In this edition of B&T’s Campaigns of the Month, we’re unpacking October’s biggest creative swings and brand-building bets. From Telstra’s stop-motion masterpiece and Lyka’s gloriously grotesque gut-health horror short, to Uber’s Shania Twain-powered ode to being chauffeured instead of getting behind the wheel, this month’s work is equal parts charm and chaos.
System1 has once again stress-tested the campaigns through real audiences, while B&T has roped in Howatson & Co’s Joe Ronan and Cocogun’s Ant Melder to dissect what’s hitting hard, what’s missing the mark, and which brands are carving out cultural memory.
You can check out B&T’s whole Campaign of the Month archive here.
Telstra, Together Builds Better, +61 & Bear Meets Eagle on Fire
The new ‘Together Builds Better’ campaign kicked off a repositioning for Telstra. The launch film, created with double Cannes Grand Prix-winning animator Johnny Kelly and Nexus Studios, is a charming stop-motion story that celebrates the power of collaboration and connectivity, with many hands working together to create a thriving miniature world.
The campaign, which also features in OOH, radio and social, sets a new creative direction for Telstra’s Enterprise segment – one that shows the unlimited possibilities of partnership and the critical role connectivity plays across Australian industries.
System 1 Analysis
Telstra offers a strong example of why, at System1, we encourage brands to brand early and brand often. When you look at the consumer verbatims, there is very little criticism of the ad itself. In fact, the positive comments highlight that the creative idea, music, puppetry and visual style are all genuinely enjoyable. The key associations confirm this, with “cool animation”, “unique and original” and “cool song” ranking as the top three.
So why does the ad still score modestly?
A closer look reveals that the main barrier is neutrality, which in this case is largely driven by confusion. This is not unusual. In our Extraordinary Cost of Dull report, we found that neutrality often stems from a lack of understanding, unclear branding or a narrative that is hard to follow. It serves as an important reminder that holding back the brand for dramatic effect can sometimes work against you.
Despite Telstra being a leading brand in the category and wider market, it achieved 68 per cent brand recall in this case, and the brand only became clear to respondents at second 28 of a 30-second ad. When you consider the work of Professor Karen Nelson-Field, whose research shows that TV ads are often viewed for roughly half their duration, the risk becomes clear. In a typical real-world viewing context, many viewers may not connect this creative to Telstra at all.
The work is creative, enjoyable and full of charm. It simply shows how even strong ideas benefit from earlier, clearer and more consistent branding to ensure all that emotional positivity lands where it should.
Creatives Weigh In
Joe Ronan, Strategy Director, Howatson & Co
B2B has a reputation for being notoriously dull, often highly rational and a race to cram as many product features as possible into every communication. In this latest iteration of ‘Wherever we go’, Telstra manages to pack an emotional punch in the B2B space, through its Enterprise offering. Rather than listing what the brand can do, it tells a simple story about working together, moving forward, and the wider impact of this. The warm tone, animation and soundtrack all add up to piece of comms that feels more like brand storytelling than cold corporate B2B messaging.
Ant Melder, Creative Partner, Cocogun
For some reason, with B2B marketing, we often seem to forget that people who run businesses are still exactly that – people. With hopes, dreams, fears, and (most of the time!) a sense of humour. So a lot of B2B work ends up being dull, grey, forgettable wallpaper…high on proof points, low on distinctiveness. Then along comes something like The Epic Split and reminds us how to land product benefits while standing out. This Telstra campaign pulls off the tricky feat of being both charming and hard-working. Telstra and their agencies have set the bar ridiculously high for themselves in terms of creativity and craft. With its simple central thought about the power of collaboration, very likeable song, and gorgeous stop-motion execution, this one keeps up the standard. It isn’t quite up there with JCVD & Volvo (to be fair, what is?!), but it definitely stands out and does the job.
Lyka, The Brutal Pick Up by Lyka, OutsideIn
Picking up bad dog poo has been too horrifying for too long. That’s why Lyka, dog food company, has unveiled its latest campaign with independent creative agency OUTSIDE IN featuring a tongue-in-cheek horror movie that brings to life every dog owner’s worst nightmare—a sloppy, totally un-pick-able doggie doo doo.
‘The Brutal Pick-Up’ campaign was born from the insight that found many Aussie dog owners have normalised bad poos, and don’t know that bad dog poo could be a sign something’s wrong with their dog’s gut health. The good news is, switching to a real food diet is the most powerful solution for canine gut issues, with 87 per cent of Lyka customers noticing their dog had better poos after making the switch.
System 1 Analysis
Lyka provides another strong example of a brand that could benefit from more prominent and earlier branding. The ad delivers exceptional emotional intensity, which means that introducing clear branding from the outset could have significantly enhanced its short-term sales potential. As with Telstra, the creative aims to build tension before revealing the brand, holding the branding back until roughly two-thirds of the way through. With such a strong emotional response and a memorable shock factor, Lyka will want to ensure they are capturing attribution rather than leaving room for the category or competitors to benefit.
