McCann NZ (previously FCB Aotearoa) is tackling the most difficult brief for Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) – curbing speeding among young New Zealanders.
Its campaign, Speed Demons, takes on one of the most persistent and deadly issues on New Zealand with a new approach. There are no gory crash sequences; no speeding behaviour. Instead, Speed Demons highlights various moments and mindsets that can trigger speeding behaviour, such as running late, being tailgated or spurred on by mates. These pressures to speed are presented as twisted beasts. The protagonist defies them. Ultimately, the campaign offers a simple message, don’t let anyone rush you.
Speed Demons aims to change the acceptability of speeding with young drivers by repositioning driving to the speed limit as ‘keeping your cool’ and driving your own drive – even against the toughest pressures like tailgaters, back seat drivers and the fear of running late.
The work is backed by stark data showing that in 2023 alone there were 90 deaths and 581 serious injuries involving speed on New Zealand’s roads. Nearly one-third of all road deaths in New Zealand involve people aged 18 to 24. Young New Zealanders are also almost three times more likely to die on the roads than their Australian counterparts.
Emma Hartley, manager marketing and content at NZTA Waka Kotahi, stated, “To shift an entrenched behaviour like speeding and speak to this young audience we needed to try something different. The Speed Demons campaign is a departure from our traditional style of advertising but at its core is still trying to do the same job; change behaviour to reduce harm on our roads.”
Matt Kingston, co-chief strategy officer at McCann NZ, added, “Young Kiwi drivers are heavily influenced by those around them. And while that’s a lovely truth into this life-stage, it’s dangerous when it comes to driving. Our research revealed just how much pressure young drivers feel to speed from those on the road and in their car. We wanted to elevate the resistance of this kind of pressure to a position of confidence and power.”
Leisa Wall, co-chief creative officer of McCann NZ, commented, “In a culture where rushing is normalised, saying ‘rush for no one’ is quietly rebellious. It gives young drivers a simple, confident way to opt out of pressure – without losing face.”
Tim Thach and Guy Perry, the senior creative team behind the work, added, “Speed Demons… No longer are they self-titled ‘cool guys’ that tear around town. Now, they’re terrorising pests and the cool ones are those who refuse to give in to their pressure. By handcrafting each Speed Demon and infusing human elements, they became both more relatable, and ridiculous – which was always the goal.”
FINCH director, Michael Hili, brought his background as a theatre-designer and signature tactile approach to turn speed pressures into monsters. Captured in-camera, the team used an alchemy of techniques and materials, from 3D-printed skeletal cages and papier-mache sculptures to silicone head castings, replica cityscape miniatures and hand-painted backgrounds.
Hili commented, “I wanted us to create worlds that felt genuinely new – to take risks and make something that might even frustrate an older audience because it isn’t neatly explained. Work that feels handmade and cared for, with a bit of roughness at the edges – something that doesn’t let you instantly relax into‘knowing’ what you’re being sold. To get there, we asked the agency and client to take a real leap of faith: to let us workshop the characters – their design, their behaviour, their logic – through an iterative process where things evolve and unexpected ideas emerge. That kind of process takes patience, trust, and a team that’s open to adventure. It’s rare to get to work like that.”
Credits
Client: NZTA / Waka Kotahi
Creative Agency: McCann NZ, previously FCB Aotearoa
Media Agency: MBM
Production Company: FINCH
Director: Michael Hili
MD & Executive Producer: Corey Esse
Executive Producer: Rebekah (Bex) Kelly
Producer: Yolande Dewey
Casting: Catch Casting
DOP: Keiran Fowler
Production Design: Joseph Leary, Michael Hili
Model Maker: James Woodley
Offline Editor: Luke Haigh
Online: Stu Bedford
Sound Design: Cam Ballantyne
