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Truly Deeply creates graduate-specific employer brand for Gadens

While many firms leverage their global network, Gadens is proudly focused on Australia and needs to communicate a very different proposition to attract employees. Truly Deeply worked with Gadens to bring to life their unique spirit and culture to articulate their Employer Brand. This was…

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Sex Brand seeks to grow the category with cheeky Valentine’s ads

Sex Brand is attempting to shock and encourage young Brits to start bonking again.

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Is BrewDog’s anti-sponsor campaign brilliant or a shameless stunt?

BrewDog’s anti-sponsor campaign for the World Cup is getting lots of attention but not everyone is a fan. Multinational brewery and pub chain BrewDog has just declared itself the “proud anti-sponsor” of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to promote its Lost beer. A blaze of…

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Match flips the dating proposition in cheeky new campaign

USA dating site Match creates a bold outdoor campaign that takes a me first approach. The dating app market is massive but also largely undifferentiated. That’s why this latest campaign from Match in the USA caught my eye. Rather than promising to find ‘the one’,…

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The importance of simple differentiation

The simplest branding trick. Living in the northern suburbs we see these pink cement trucks lots. My girls love them, shouting out whenever they see them. They always bring a smile to my face and clearly demonstrate the real power of differentiation. It’s let down…

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Pride month – No shortage of brand support but is it genuine or just a Drag Race?

June, the Pride Month, is almost over and the competition between global brands on who wore the Rainbow better is coming to an end. Many global brands, especially in the USA, filled their social media accounts with glitters and confetti and happily attempted to outshine…

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Truly Deeply creates new place brand, Ellerton

We are proud to introduce our brand strategy and design work for Ellerton, a new residential community in Melbourne’s west. The Ellerton brand draws from its surroundings and the diversity and energy of its people. It’s a celebration of being at the heart of the…

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Apple’s ‘Hometown’ reminds us that powerful brands are built on strong values.

The temptation to create a brand that stands for everything, or at least a brand that doesn’t alienate anyone can be overpowering, especially in a world that feels like its becoming more polarised by the day. However, a brand that fails to stand for something,…

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Recruitment firm brand ad leverages the 2020 US election.

The Brand Power of Leveraging Current Affairs. We promise this wont turn into a Festival Trump-bashing- although that could be kinda fun, but we spotted another clever ad looking to leverage off the world wide interest in the car crash that is American politics and…

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Swedish Bedding Brand Trumps US Election Ad Stakes.

Clever Brand Campaign Creative Cuts-through. Swedish mattress and bedding brand SOVA released a timely ad to leverage the currency of the US election. The very clever ad features a montage made from items of their bedding range that create a portrait of President Trump. Combining…

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Samsung ad mimics iconic Apple campaign.

Clever Campaign Leverage or Brand Positioning Balls-up? If as they say; “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, Apple should be feeling pretty chuffed about this new campaign by Samsung for their Galaxy Z Fold 2. In this short clip a street artist is seen…

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Burger King’s Campaign for a Michelin Star

Burger King’s Clever Product Launch Brand Strategy. Burger King Belgium have launched a Change.org petition and accompanied ad campaign to get a Michelin Star for its new menu item; The Master Burger. In a bold and cheeky move, Burger King has penned an open letter …

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KFC brand adjusts for Coronavirus

Time for a brand strategy re-calibration. If I read one more coronavirus article stating how we’re all going to need to adjust to the new normal I’ll punch myself in the face. But like it or loath it, for brands of every shape and size…

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Burger King’s stand for Love & Equality

Love Conquers All – And Builds Brand Affinity. The relationships we have with brands are alot like the relationships we have with people. Our friends and loved ones reflect who we are, the values we hold dear and behaviors we want to associate with. Social…

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Apple’s WFH short film taps into the new normal.

A brandertainment masterclass from Apple. There have been few times if-any over the last few decades where life has been thrown on it’s head for much of the world as has been the case due to coronavirus. One of the most significant changes has been…

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Nike’s Bold Anti-Racism Stance Proves Problematic

A timely lesson for brands with a social conscience. Global sportswear brand, Nike recently took a public stance to condemn racism, seeking to tap into the social tinderbox inflaming North America and spreading around the world. Adapting their iconic tagline, Nike created a campaign around;…

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ESPN Jordan Ad reminds us of the power of lateral thinking.

