Saatchi & Saatchi Australia extends Ampol’s A to Anywhere platform – this time stepping into entertainment with the escapade of an unlikely hero, a tiny wind-up car.
The campaign, built to underline Ampol’s commitment to meeting real Aussie needs on the road, follows the journey of a miniature car on a cross-country adventure to reunite with its owner, from suburban streets to river crossings, and even an echidna encounter. The film ends with the car arriving at an Ampol petrol station, where the brand’s products and services from Amplify Premium Fuels to AmpCharge and Foodary come into play.
To bring the idea to life, the model car was custom-designed, 3D printed, hand-painted, and fitted out with moving parts, including working lights, wipers, and a spinning wind-up key. The film was directed by Swedish duo, StyleWar, produced by Sedona and built by special effects company YipeeKi-Yay. Three versions of the car were built for production – two remote-controlled and one puppeteered, each tailored for different terrains.
Jenny O’Regan, Ampol chief brand and customer officer, stated, “The A to Anywhere platform was first launched in 2024 to unify Ampol’s brand and product story. This new chapter reinforces Ampol as a brand that helps Australians to achieve their ambitions, no matter how big or small, in a way that’s emotive and distinctly Australian. That’s what ‘Australia’s Own’ means to us: being a partner for Aussies wherever they go.”
Sedona Productions directors, StyleWar (Martin Sjöström and Oskar Holmedal), added, “We were excited to figure out how to shrink a Russian arm rig to this little car’s size for fast, dynamic shots. Using an in-camera approach that could interact with our talent, the grip and camera team utilised a rickshaw rig with a snorkel lens licking the tarmac to achieve the speed and scale we wanted. Our model maker created three unique miniature cars for everything from underwater trails to Steve McQueen–style jumps.”
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