Saatchi & Saatchi: Maritime NZ presents a true boatie story using real salvaged boat wreckage

Truth is more powerful than fiction. Saatchi & Saatchi’s campaign for Maritime New Zealand came from a confronting account of one man’s struggle for survival at sea.

Murray, whose tale is told in the TVC, found himself in a terrifying predicament when his boat rolled earlier this year while fishing with two mates. His quick thinking and use of channel 16 on his VHF radio meant his distressed position was quickly made clear to Maritime NZ’s radio service, rescue services and every vessel in the area. He and his crewmates were rescued, but the outcome could have been devastatingly different.

The story holds a message – always have a VHF radio onboard to be able to call for help in emergency. Its aim is to encourage more boaties to take a VHF radio onboard and do an online radio course. To create the TVC, wreckage from salvaged boats was scanned and used, a process that was technically challenging for the production team at Assembly and Saatchi & Saatchi.

https://youtu.be/QjZW4taRCI0

Jonny Kofoed, director at Assembly, commented, “From photographing and scanning salvaged boats all over the country, to building seascapes with ripped canvas to hand-animating gannets made from fibreglass shards, bringing this real story to life has been an incredible challenge and one that we have relished. We’re super proud of the end result.”

Maritime NZ director Keith Manch, explained, “Only 1 in 4 boaties carry a VHF radio and it’s such a vital bit of communication equipment. Murray wasn’t just lucky – he had his VHF radio with him, plus he knew how to use it.”

“Boating holds such a special place in the hearts of Kiwis, yet hearing the traumatic tale brought home the incredible importance for this message to be heard in a fresh, authentic and almost raw way,” noted Guy Roberts, executive creative director, Saatchi & Saatch NZ. “The jarring realisation that someone’s ruined pride and joy has been used to visualise this message is a very thought-provoking way to approach the creative treatment.”

The campaign includes a 50-second, 30-second and 15-second TVC, radio spot and POS poster, as well as being extended across Maritime NZ social media.