Simplot has retained the now classic tagline for John West in the first new TV campaign for the brand in two years.
Created by Grey Worldwide and shot in Australia, the campaign will support new products and line extensions which will be rolled out over the next 12 months.
The campaign continues with the line developed by creative Bani McSpedden, ‘It’s the fish that John West rejects that makes John West the best’.
Ynilever sold the iconic brand to Simplot (which also owns brands such as Bird’s Eye and Leggo’s pasta sauces) for $145m just over a year ago.
The brand has astonishingly high awareness in Australian consumers’ minds—99% according to Millward Brown research. For this reason, Simplot’s executive general manager of retail Chris Dunn wants to keep the decades-old tagline.
“Strong sales for John West products reflect the stronghold the brand continues to have in the category and their ongoing appeal with Australian consumers,” Dunn said.
Over the next 12 months, Simplot will launch more advertising to support line extensions and new products under the John West banner.
Grey won the account last year and has spent the intervening time considering the best way to get the brand back up and running. GM of Grey Melbourne Randal Glennon admitted it’s not the agency’s most profitable win but the brand history and prestige far outweigh the financial returns. “The account’s come full circle—the original line was written by Bani when he was working for Grey and now it’s come back to us,”Glennon said.
The new ad was shot in the southern NSW fishing town of Eden and captures the picturesque feel of John West’s previous ads, set in Alaska and Canada.
Credits: AgencyGrey Worldwide, production House Film Graphics, directorGraeme Burfoot, DOP Malcolm McCulloch, producerJude Lengel, creative director Ron Mather, writer Matt Garbutt, agency producer James McPherson.
