CGU Insurance & Thinkerbell Partner With The Jim Henson Company To Create All-New Aussie Puppet Short Film

CGU Insurance and its creative agency Thinkerbell have collaborated with The Jim Henson Company, leading innovator in the field of puppetry and producer of beloved projects like Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and more, to develop the next phase of the insurance provider’s ‘Insuring Ambition’ brand platform.
The new short film, Tall Poppy, tackles Australia’s negative cultural phenomenon of cutting down successful people, businesses, and entrepreneurs – that we commonly refer to as tall poppy syndrome.
American puppeteer, director and producer Brian Henson (Muppet Treasure Island, Muppet Christmas Carol, Farscape) directed the film, a unique tale of ‘tall’ Poppy and her journey to hold onto and share her ambitious spirit.
The full-length Tall Poppy film can be viewed below. Various shorter versions will exist in other media.
The film, produced in California, USA, was released in Australia on 20 February 2022. Last night, as part of the film’s national rollout, an ambitious media approach developed by Initiative saw a five-minute version of the film run in full during the advertising break of primetime current affairs show 60 Minutes on Nine.
Brian Henson said: “Tall Poppy is about celebrating ambition, and facing the feelings of uncertainty and vulnerability that can get in the way of living to your fullest potential. The ambitious team that came together to create this film, brought together by our incredible partners at CGU Insurance, definitely saw the magic and innovation that can happen when everyone feels free to share their own unique talents. We hope that Poppy’s story will inspire Australians to celebrate their own tall poppies.”
Tall Poppy was created using an impressive range of production techniques and technologies, combining classic tabletop puppetry with rich visual effects, resulting in a hand-crafted yet sophisticated look. Dozens of puppets built by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and nearly 150 visual effects shots provided by Stargate Studios were needed to complete the nine-minute film.
IAG chief marketing officer Brent Smart, said: “Who says B2B work targeting insurance brokers needs to be boring and rational? We created Tall Poppy to get Aussies to think differently about tall poppy syndrome and how it holds us back. CGU’s brand platform “Insuring Ambition” demands ambitious ideas, like wanting to work with The Jim Henson Company, one of the best storytellers in the world. The level of craft and care they brought to this, in addition to that of our brilliant partners at Thinkerbell, really shows in the work.”
The film forms part of a broader CGU Insurance campaign aimed at inspiring brokers, SMEs and ambitious Australians to celebrate and admire creativity and innovation. The campaign will roll out across multiple media from 20 February.
Thinkerbell national chief creative tinker, Jim Ingram, said: “More than a third of Australians believe that ambition is often regarded as a dirty word – we set out to change their mind with this campaign. Poppy is a heroine for the positive power of ambition, which can lead to creativity and innovation.”
Initiative’s chief strategy officer, Chris Colter, said: “With such an ambitious film as the lead, the rest of our media plan needed to match. With several market-first executions and bold media activations, kicking off by running the five-minute film uninterrupted in 60 Minutes, we’re ensuring CGU Insurance is not just promoting the power of ambition but living it.”
Latest News

SurfStitch Unveils New Brand Position & Summer Campaign
Aussie coastal lifestyle brand SurfStitch has announced a bold repositioning with a new brand identity and campaign, “Ready for Everywhere”. Reflecting the brand’s commitment to inspiring people to embrace their lifestyle, whatever it may be, the strategic shift reflects a commitment to facilitating style that adapts to the life its customers lead across a broad […]

Man of Many Welcomes Naman Singh & Alex Martinez
Man of Many has Announced Key Hires Amidst a Year of Extraordinary Achievement Lead image: Naman Singh & Alex Martinez Man of Many, recently crowned B&T media platform of the year, Australia’s premier men’s lifestyle digital publication. Announces the addition of two crucial members to its team – Naman Singh as SEO Content Specialist and […]

realestate.com.au Extends Major Partnership With Sydney Swans
Australian property site realestate.com.au has announced the extension of its partnership with the Sydney Swans for two further seasons. Lead image: Tom Harley, Owen Wilson and Tom McCartin realestate.com.au has partnered with the Swans since 2016 and has called the back of the club’s iconic guernsey home since becoming a major partner in 2020. This […]

Tuesday TV Ratings: “There Are Too Few Episodes” – Dessert Masters Finale Leave Viewers Wanting More
Dessert Masters finale reportedly leaves viewers wanting more. Weight Watchers also keeping a keen eye on things.

