Woolworths launches new social video campaign with Michelle Bridges via Emotive and Carat
Emotive has joined forces with Carat to create a series of digital video content pieces called ‘My Perfect Life’ promoting a new range of healthy frozen meals by Woolworths and Michelle Bridges.
The content campaign features Bridges poking fun at herself and health and fitness trends in general. Off the wall scenes include Bridges waking up in the ‘plank position’ and walking her dogs by carrying them whilst doing lunges.
The content will be distributed via a digital amplification strategy that includes Woolworths’ owned assets, social media, social influencers and publisher syndication.
The campaign was created by content marketing business Emotive working in partnership with Carat.
Says Jamie Crick, strategic partnerships and audience director: “Our approach to content creation always starts with the audience. Michelle has an amazingly engaged fan base and we knew this humorous approach would capture their attention along with the broader public. We’ve put in place an amplification program that ensures the content not only reaches Michelle’s many fans, but also the much wider audience we know is in the market for healthy meal options and amusing social content. It was a privilege to work in a true collaboration with Michelle and the team at Woolworths and Carat on this content campaign.”
Says Nicholas Chin, senior digital manager at Carat: “Emotive’s audience first approach to social video has helped Carat and Woolworths ensure we’re tailoring creative for the right audience and delivering it across the right platforms. The result for Woolworths is video content that doesn’t just entertain but actually drives real social conversation, which can be difficult in this cluttered retail environment. Their agile approach to content production is really refreshing and keeps us all on our toes, but it is an approach that delivers genuine brand value for Woolworths and keeps us looking forward to what comes next.”
Says Kate Walker, brand manager – health and celebrity, at Woolworths: “We had a real opportunity to go to market with a humorous piece of content about Michelle. By having a bit of fun, it’s given us permission to talk to the audience about our amazing new range of healthy, frozen meals. The theme continues into two short form pieces that address the perception that it’s hard to be healthy.”
The Delicious Nutritious range at Woolworths is inspired by Bridges’ passion to help Aussies enjoy a healthier lifestyle everyday. Each meal option is a complete balanced meal with less than 450 calories, 3 serves of vegetables, and at least a four Health Star Rating.
Executive Creative Director, Emotive – Charlie Leahy
Director & Producer, Emotive – Sean O’Reilly
Woolworths – Kate Walker
Carat – Barbara Messitt, Nicholas Chin
18 Comments
What a bizarre ad, it’s just not that funny. Bad acting, bad script, too much time sending her up and by the time the product makes an appearance i doubt anyone would be there to see it.
This is a fine example for young players of the difference between great talent and bad talent. Optus has Gervais = Gold. Woolies has Bridges = Head in hands.
Wow the punchline is a journey, isn’t it? A long road of not funny, to total disinterest. They should have stuck with those terrible chirping birds.
My favourite lines:
Q: Michelle, is there anything you haven’t done?
A: Yes, take acting lessons.
And this pearler:
‘But sometimes, life just happens’.
WTF? Life doesn’t happen sometimes. It’s happening, from the moment you’re born, until you die.
This is what happens when Ricky Gervais doesn’t write your script.
Loving your work Emotive crew!
Pulled the spots already?
This is so bad on so many levels.
The acting, the script but most importantly for me, the message.
You see I have been taught that as advertisers we have a moral obligation to tell the truth. And telling people that this kind of food is healthier (or tastier or whatever they are trying to say) than fresh reminds me of a campaign for cordial a few years back that pushed it as healthy for kids as they drank more water.
Yes it’s quick, yes it’s convenient, yes it’s easy. Maybe it’s even tastes OK, but don’t be lying to the masses!
The star rating system is a joke and as they say, “Real food doesn’t need a rating”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-08/fact-check-health-star-ratings-on-foods/6518996
A TV personality + Frozen Food and Woolies telling me it’s time to get real.
hahahaha
“Don’t be a freak, eat some shit that comes in a box.”
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/06/michelle-bridges-says-people-who -grow-own-food-are-freaks-in-woolworths-ad?CMP=soc_567
Tastes like another Woolies PR disaster… #stillfreshinourmemories
That was a giant error of judgement wasn’t it?
Looks as if Emotive might have just fucked Woolworths.
And after the disastrous Anzac promotion, you’d think a large brand would learn before entrusting everything to a company that’s big idea is calling celebrities.
The ads have been pulled, they’re off Emotive’s website and Woolworths are apologising to everyone in the national media.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/06/michelle-bridges-says-people-who-grow-own-food-are-freaks-in-woolworths-ad?CMP=soc_567
After the massive social media backlash against this today, I can’t see that “Emotive” will have much to do with Woolies in the future… Are they the same jokers behind the cringeworthy Anzac Day campaign?
I reckon the release is worse than the scripts! What marketing buzzword tripe. Although they weren’t wrong, they do start social media conversations.
As an aside, I’m amazed she’d put her name to such food, especially in the way.
If vegetable growers are “freaks”, then what the hell are juice-fasting, supplemented-to-the-hilt, obnoxious personal trainers?
“The result for Woolworths is video content that doesn’t just entertain but actually drives real social conversation”
yep. for good and, in this case, mostly bad
#stillfreshinourmemories – GOLD GK!
While the ad is absolutely awful (sorry Emotive) and we can mostly blame Bridges for that (imagine if one of the SNL chicks had been given some comedic reigns), the concern I have with social backlash in such epic proportions is that if I were a client, I’d be a nervous fucking wreck buying into a creative idea now in the first place.
This ad was by no means creative genius, but they did try to have fun with the campaign, and they’ve been crucified for getting it wrong. A couple of wrong lines of copy and the whole thing’s been pulled.
It’s ok for us pack of bitches to poke fun in the aftermath, but the sad reality is we’re probably headed for more brands to say ‘no’ more often to the more creative ideas we present to them, and going with much safer options. Will the marketing manager at Woolies have a job this time next week?
This creative is so bad it’s actually funny. Not the content but the situation. What were Woolies thinking allowing a pretend agency to work on their brand. And what the hell do they mean by audience first approach? Clearly no client will believe that statement now. Time to come up with new creds emotive.