The ad itself is bold and intentionally polarising. It opens with a horror-inspired tone, tense music, abstract visuals and, perhaps most strikingly, dog mess. For many dog owners, the scenario is relatable and grounded in everyday experience, and some consumers responded positively to this honesty. Lyka’s branding arrives at the end of the ad, resolving much of the negative emotion built up across the 60 seconds and providing a clear solution to the problem.
That said, the ad could have benefitted from an earlier emotional turnaround and a clearer link to the brand sooner in the narrative. The most effective long-term brand-building ads tend to steer the timeline toward positive emotional territory, using small moments of tension or challenge to heighten drama without overwhelming the viewer. Lyka’s creative undoubtedly has impact, but a slightly earlier brand cue and earlier positive resolve could help ensure all of that emotional intensity lands squarely with Lyka.
Creatives Weigh In
Joe Ronan, Strategy Director, Howatson & Co
Marketing pet food is tough because the buyer and the end user are different. Humans do the buying, but the pet does the eating. Talking solely in terms of quality or nutrition might resonate with owners but may not be enough to drive behavior change and get them to switch brands. Lyka’s focus on ‘The Brutal Pick up’ tackles this challenge from a new angle by focusing on the social consequences of bad pet food. It works especially well because it’s a consequence that impacts the owner far more than the pet (after all, your dog doesn’t care if it makes a mess on the street!)
Ant Melder, Creative Partner, Cocogun
I read this headline in B&T the other day: ‘Sickening’ – Lyka Dog Food Ad Banned From Netflix. Apparently, one viewer called it “one of the most disgusting ads ever,” and another said they “nearly threw up their lunch.” That reaction, to me, is gold. Clearly – unlike 90 per cent of marketing campaigns these days, that sail off into the long-forgotten distance across the safe, inoffensive sea of sameness – this stands out. It makes you feel something. And it makes you think, too. Great, simple idea, brilliantly executed. Well played!
Uber, Can’t Do That If You’re Driving, Special
Uber’s new campaign platform, “Can’t Do That If You’re Driving”, in partnership with Special, highlights the moments that can only happen in the passenger seat. Tackling Australia’s obsession with their cars, the campaign highlights the joys of being a passenger, showcasing the weird, wonderful, and liberating things you can do in the back of an Uber that you can’t do when behind the wheel.
The hero film features country-pop icon Shania Twain and local comedian-musician Tom Cardy belting out an original tune from the back of an Uber, celebrating all the things you can’t do if you’re driving. It’s accompanied by a series of insightful 15-second spots that capture other familiar moments people have in the back seats of Ubers, from swiping through dating apps to catching up on much-needed shut-eye.
System 1 Analysis
Is this an Uber ad or carpool karaoke? This weird, whacky and wonderfully creative spot is the top-scoring commercial this month, earning exceptional short-term sales potential. Leaning into star power and featuring Shania Twain, it demonstrates how celebrities can be highly effective for short-term activation. Orlando Wood highlights this in Lemon, drawing on IPA data that shows celebrities often deliver strong immediate impact. While brand characters or ownable fluent devices offer greater long-term returns, celebrities can be powerful sales tools in the moment, and this ad is a clear example.
Set in a musical environment, Shania’s appearance feels natural and well-integrated. The catchy music and jingle help drive much of the positive emotional response. One humorous respondent even added that it “doesn’t impress them much”, which at the very least proves people were paying attention.
Length, however, is a potential inhibitor. Given that emotional response often peaks within the 20–40 second range, Uber may benefit from a shorter cut to maximise impact. Some viewers also noted that the music became slightly repetitive, so choosing a simpler or more recognisable “Shania” musical cue might help reinforce her presence, build nostalgic warmth and strengthen positive associations.
Overall, the ad is energetic, memorable and creatively bold. With a few small refinements, it could become even more effective.
Creatives Weigh In
Joe Ronan, Strategy Director, Howatson & Co
What I love about this campaign is how it completely changed how I think about Uber journeys. Yes, we all know Ubers are convenient, readily available and get you from A to B, but so does your car. What’s rarely talked about is what’s gained on the journey itself, Time. You know, that precious commodity that always seems to be in short supply. ‘You can’t do that if you’re driving’ sheds light on some time that’s been hiding in plain sight and comes free as an added bonus when you choose to ride with Uber. How you spend it is up to you, but the hilarious Shania/Tom Cardy duo definitely have a few suggestions!
Ant Melder, Creative Partner, Cocogun
I sometimes wonder if Uber’s incredible use of talent will ever get boring. Surely the well of creative inspiration/interesting and relevant celebs will eventually run dry? Not so far, and not here. ‘Can’t do that if you’re driving’ is a brilliant idea/line. Combining an Aussie comedian with a global megastar is a great approach to a local campaign. The song is fabulously catchy. And I love the way they’ve squeezed about 20 product demonstrations into the ad. Cheesy dad joke-loving me thinks it would’ve been fun to end this review with “That don’t impress me much” – but it’s great. The whole thing is just wonderfully enjoyable, fun and memorable.
