on with it after us.”
Says Steve Cochrane, chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi: “The Tui billboards became an iconic part of the New Zealand culture, and there was always a lot of anticipation to see what would be next. ‘Yeah right’ is still a very Kiwi phrase, so we’re thrilled to bring it back and inject some much-needed humour into beer advertising.”
Special PR is leading the creative PR and media relations strategy by helping DB Breweries front-foot the inevitable onslaught of commentary. It’s launched the ‘Tui Feedback Line’, a phone feedback service available 24/7 on 0800-TUI-YEAH-RIGHT (0800 884 932).
Members of the public are encouraged to leave feedback, suggestions, complaints, or just have a good old chin-wag about the return of the ‘Yeah right’ to Mike Minogue.
Special’s Managing Director, Kelly Grindle, adds, “The drinks market is oversaturated with dozens of brands looking to cut through the noise – sometimes, the most eWective way to do that is to take the brave route.
“We’ve loved working alongside DB and its agency village to bring this one to life, and we are grateful to have clients willing to step outside the bounds and do great work.”
Dentsu led the campaign’s integrated media approach, bringing it to life via its proprietary dynamic creative solution, D4, to help enhance creative relevance and impact across large-format OOH and supporting digital media, ensuring the campaign’s revival generates maximum talkability and buzz.
Dentsu Senior Client Partner Nathan Pilkington added: “Media magic is an integral part of this campaign, and we’re excited to be able to showcase some of Dentu’s innovative, dynamic digital tools to bring back the iconic Tui billboards that will no doubt drive a lot of noise.”
If you have feedback about one of the Tui billboards, dial 0800-TUI-YEAH-RIGHT (0800 884 932), right now.
21 Comments
Kern your type before sending to print… “Yeah right”
Could’ve been funny.
… you know the rest.
Genius, keep them coming. The last great act of defiance. yo the PC brigade..look away or lighten up.
“Kern”? lol showing your age there.
Bold messages to kick off and well done getting increasingly conservative beer brands to do it but these messages are fish and chip paper going up a month after the event. Social media changed tui yeah rights more than cancel culture I reckon
Sounds like The College Hill Agency (TCHA) has managed to secure the Sour Grapes account. Again.
This campaign helped us make forecast this month… Yeah right.
Glad these are coming back – always made us laugh 🙂
These became increasingly tame before being canned, resorting to topical references instead of resonating with a cultural point. Their strength was stepping over boundaries, which I doubt they’ll be allowed to now. The best ones were often sabotaged by offended parties.
Desperately all need a good laugh.
But they’re going to have to be distinctly witty vs a brief wry smile..
But what if these billboards hurt someone’s feelings?
It’s woke to say woke.
I love that they are back but they are a little obvious … subtle, slightly obtuse digs are better, I think, rather than stating the obvious. Something like ‘I was googling knots tying because I was going camping … Yeah Right’. Rather than naming meth and sex workers (because there’s nothing wrong with them … he’s the problem). I mean, what an arsehole to put it bluntly. But, I love them and so happy that they are back … such a Kiwi thing!
What an insult to the intelligence of NZ-ers …while presenting it that this is what we are thinking! Who gives you the right? Whole lot of corporate unimaginative faecal matter…Must stop consumption from this disrispectful, arrogant dinosaur…
Everyone will love this bill board…. yeah right
Love how the bad taste of the beer comes through in this work. Smart strat.
Warships are unsinkable.
I know a lot of people out there are afraid of wokeness, but I used to write these when I was 21. It was fun, and I loved a bit of sarcasm. Then I grew up, and I think New Zealand did too. I reckon PR buzz job is done, let’s put these back with our pile of FHM mags and think of something smarter.
Let’s park the boat next to this Samoan reef.
Are we really at the stage of remaking former glories? Thought we all laughed at Hollywood for bringing back ideas from yesteryear? Let the past die…..