In Australia, we do things differently. Where else in the world does a stranger get called “mate”? Where else can you get the day off for a horse race? And where else would you cheer on your country wearing a green and gold camo bucket on your head?
KFC Australia has kicked off the cricket season with its summer campaign by Ogilvy Sydney, that asks Australians nationwide to join The HCG Buckethead Army – that is, wearing a KFC bucket on your head to show your support for cricket.
A wild idea? C’mon, this is Australia – land of ratbags. Ogilvy has rather cleverly picked up on a cultural phenomenon and plans to run with it as far as it can go. As far as it can go includes a very silly “hole in my bucket song”, that will probably be the anthem for cricket this summer…
…and a bit of a nod to Australia’s ad version of a national anthem.
Even the Colonel is now sporting a green and gold camo bucket on his head in stores across Australia.
Angela Richards, chief marketing officer, KFC Australia, explained, “Over the years, we have seen more and more cricket fans donning a bucket to support the team. We couldn’t believe how this organic movement took off – and we wanted to come back this year bigger and better and make it an official movement.”
“That’s how the idea for The HCG Buckethead Army came to fruition. We want to extend the celebrations outside of the match and really get Bucketheads everywhere. There’s a potential for 24 million Australians to show their support throughout Magellan Ashes, on the street, at work or even in their own home cricket ground or HCG.”
The campaign includes TV and online content, PR and social activities, creative outdoor projections and murals and a digital microsite for Australians to join The HCG Buckethead Army and support both Magellan Ashes and later in the cricket season, the KFC Big Bash league.
Digital:
The digital build allows every Australian to upload a photo and impose a bucket on their head, before taking part in an interactive game to “bang your bucket”. A cumulative national score will show the support from Australians everywhere with every bucket banged counting as another cheer of support for the boys. The national score will be reflected by live light projections in the hosting city of each test. The higher the score, the bigger and brighter the light projections will become.
Social:
Those enrolled in The HCG Buckethead Army will be given mini-missions to create user generated content and spread the word of the campaign through Facebook and Instagram.
In addition, the campaign will launch Gary Bot, the interactive Facebook bot. Gary Bot will be giving Facebook Buckethead Army members surprise and delight moments, trivia, jokes and alert people when the bang your bucket game is live, to win prizes during the cricket games.
PR:
To launch the campaign and set the fun tone and energy, The HCG Buckethead Army welcomed the famous Barmy Army – the biggest supporters of the British team – onto Australian soil at Brisbane airport.
In the first ever performance of There’s a hole in my bucket, the welcoming committee poked Aussie fun at The Barmy Army with a witty take on the classic lyrics.
Credits
Creative: Ogilvy Sydney
Group Creative Director: Shaun Branagan
Copywriter: Lewis Aramayo
Art Director: Simon Dalla Pozza
Senior Agency Producer: Alison Chambers
Head of Strategy: Ryan O’Connell
Group Account Director: Cassie Poiner
Account Director: Kate Smith
Account Manager: Ellen Corr
Social Strategist: Jennifer Ngai
Ogilvy X:
Director: Rey Carlson
Exec Producer: Rob Spencer
Producer: Nat McNamara
DOP: Geoffrey Hall
Art Director: Tom Churchill-Brown
Editor: Michael Houlahan
Grade: Andrew Clarkson
Online: Hugh Seville
Digital: Ogilvy Sydney
Managing Partner: Michelle Holland
Creative Technology Lead: Jason Smith
Senior Digital Designer: Sonny Nguyen
CX Lead: Gina Hughes
Digital Designer: Paola Pellagra
Digital Producer: Oriane Veron
Ogilvy PR:
Account Director: Stephen Maher
Senior Account Manager: Madeleine Hanley
Media agency: MediaCom Australia
Sponsorship agency: Prism Sport + Entertainment
Packaging Agency: Red Cactus
In Store Design Agency: Design Intoto
Client: KFC
Chief Marketing Officer: Angela Richards
Marketing Director, Group Meals and Brand: Sally Spriggs
Marketing Manager, Group Meals and Sponsorships: Nora-Kate O’Connell
Brand Manager Group Meals: Belinda Thompson