When was the last time your brand thinking came from left field? The say; ‘Necessity is the mother of all invention’, and for many brands things have never been more ‘necessary’ than they are now. Budgets are tight, consumer behavior is shifting, the world is…

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Why Traditional Brand Positioning Works in Disruptive Times.

I saw a post this morning on social that said; “What a year this last week has been”. As the world seemingly accelerates into economic turmoil I’ve been reflecting on the learnings for brands from the GFC. The one thread that stands-out for me above…

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McDonald’s de-brands to make a bold brand statement.

The power of brandless branding. Loving these new ads for McDonald’s by Leo Burnett in London. The holy grail for branding is when you’re able to remove your logo and the visual language of the brand, the product or the product description alone communicates who…

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Burger King’s invitation to Harry and Meghan.

A Right Royal Bit of Branding Fun. I’m loving this brand campaign from Burger King leveraging the global interest in the current Royal family split. Creating timely brand ads that connect with something as newsworthy as the royal split is not a new idea, but…

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Apple impresses with Chinese New Year short film shot on iPhone

It’s not an entirely new trick, but Apples latest piece of brandertainment has been shot entirely on the latest iPhone. And there’s plenty to like beyond showing-off the capabilities of the iPhone 11 Pro. The film, about three generations of Chinese women coming together at…

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Oscar the Artist – Celebrating our Creative Community

At Truly Deeply we love sharing and celebrating not only our creative branding work but that of our extended brand family. In this case it’s doubly easy when the work includes Oscar the Grouch. Produced for the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street, Square Space New…

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‘Tis the Season for lovely Christmas Brand Ads

It’s beginning to look alot like Christmas (well a little at least…) This Christmas season John Lewis has teamed-up with Waitrose (a member of their brand family) to create their festive commercial to play on its social media chanels. The charming piece of brand communication…

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Is supporting a competitor the most noble brand gesture of all?

The Power of Brands Behaving Admirably. It’s not every day that the second biggest global brand in a category stops selling their number one product for a day and runs an ad campaign asking their customers to buy from their competitor instead – but that’s…

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Doritos ‘No Logo’ ad misses the point.

Doritos Clever Thinking Only Outsmarts Themselves. Doritos is set to launch an ‘anti-ad’ campaign to appeal to Gen Z, who is research tells us are averse to traditional advertising tactics. The snack food brand plans to ditch its logo, replacing it with a recognizable triangle…

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French’s Mustard reminds us of the power of crazy.

When it comes to branding, standing out is tougher than it ever has been. Compared to a decade ago, there are many more brands doing more things to differentiate and stand out in the market. The challenge for brand managers, owners and marketers is to…

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The true story behind BMWs iconic branding

The History of BMW’s brand mark. As brands evolve and mature the rationale behind the design of their logo often becomes folklore, coloured as much by popular myth than historical fact. Recently global automaker BMW published an article clearing-up the story behind their iconic brandmark.…

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Inspiring branding – Apple’s latest TVC

More brand building mastery from Apple. Whenever I spot a new piece of inspiring branding from Apple I find myself vexed. As a consumer I’m enraptured, immediately engaged and continue to build-on the loyalty and enthusiasm I hold for the brand. As a writer of…

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Viral cinematic brand ad fails to convince.

Never make a brand promise you can’t keep. A three-year-old TVC has gone viral recently, as social media users have enthusiastically shared it as much for its beauty as for the disconnect between the ad and the brand it represents. The stunning film was made…

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Why AV business Scene Change spent their entire marketing budget on a private jet (and why it was a good decision).

