The wildest, most unexpected and entertaining commercials celebrate IT professionals? TBWA\Neboko has certainly delivered a cut-through campaign for software company, TOPdesk.
The mad idea uses 3D-printed monsters to represent common IT challenges and transforms IT professionals into action figures with heroic identities. Each of the three commercials in the series mimics the style of toy advertising. They’re hilariously fun to watch.
The campaign began with the observation that our world can’t survive without IT professionals. So, why aren’t they celebrated as the heroes they truly are? After researching the most common IT problems, TBWA\NEBOKO designed and 3D-printed monsters to symbolise them, complete with fitting names such as The Many-Headed Request, Techtopus of Chaos, and Systemicus Malfunctius.
Of course, every villain needs a hero. So real IT professionals were also turned into action figures. Sabine, who battles a devilish number of IT requests, became Sabine the IT Savior. Thibauld, fighting an unreliable mess of IT systems, turned into Thibauld the Troubleshooter. And Marco, dealing with a classic case of service desk chaos, transformed into Marco the Service Desk Slayer.
TBWA\Neboko then teamed up with 5am Studios in Amsterdam, to turn the heroes into stars in humorous films inspired by the dramatic and over-the-top style of ‘90s toy commercials. Monsters and heroes were then assembled into action-style packages and sent directly to the IT professionals, allowing them to unbox themselves.
“By turning the world into IT fans, ultimately we’ll turn IT professionals into TOPdesk fans,” commented Peter Kormanyos, strategy director at TBWA\NEBOKO. “TOPdesk is the weapon of choice for those who stop IT problems from becoming monsters by making small, continual service improvements where it matters most.”
Clementine Jones, creative at TOPdesk, added. “In an industry where most IT service management vendors blend in, we wanted to stand out and honour IT professionals, and what better way than by turning them into heroes?”
Hampus Elfström and Inna Vartazarian, creative team at TBWA\NEBOKO, stated, “It’s all based on a simple tension – we can’t live without IT professionals. Still, they don’t get the recognition they deserve. We wanted to shine a spotlight on them in a way that not only entertains, but also highlights their unique skills.”
The campaign is running across online and social platforms in Belgium and Germany throughout February and March. Also included in the campaign is an unboxing video featuring the three heroes themselves as they unwrap their own action figures.
Credits
Client: TOPdesk
Creative Agency: TBWA\Neboko
Chief Creative Officer: Darre Van Dijk
Creative Director: Joris Philippart
Creatives: Inna Vartazarian &Hampus Elfström
Strategy Director: Peter Kormanyos
Designers: Joris Groot, Iolo Wynn Cowell & Petar Stanislavov Stanchec
Business Lead: Robert Volten
Account Director: Beatriz Lopez Camino
Account Director: Eliza Garvin
Producers: Kim Wolffensperger, Oliver Nass & Anna Zellenrath
Media: OMD
Production: TBWA\ Make
Production: 5 Am Studios
Designers: Ben Wheele & Harriet Titlow
