You either loved it or you hated it (winning Australia’s most loved and most hated commercial is a real feat). Either way the “Telstra walk” in Telstra’s Wherever we go campaign last year by Bear Meets Eagle on Fire and +61 became so famous it was given a name, Telstrut.

Now Telstra is showing its love for Telstrut becoming a cultural phenomenon. Mick and his partner continue their whistling duet, but this time inspiring a wide collection of fun characters to join in, in new work directed by Riff Raff Films directors, Smith & Foulkes. And duet metaphor continues to represent the partnership and possibility that sits at the heart of Telstra’s promise to all Australians.

The new 90-second film was launched to coincide with the start of the footy season, supported by a series of 15-second spots featuring standalone duets.

In out-of-home, an array of walking legs have been brought to life by hand, with intricate layers of folded and crafted paper created by artist Jeff Nishinaka. Shot by Carl Kleiner, the range of artworks is unique to each media site.

Alita McMenamin, Telstra head of brand and marketing communications, commented, “We were surprised to see more than 27 million views on TikTok, with people across the world creating their own versions of the Telstra walk, last time. This new iteration of the campaign is inspired by the fact it’s not just about the journey, it’s about those you share it with. It’s been a joy to work on. The team has put so much care and craft into the campaign execution.”

Micah Walker, chief creative officer, BMEOF, stated, “It was always a part of our plan to revisit this idea when the time was right. The amazing response we received last time gave us some playful ideas and cameos to add to this journey. Massive thanks to everyone who’s been working so hard to make this epic part deux such a fun one.”

Helen Guard, managing partner, OMD Australia, added, “There’s no bigger cultural moment than the start of the footy season, and we’re proud to launch this sequel on such an iconic sporting platform. We’ve crafted the media strategy to hero this beautiful creative in premium, high attention environments, creating multiple opportunities for audiences to discover something new with every viewing and truly immerse themselves in the experience.”



Credits:
Creative Agency: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire
Partner Agency: +61
Media Agency: OMD Australia

Client: Telstra
Chief Marketing Officer: Brent Smart
Head of Brand and Marketing Communications: Alita McMenamin
Brand & Sponsorship Lead: Nicola Reeves
Marketing Specialist: Annabel Hudson
Head of Media & Marketing Operations: Paula Marreiros
Senior Media Specialist: Ally Chin

Production Company: Riff Raff
Directors: Smith & Foulkes
Executive Producer: Tracey Cooper
Production Assistant: Maddy Smith
Designer: Chris Martin

Post Production VFX: Black Kite Studios
VFX Supervisor: George Brunt
VFX Supervisor: Dan Moore
3D Animation Supervisor: Jorge Meurer
3D Lead: Oleg Troy
Concept Artist: Carlos Nieto
Colourist: George K
Executive Producer: Julie Evans
Senior Producer: Phil Whalley
Production Coordinator: Kit Hartley
 
Music Supervision: Trailer Media
Music Supervisor: Anton Trailer
 
Music Production Company: Manderley Music
Music Arranger: Ben Cocks
Music Producer: Sean Craigie-Atherton
 
Sound House: Rumble Studios
Lead Sound Designer: Tone Aston
Sound Designer: Daniel William
Executive Producer: Michael Gie
OOH
Paper Artist: Jeff Nishinaka
Photographer: Carl Kleiner
Retouching: Stiletto Studio