Marketing Strategy Madness or Branding Genius. In a marketing strategy that sounds lifted from a Vegas comedy about three guys on a bachelor party, Australian corporate AV company Scene Change invested their entire marketing budget for two years to buy and run a private jet.…

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The real John Lewis Twitter Christmas ad

An accidental brand ambassador John Lewis is the name of big UK retailer but it’s also the name of a guy from Blacksburg, Virginia. Since 2007, the lecturer from Virginia Tech University has been using the twitter handle @johnlewis and he often receives tweets meant for…

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Carnaby Street Rhapsody

  Although it’s still only October, Carnaby Street, located in the heart of London, has already unveiled its 2018 festive light display, with another amazing and creative design. It is always exciting to see what fashionable Carnaby Street will do. The theme tends to be …

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Why an ad agency isn’t the right agency for your rebrand

When it comes to rebranding, all agencies aren’t equal. After more than 25 years of running a branding agency, it’s not every day a conversation with a client re-frames my perspective on our business. But recently, that happened. I was talking to the founder of…

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Brilliant Brandertainment from John Lewis & Partners + Waitrose & Partners

Wonderful Brand Story-telling. The UK retail landscape has recently welcomed a notable rebranding with launch of the new John Lewis & partners and Waitrose & Partners. Complex architecture and relationship between the two brands aside, the brand design work and typography are stunningly elegant in…

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Nike puts brand values first with Kaepernick campaign

Are brand values are more important than brand value? Nike this week rolled out their 30th anniversary ‘Just do it’ campaign featuring the ex 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. In a move that will define the brand for the future, Nike have made an incredible brave move.…

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Stabilo Boss campaign creates powerful brand storytelling

Bright idea highlights incredible women and rewrites history After a disgraceful week of politics, we’ve lost another Prime Minister but perhaps the real loss in the fallout is Julie Bishop. So it’s quite fitting that I came across this campaign from Stabilo Boss. Created by…

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Bonds ad campaign breaking female stereotypes with ‘The Queendom’

New Bonds ‘Originals’ brand messaging on female stereotype’s in their recent ad campaign ‘The Queendom’ is an inspiring piece of brand communication strategy and a refreshing change in women’s underwear marketing. Powerful and playful, the ad is set in remote Australian ‘bushland’ known as ‘The…

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Massive brand growth sees Luckin Coffee go from zero to $1Bn in less than a year

More than just luck. The coffee unicorn brand that’s the talk of China. China’s thirst for their own ‘new retail’ brands continues to fuel investor and consumer frenzy and coffee is the latest battleground. Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi now dominate over Apple in…

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13Cabs rebrands to stay relevant

13Cabs campaign attempts to revive the brand but is it too little too late? In an effort to combat Uber and make the traditional taxis more appealing, Cabcharge has revamped their 13Cabs brand. The uppercase blocked typemark has given way to a lowercase ‘cabs’ with…

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Truly Deeply rebrands Hyperdome shopping centre to South.Point

New name, strategy and identity for major Canberra shopping centre Working together with key stakeholders, we helped refine and reposition one of Canberra’s main shopping centres. The new brand positioning, name and identity is now helping to re-engage the local trade area and excite tenants…

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Magnum campaign achieves the sophistication the brand yearns for

Just as summer here finally ends Magnum has revealed a European wide campaign for the Summer that achieves a kind of sophistication the brand has always reached for but never quite got. Mainly due to the simplicity and style of the illustrations of Thomas Danthony, which…

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Skol and the art of brand reputation recovery.

When Brands get it Wrong. It never ceases to amaze me the way in which brand-consumer relationships continue to play-out in the same way as regular human relationships. This is no-where more apparent than when brands get it wrong. And there’s no doubt brands do…

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April Fools Day – A Great Opportunity for Brand Tomfoolery

  Brands that made me smile. For all brands, finding a reason to connect with their audience in an authentic and emotionally relevant manner is gold. April Fools day presents that opportunity, embraced each year by many of my favorite brands. here are a few…

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McDonalds billboards prove the value of a good brand mark

The power of the brandmark McDonald’s Canada has proved the value of a good brand mark with it’s playful ‘Follow the Arches’ campaign by Cossette. The campaign consists of four simple billboards that crop the golden arches to provide freeway direction signage that goes beyond…

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Truly Deeply refreshes Canberra Shopping Centre brand

New visual language and teaser campaign for Hyperdome shopping centre Truly Deeply has developed a new visual style to re-engage the local trade area and excite tenants. The brand refresh gives the shopping centre a much needed update to its image and builds excitement around…

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Vero – True Social. Just another social app?

