Fire & Emergency NZ warns of recipe for disaster during lockdown in new campaign via FCB NZ

FCB and Fire and Emergency New Zealand have partnered with celebrity chef, Josh Emett, to remind Kiwis that unattended cooking is the main cause of house fires in New Zealand.

 

Says Peter Gallagher, national advisor on fire risk reduction, Fire and Emergency: “House fires continue to be a major problem in our communities, and with New Zealand’s current lock down meaning every meal is cooked at home alongside a mass of inevitable distractions, the odds are higher than ever before. We needed this campaign to quickly address the increased risk and remind Kiwis to switch off the stove top before they leave the kitchen.”

Through a 30” spot, FCB New Zealand uses Josh Emett to film himself at home in a cooking-show-style, where he offers one of his most important tips yet.

The spot opens in Emett’s kitchen where he is talking to camera while frying meat in a pan. Before his cooking tip is disclosed, he is abruptly interrupted by a familiar sound for viewers – a door bell, kids voices and a dog barking. He switches off the element, removes the pan from the stove and exits the screen where the audience is left watching the empty kitchen for an uncomfortably long 10 seconds.

When he returns in frame, he places the pan back on the stove, switches the element on again and points out how easy it is to get distracted while cooking. The spot closes with Emett sharing a memorable behavioural prompt to ‘switch off before you walk off’.

Says Tony Clewett, chief creative officer, FCB New Zealand: “The message needed to be simple and clear. With no Uber Eats, takeout or fine dining, it’s old fashioned home cooking for the conceivable future, which also means a heightened risk of kitchen fires. If we remember to switch off before we walk off, we can make all the difference.”

The TV spot will run between 12pm and 9pm, tactically targeting viewers during peak cooking times. In addition to the TVC, a 15” cut down will run across YouTube, OnDemand and social to speak to Kiwis when they’re most likely to be distracted.