Avenue C Nabs Paula Lopes From KINESSO
Leading independent media agency, Avenue C, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Paula Lopes as Digital Director. Paula, a seasoned professional with over 17 years experience in the media industry, joins Avenue C from her role as Chief Operations Manager of KINESSO (merger of Reprise, Matterkind, and Kinesso specialities).

Dave ‘Rabbit’ Rabbetts Departs Star 104.5 Breakfast
Dave 'Rabbit' Rabbetts departs Star 104.5 breakfast. Has asked everyone call him Dave for a little bit.

MOO Premium Foods Admits “100% Ocean Plastics” Claims Misled Consumers
Yoghurt brand in strife over green claims. Meanwhile Mars Bars still getting away with "helps you work, rest & play".

IAB Study: Online Advertising Expenditure Hit $3.73B For September Quarter
Digital continuing to be advertising's star performer. Although that's not intended as a slur to the humble catalogue.

More Than 15,000 Watch On YouTube As An Emotional Brittany Higgins Takes The Stand
One of the biggest stories of 2023 looking like it's heading into 2024. Has the legs to even make 2025.

oOh!Media Fuses People & Performance At National Annual Revenue & Growth Conference
oOh!media brought together more than 260 of its sales, operations, commercial, marketing, finance and leadership teams last week for its national annual revenue and growth conference. Held over two days at the picturesque Rydges Resort in Hunter Valley, the event ‘Fusing people and performance’ focussed on how to build a high-performance mindset and how it […]

The End Of An Era: Millionaire Hot Seat Comes To A Close After 25 Years
Eddie McGuire set to become even more annoying after his game show hosting gig comes to an end.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: These Are The Moments That Dominated Media Coverage In 2023
It's 2023's biggest news stories counted down! And whoever wrote it clearly didn't miss out out Taylor Swift tickets.

Free-To-Air TV Welcomes Landmark Win Against Streaming Giants
It's a win for the free-to-air networks this morning. However, it's not stopped the incessant squabbling between them.

KFC Spoofs Fragrance Ads With Its Own Unisex Scent Shaped Like A Drumstick
Want stray dogs to follow you home after a night out? This chicken-inspired scent could be just the ticket.

Jimmy Hyett Drops By B&T TV To Talk Christmas Presents, AI & Basketball
Have you ever met a Jimmy you didn't like? Confirm it here with the eminently likeable Jimmy Hyett's B&T TV debut.

Rocket Agency Appoints Samantha Dodson As Creative Director
Rocket serves up the lettuce, nabbing Ex-Ogilvy and DDB creative, Samantha Dodson.

Free TV Welcomes Government’s Prominence & Anti-Siphoning Framework
Free TV has welcomed the federal government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that all Australians can access their local free television services on connected TVs through the introduction of legislation to implement a prominence framework in coming days. Free TV CEO Bridget Fair (lead image) said: “Right now, Australian viewers are being steered in the direction […]

Watch Out Fifty Shades! Nova’s ‘Wippa’ Publishes His Very Own Erotic Novel
Radio host 'Wippa' has published an erotic novel! Presumably with many of the protagonists whipping it out.

Burger King Wins For Strangest (Anti) Christmas Campaign Of The Year
In exciting news for turkeys & our piggy friends, Burger King attempting to flog burgers as alternative Christmas fare.

Study: Invest In Customer Experience After A Data Breach To Future-Proof Your Brand
Study finds brands should invest in CX after any data breach. Either that or sack your IT department.

