Despite New South Wales’ freakishly wet summer this year, Australia is the world’s driest continent*. Its average rainfall is around 470mm p.a. Half the country receives less than 300mm.
Melburnians are being encouraged to take a closer look at the time they spend in the shower and consider creative ways to shave down those minutes in a campaign by Think HQ for Yarra Valley Water. Shower Shorter. Save Water reminds Victorians that conserving water and saving money in the process, is easier than we think.
The creative taps into the relatively young target audience’s sense of fun, using 3D modelling and animation to bring to life five innocently unaware characters who get distracted in the shower; performing a ballad, daydreaming of unicorns, meditating to unwind, brainstorming how to solve big problems, and dancing it out. The campaign asks people to take their entertaining or relaxing activities elsewhere in a light-hearted jest at our rather ridiculous shower antics.
The digital and social campaign aims to encourage people to shorten their showers from an average of 7 to 4 minutes. This can then help to save an average of $200 a year on water and energy bills, or 24 litres of water per shower. The campaign is supported in large format outdoor and street furniture, Spotify and podcasts, digital display, social media (including in-language social), and YouTube.
“The shower is the space where we love to relive moments and memories, make to-do lists, win arguments, or practice karaoke. But when we indulge in some extended ‘me time’ under the running water, we waste a precious resource. Our campaign plays on those bathroom time distractions, reminding people to save them for when water isn’t literally going down the drain,” stated Think HQ Group head of creative, Andy Lima.
Yarra Valley Water senior campaign specialist, Ryan Jamieson, added, “The campaign aims to educate customers on the impacts showers have on household water consumption, as the months get cooler, our time in the shower tends to get longer. With showers currently making up an average of 31 per cent of a typical household’s water use, it is an important reminder to our customers, that small changes such as shortening your shower can make a big difference individually and collectively.”
Shower Shorter. Save Water is running across Melbourne, within Yarra Valley Water’s catchment area.
*https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/partner-content-australia-water-problem
Credits
Client: Yarra Valley Water
Divisional Manager, Customer and Community Strategy: Matt Balfe
Senior Campaign Specialist: Ryan Jamieson
Campaign Coordinator: Eliza Fazackerley
Agency: Think HQ
Founder & Managing Director: Jen Sharpe
Group Head of Creative: Andy Lima
Senior Art Director: Nathan Barrow
Art Director: Camilo Suarez
Copywriter: Ryan Graf
Producer: Dom Evans
Production Coordinator: Lily Rolfe
Creative Services Manager: Natasha Bauer
Senior Account Director: Jess Glass
Account Manager: Laura Kennewell
3D Modelling & Animation: Xiaohong Jiang
Motion Graphics: Roberta Ramalho
Sound Design: Lincoln Sharpe & Ryan Granger
