After more than four decades of blasting through Australian radios, Frank Walker’s unmistakable “Hellooooo” is making the leap to television in a new brand platform from Sunday Gravy.
One of Australia’s most recognisable retail campaigns, Frank Walker and National Tiles have become a fixture of Australian culture, with the iconic radio ads earning a place among Australia’s most nostalgic advertising.
Rather than reinventing the brand, Sunday Gravy leaned into what consumers already thought about it.
Research revealed that while many Australians described the advertising as “annoying”, it was also one of the brand’s greatest strengths. The insight inspired a new platform, Annoyingly Good, transforming the brand’s most divisive characteristic into its biggest competitive advantage.
The campaign sees Frank Walker crash into cliché television commercials, from beer ads to superannuation spots, literally smashing through the set to hijack the commercial and remind viewers they’re actually watching a National Tiles ad.
Running as 60-second films, each execution begins as one advertisement before unexpectedly becoming another, creating a new viewing behaviour. The ambition is to train Australians that whenever they see a beautifully designed home with incredible tiles, Frank Walker might burst through the wall and turn it into a National Tiles commercial.
Ant White, co-founder and chief creative officer at Sunday Gravy, said: “Most brands spend years trying to get rid of the thing people remember them for. National Tiles had the opposite opportunity. Australians already knew exactly who Frank Walker was. Instead of changing that, we embraced it. ‘Annoyingly Good’ gives the brand permission to lean into its biggest cultural asset, while reminding people that behind the voice are genuinely great tiles at genuinely great prices.”
Frank Walker, founder of National Tiles, said: “I started National Tiles in 1979 with a simple promise: give customers great products, great value and service they can rely on. Because when you choose National Tiles, I want you to know you’ve made a very good choice. An annoyingly good choice, in fact.”
The campaign launches nationally across television, online video, social and digital.
Credits:
National Tiles
Matt Lucas: Executive GM – Strategy, Transformation and Marketing
Julian Bell: JBC Marketing Consultancy
Amy Spasojevic: Brand & Marketing Manager
Eden Parker: Marketing & Projects Coordinator
Agency: Sunday Gravy
Production: Guilty
Director: Tony Rogers
Producer: Jason Byrne
Producer: Victoria Schaw
Production Manager: Jack Davies
Production Coordinator: Caitlin Devos
DOP: Alex Serafini
Art Director: Pat Bennet
Wardrobe: Katherine Milne
Offline: Sunday Gravy
Colourist: CJ Dobson / Moodlab
Online: Jamie Scott