First of all, lets start with this disclaimer. If you can’t be bothered to keep up with yet another social media app then there’s no need to find out more about Vero. Because that’s exactly what it is, but apparently ‘with a twist’. Vero is the…

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Top 5 Superbowl Ads of All Time

Superbowl Sunday and Big Brands Share Centre Stage Super Bowl 52 is on today in America and with a captive television audience of over 111.9 million viewers it’s understandable that it has become advertising Mecca to big global brands. At a cost of more than…

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ANZ bank’s masterstroke of differentiated brand strategy

Standing out from the crowd in a summer of sport. So what’s notable about a bank choosing an Olympic gold medalist basketballer and an Australian Open tennis Champion to represent their brand across an integrated campaign this summer. Well for starters, it’s the one athlete…

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Brilliant Brand Positioning from The New York Times

Taking a stand to stand out. The New York Times’ recent campaign has created something of a storm on social media where this clip has had more than 37 million views alone. A newspaper taking the high moral ground for truth in such a complex…

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Merry Christmas from Truly Deeply (and UK retailer John Lewis)

We’ve continued the tradition of sharing our favorite Christmas TV commercials. The festive season is not only an important time for brands to reach-out to their customers to garner their pre-Christmas purchasing, but it’s also a time that audiences are more open to emotionally connecting…

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Christmas ads 2017; part two

More of the best Christmas brand story telling. Here’s some more of the best ads of the season from the usual suspects and a few others. Check out the different brand approaches to make us laugh, cry and potentially buy from them. Boots – Show…

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Old branding lesson in a new world from Tiffany & Co.

Don’t throw the marketing baby out with the bathwater. This recent ad for Tiffany & Co. reminded me of the power of media placement. As the brand world continues to evolve and become more complex, it’s useful to keep in mind that some of the…

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Tis the season – 2017 Christmas Ads

Snow, eggnog, warm log fires, presents and all that deliciously delightful food. Or like us, if you live in the Southern hemisphere; beaches, pine trees, sunscreen, BBQ’s and backyard cricket. Christmas reaches out and touches all the senses this time of year and so do…

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How Bud defied consumer research to create a viral campaign

Creating a viral campaign with moments of nonsense and fun. If you’ve come across the “Dilly Dilly” movement on social media recently, you can thank Bud Light for turning the phrase into a catch-cry for the end of 2017. In a recent interview with Business…

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R U OK? Day founder used his marketing intellect for the greater good.

R U OK? Day is Australia’s first national suicide prevention day of action and was founded in 2009 by a highly successful advertising executive, Gavin Larkin who was inspired to start the campaign as a personal project to honour his father, who took his own…

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Email still best for brand offers but it must be relevant and informative

Key insights from Adobe’s third annual consumer email survey, essential reading for brand marketers. The survey shows that email significantly trumps direct mail, mobile apps and social media as the best way to deliver offers to consumers. However, there is still a great degree of…

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Vogel’s bread creates an emotive brand connection

This is an add to brighten your Monday morning, sure to make you smile and feel warm inside. Vogel’s celebrates diversity and uniqueness with an emotive and engaging TV commercial focussing on the real life stories of every day Kiwis. Goodman Fielder, with its creative partner…

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Brand slogans can become a fascinating reflection of our culture

Brand slogans/taglines are an essential element of advertising; typically short their job is to encapsulate what a brand is all about. Occasionally an advertising slogan/tagline comes along with that extra something special, it jumps out of the ad and takes on a life of its…

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Ikea’s Cook This Page campaign is another smart brand gesture

Swedish home furniture brand Ikea continues to be at the heart of affordable stylish urban living. We always solute brands who continually look for interesting ways to engage and add value for the lives of their customers. That’s why we love this clever idea from…

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UK kills tobacco brands

Following Australia’s lead, the UK introduces plain packaging laws for tobacco All advertising and branding of cigarettes is now banned in the UK. This follows similar laws introduced in Australia in 2012. For big tobacco brands, this is a massive challenge. They’ve effectively had almost…

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