Telus is rocking out with members of the animal kingdom to celebrate the launch of Apple’s first titanium iPhone.
The creative is set to “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” by heavy metal band Judas Priest, and sticks with its critters-centred stylistic approach – complete with a Highland cow, Silkie chicken and Shetland pony.
The 360 campaign “That’s. So. Metal.” highlights the new titanium design innovation of the latest iPhone device, and uses the occasion to celebrate metal music as well.
Animals used in Telus commercials are beloved and well-known, but you can also have “endless fun” with them, says Hannah Fishman, CCO and partner at The&Partnership North America, which developed the creative and has an approximately decade-long relationship with the telco.
“We have this very specific goal in mind…and it is to activate our critters and do something that’s very simple, but taps into the culture and creates something fun and powerful,” says Fishman.
The lyrics needed to both make sense, she explains, but also capture the essence of metal.
In the spring, Telus launched the brand campaign “Critter Comforts” as part of its ESG efforts around its “Friendly Future Foundation,” which focuses on charitable efforts supporting service animals, wildlife rehabilitation and animal therapy.
The juxtaposition of naturalistic settings and technology has been a longstanding and effective positioning for Telus and its critters. The telco first rolled out frogs and lizards as a differentiator decades ago to create a memorable adversary to Bell and Rogers when it rebranded from Clearnet.
The latest iPhone launch is always an important time of the year in the Telus calendar. Fishman tells strategy it typically does a fulsome campaign deploying multiple assets when it promotes Apple. The campaign is running across Canada, complete with TV, OOH, digital and social.
The&Partnership is Telus’ creative and strategy lead on its mobility and masterbrand lines of business.
This spring, Telus added Carat, Rethink and Hogarth to its agency roster, with Carat supplanting Cossette on media strategy.
