Saatchi & Saatchi’s campaign for the New Zealand Defence Force has two jobs to do. One is to help new recruits get ‘Force-Fit’ in preparation for the entry level fitness test. The other is to get new recruits.
So Saatchi Saatchi New Zealand has created fitness app…
…And a whole new point of view about being in the Defence Force inside a 72 second video. Find out why it’s called Ambush here:
“The NZDF is by necessity, one of the country’s fittest organisations. Despite excellent fitness levels amongst the active members of the armed forces, recruiters around the country have observed a growing number of young New Zealanders, interested in joining the NZDF, not achieving the entry level fitness test,” the NZDF stated in its press release.
To that end, Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand’s six week training program, Force-Fit, is a mobile app available to both new recruits and the public as a free download for both Android, iPhone and in PDF form. It’s easy to use and geared for any fitness level.
Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General (LT Gen) Tim Keating, added, “Fitness is a really important issue for us. On any given day our people might be asked to push themselves and their equipment to their very limits as they respond to a crisis or catastrophe at home or abroad. So it’s something we take seriously and we make sure our people have the support they need to help keep them in top condition.
“Defence Force personnel are passionate about New Zealand, that’s why they have committed to doing the extraordinary task of serving and working to keep New Zealand secure. We can see that keeping fit and staying healthy is a growing struggle for many New Zealanders, so we felt an obligation to do something that would not only help prepare our recruits, but could also inspire the whole country to join us in making fitness their mission.”
The second part of the campaign, aka the video, is all about appeal. There is no Defence Force if people don’t want to join it.
Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, creative director, Slade Gill, explained “It was important to present the Force Fit app in a way that stayed well clear of military stereotypes – boot camps, drills and all that ‘no pain no gain’ rubbish. This is about a modern, forward-thinking Defence Force sharing their fitness expertise with everyday Kiwis…and doing it in an inclusive, accessible way.”
The campaign extends to bus adshels, outdoor exercise events and OOH signage, spreading the message to outdoors and get active, with the support of the app. NZDF Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) will also be on hand at the Fidelity Life Corporate Challenge series of events taking place in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland this month.
