Beyond the Brief: How TBWA NZ reframed health through optimism for Southern Cross

Centred on real member stories and a deliberate shift away from traditional health narratives, Southern Cross have recently launched The Feel Good Project. The campaign, developed by TBWA New Zealand, sets out to reframe recovery through optimism, movement and joy. In this edition of Beyond the Brief, CB chats with TBWA NZ CCO Shane Bradnick and Southern Cross Chief Sales, Marketing & Customer Experience Officer Regan Savage, to discuss the brief, the responsibility of working with real people, and why celebrating progress proved more powerful than retelling adversity.

Let’s start at the beginning – what was the original brief from Southern Cross? How much of that shifted once you got into it?

Shane Bradnick: The brief really centred on one word: optimism. Southern Cross wanted to shift the tone of the health conversation in New Zealand – inject a sense of hope and possibility at a time when health can feel heavy or overwhelming.

That never changed. If anything, it sharpened as we got into it. Optimism became our filter for every decision. We kept asking ourselves: does this feel hopeful? Does it feel human? That was our North Star. Or maybe our Southern Cross.

Health ads often focus on struggle and vulnerability. What gave you the confidence to flip that and celebrate joy without it feeling flippant?

SB: The people did.

Once we met the members and heard their stories, it became clear that the real power wasn’t in retelling what they’d been through – it was in showing who they are now. These are people who’ve faced serious health challenges and come out the other side with perspective, positivity and strength.

We weren’t inventing joy. We were revealing it. And because Southern Cross had genuinely supported these members through their journeys, we knew the foundation was real. That gave us the confidence to lean into celebration without it ever feeling superficial.

Regan Savage: It really came from a simple but powerful insight at the heart of The Feel Good Project.

Our research told us that while health can absolutely be challenging, it’s not how people define themselves, and it’s not how they want to be seen.

So instead of focusing on illness or vulnerability, we chose to focus on what good health makes possible: connection, movement, confidence, and those everyday moments that genuinely matter.

We grounded the work in real people and their health journeys, and were very deliberate about the tone: warm, human and respectful. Joy wasn’t treated as something glossy or superficial, but as something people work towards as part of their health journey.

In that way, The Feel Good Project becomes an expression of empathy. It recognises that feeling good isn’t about the absence of challenge; it’s about living well and celebrating your progress along the way.

You’re working with deeply personal, real-life health stories. How did that responsibility shape the creative process on set?

SB: There was a lot of trust involved, and we were very aware of that.

Our job wasn’t to turn people into performers – it was to create an environment where they felt safe enough to be themselves but try something new. The choreography was tailored to each member’s ability and story.

Nothing was forced. Nothing felt beyond them.

We spent real time building rapport with the members. By the time we got to set, it didn’t feel like a “campaign shoot”, it felt like a shared project. Watching their confidence grow – both with the moves and with the camera – was one of the most rewarding parts of the process.

The campaign feels cinematic and emotional at the same time. How did you balance that scale with keeping the stories intimate and human?

SB: Scale and emotion were developed in parallel and culminated on set after weeks of planning.

We knew we wanted a big, cinematic expression – something that felt elevated and emotionally powerful. But we needed to still protect the fact these were real-people and real-journeys.

On set in Waiuku, we were careful about how we introduced the larger production elements. The members weren’t thrown into spectacle on day one. We built up gradually, so they felt ownership of their moments before the scale expanded around them.

King She’s experience with large-scale, music-led projects really helped us here. The craft supports the emotion, but the emotion always comes first.

What’s been the initial audience reaction?

SB: It’s early days, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

We knew this would feel different for Southern Cross – it’s a brave, expressive tone. But people seem to be connecting with the humanity in it.

There was one comment asking where the bus was headed. Which I quite liked. There are some deep thinkers out there.

RS: The early response has been really encouraging. People are connecting strongly with the optimism and relatability of the campaign, and we’re hearing a lot that it feels refreshing and emotionally true compared to more traditional health insurance advertising.

It also feels quite different from what’s in market right now, and challenges the dominant narratives around the state of healthcare in Aotearoa. Importantly, audiences seem to understand the intent behind the joyfulness. There’s a clear sense that Southern Cross is celebrating health in its broadest sense, rather than focussing on physical illness.

That emotional connection is showing up in creative impact, strong engagement and positive sentiment, which tells us the campaign is landing in the way we hoped it would.

What was your favourite moment during the shoot or the process?

SB: Watching Alex’s transformation.

In his audition he felt quite reserved. By the time we were shooting, he was owning the frame and delivering this big, showstopping moment. At one point he said he’d found his inner Michael Jackson – “Alex Jackson”, as he put it.

That shift – seeing someone realise what they’re capable of – summed up the whole project for me.

Looking back, what’s the biggest thing you learned from working on this campaign?

SB: Working with real people is both nerve wracking and incredibly rewarding.

As creatives, we’re used to controlling every detail. With six non-actors at the heart of the campaign, you have to let go a bit. You create the right conditions and then trust the people in front of you.

We put our trust in these Southern Cross members. And they put their trust in us. That mutual trust is what makes the work feel real.

At a human level, that feels pretty good.

Client: Southern Cross Health Society and Southern Cross Healthcare
Regan Savage – Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Southern Cross Health Society
Tony Reid – Chief Communications & Brand Officer, Southern Cross
David Simpson – Chief of Strategy & Partnerships, Southern Cross Healthcare
Ryan Koppens – Head of Sales & Distribution, Southern Cross Health Society
Louise von Sierakowski – Head of Brand, Marketing, Communications, Southern Cross Healthcare
Christina Knappik – Brand Lead, Southern Cross
Frith Wilson-Hughes – Content Marketing Manager, Southern Cross Health Society
Alice van de Wende – Brand & Acquisition Lead, Southern Cross Health Society

Creative Agency: TBWA New Zealand
Chief Executive Officer: Catherine Harris
General Manager: Simon Mills
Chief Creative Officer: Shane Bradnick
Creative Director: Ashwin Gopal
Creative Director: Gavin Siakimotu
Lead Integrated Producer: Tabitha Parke-Gailey
Group Business Director: Harriette Hanson
Senior Business Director: Monique Seil
Head of Strategy: Jo Judd
Strategy Director: Haley Hetherington
Senior Designer: Jim Walsh
Studio Manager: Mark Paisey
Head of Production: Jodie Hari
Senior Business Manager: Vinny Canning

Production Company: Revolver
Directors: KingShe
Managing Director/Co-Owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Partner: Pip Smart
Executive Producer: Caroline Kruck
Director of Photography: Jeremy Rouse

Post Production Company: ARC
HERO TVC
Offline Editor: Lorin Askill
Online Editor: Eugene Richards & Chris Betteridge
Colourist: Matic Prusnik
BTS Members stories
Offline Editor: Liam James + Lissie Geyer
Online Editor: Chris Betteridge
Colourist: Sam Holman

Stills Photography : Sam I Am
Photographer: Billy Plummer
Stills Producer: Rich Cole

Audio House: Franklin Rd
Executive Music & Sound Producer: Jonathan Mihaljevich
Sound Design: Shane Taipari

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