Knauf: OPHIR

Credits & Description:

Advertiser: KNAUF INSULATION
Agency: WHYBIN\TBWA AUCKLAND
Category: Online Digital Design
Advertising campaign: OPHIR
Account Director: Cassidy Meredith (Eleven PR)
Creative Directors: Craig Farndale (WHYBIN\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Voice: Ian Mune
Studio: Mark Paisey (WHYBIN\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Account Manager: Sophie Schuler (Eleven PR)
Studio: Peter Stockton (WHYBIN\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Media: Tia Shaw (WHYBIN\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Executive Creative Director: Andy Blood (WHYBIN\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Creative Directors: Connan James (WHYBIN\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Video Production: Nic Neame (WHYBIN\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Camera: Ben Ruffel
Managing Partner: Kelly Bennett (Eleven PR)

Brief Explanation
Strangers often get the cold shoulder and it’s no different in business. Quite simply this was the biggest product demo we could think of, and in the harsh climes of the South island, your actions speak louder than your words. Ophir is a very remote place, so we needed a way of bringing its eccentric charm and frigid nature to life right in front of the our target market all over NZ.

Client Brief Or Objective
Make an overseas brand, new to the New Zealand market, a household name. Knauf couldn’t afford a nationwide ad campaign and didn’t have nationwide distribution, so we needed to create the biggest new product demo we could think of, and one that would get nationwide exposure.

Implementation
Our solution was a quirky, playful place that can be wandered through and explored just as you would in person - www.thetownthatcameinfromthecold.com . With a recorded temperature of –22°C, Ophir holds the record for being New Zealand’s coldest town. “Pipes freeze, taps freeze, the streets freeze, even vodka freezes.” Enter Knauf, who offered to insulate the whole town. All 50 residents got their homes insulated with Knauf’s environmentally friendly ‘Earthwool’ product. Then, we created an HTML interactive replica of Ophir in 3d, that viewers could explore right down to the brass tacks of the buildings and ‘brass monkey’ stories.

Outcome
The rich world of Ophir was brought to life across New Zealand. The main story was featured on nationwide prime-time news show ‘Close Up’, to nearly 450,000 viewers. National online news website 3News also covered the story (average weekly impressions are 985,000 and many kiwis rely on this site up to the minute reliable news and information). In doing so, Knauf became a household name. And now potential customers have a place to explore: the online replica of Ophir, from their own-undoubtedly warmer-desktops; and then go shopping, with the online sales channel now going live.