“What Do S*x Toys Have To Do With Makeup?” – Sephora Faces Backlash From Parents For Adult Toy Ad
Snag the hard to buy for colleague in this year's office Kris Kringle? This vibrator news may stimulate the thinking.

Kendall’s Infamous Pepsi Ad Tops List Of Most Controversial US Ads Of All Time!
It's the greatest flops in US ad history. Strangely, Hillary's 2016 election campaign conspicuous by its absence.

Pilot Tackles Sex, Shame, and Stigma With New Campaign Challenging Men To Share Their “Shocker Performance Stories”
Men's health campaign shines a light on impotence. And not just the 18 schooners variety.

Guinness Compared To A Cosmic Phenomena As Beer Brand Taps The Chinese Market
Guiness once again ignoring the tagline every drinker wants - "Great going down, even smoother coming out."

The Chaser’s Craig Reucassel To Host ABC Breakfast Radio, Valentine Returns To Afternoons
It's jarmies, hot Milo and bed by nine for Craig Reucassel after he lands new early morning breakfast gig.

Tyreright Appoints 27 Degrees Media
New-generation media agency 27 Degrees Media has been appointed to manage digital media for national tyre retailer Tyreright in one of its first Australian client signings. Lead Image: Loan Morris – 27 Degrees Media CEO Under the partnership, 27 Degrees Media will be responsible for all digital media strategy, planning and buying, along with influencer […]

The Works Distills “Question Everything” For Archie Rose Distilling Co.
Who doesn't love a spicy Archie Rose gin to get you publicly blabbering about an ex or non-existent sex life.

farsiight Unveils New Market Positioning Putting Growth for Good Over Growth At All Costs
Brisbane performance agency farsiight has announced the launch of its new market positioning, Growth for Good, in response to a changing business landscape, marking a departure from a “growth at all costs” mentality that has defined the industry in recent years. Agency founders and brother duo, Josh and Ben Somerville, envision Growth for Good as […]

By Land Or By Sea: GoTransit Offers Options Galore For Transit Advertisers In Newcastle
Australia’s largest privately owned transit media supplier, GoTransit Media Group, now offers unprecedented options for transit advertising in Newcastle – on both land and sea following their successful tender to supply interior advertising inside the popular Stockton Ferries. The national transit media company is already well acquainted with the thriving NSW market, having successfully operated […]

‘People First Bank’ Heritage & People’s Choice Bank Unified
Heritage and People’s Choice have launched People First Bank, the new name for positive change in banking Australia’s largest customer-owned bank has unveiled its new brand, announcing that Heritage and People’s Choice will be unified under the new name of People First Bank. Chairman Michael Cameron said the highly anticipated new brand offered a compelling […]

“Cozzie Livs” Announced Macquarie Dictionary 2023 Word Of The Year
We're not sure how many logophiles read B&T, but this one's for you. That's a lover of words, not a lover of logging.

🏆 Hear From The B&T Awards Winners! 🏆
It's the B&T Award winners all in video form! We're putting the slurring down to their excitedness.

Today The Brave’s Hannah Lawson & Kate Idle On What’s Hot & What’s Not In 2024
Planning your own what's hot/what's not for 2024 list? There's some good ones here if plagiarism is on your what's hot.

Cultural Shift For Australians With ‘The Great Slow Down’
Don't ever really go beyond what's asked? Loathed by colleagues? Bone idle, in fact? The 'great slow down' is calling.

L’Oréal Aus & NZ Partner With Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Announcing Large Investments
L’Oréal Groupe Australia and New Zealand have announced one of the largest investments to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to pioneer new coral restoration efforts in the region. L’Oréal Groupe Australia and New Zealand have announced today a new partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF), to help coral reefs withstand the devastating impacts […]

Fast 10: B&T Chats Marketing & The Future With The Marketing Academy’s Sherilyn Shackell
It's B&T's quick 10 with marketing guru Sherilyn Shackell. And, believe it or not, AI not mentioned once.