Ad Nut nearly choked on a cashew giggling to this one.
As ballsy campaigns go, this one sits right at the top of the nut bowl. It's quite literally a 'call to balls' from Virtus Health and Cocogun, rallying Aussie men to boost the nation’s 'w@#kforce' and help tackle the growing shortage of sperm donors.
Sure, it's as cheeky as they come, but behind the playful puns lies a serious message. A national survey of 1,011 men found that while most Australians know someone struggling with fertility, only six per cent of men have ever donated sperm, a stark statistic that calls for creative courage. The shortage means hopeful parents face long waits, so Virtus Health, under the IVF Australia and Melbourne IVF brands, is calling on men to rise to the occasion.
The campaign film wastes no time. A man wields a speakerphone pointed directly at the, er, source of the problem, urging blokes in gyms, offices and daily life to “do the thing you do best.” It’s a rallying cry if ever there was one: Australia needs a hand, lads.
According to Virtus Health’s chief marketing and experience officer, Jane Power, the team set out to create something “big, bold and impossible to ignore.” And as it goes tongue-in-cheek humour is the best way to turn embarrassment into engagement.
“We need men to lean in and lend a hand," says Cocogun’s creative partner, Ant Melder. "The nation’s w@#kforce is at its lowest ebb, and it is time to get the numbers up.”
The film is joined by equally audacious OOH, with lines such as “We need people w@#king around the clock. Give us a hand.” It's smirky, shameless and perfectly judged to cut through the clutter.
For all the laughs, Ad Nut applauds the earnest mission beneath the gags. Australia truly needs more donors, but sorry, Virtus, Ad Nut’s lending days remain on hiatus.
CREDITS
CLIENT: Virtus Health
Jane Power Chief Marketing & Experience Officer
Laura Lock Marketing Communications Manager\
Jasmine
Ichallalene Marketing and Campaigns Manager
Phuong Chandler Head of Donor Program
Rebecca Featherstone
Partnerships Manager
AGENCY: Cocogun
Ant Melder Creative Partner
Emily Hahn General Manager
Shanice Schiffler Art Director
Julian Andrews
Copywriter
Mollie Starr Brand Director
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Mica Studios
David Longden EP/Producer/DoP/Editor/Colourist
Charlton Schneider Director
Jacques Ross 1st AD
Jessie
Whiting HMU
Danielle Payne 1st AC
Gemma Baker 2nd AC
Aaron Ashwood Gaffer
Benjamin Riley Best
Person
Dylan Frost Sound Mixer
Luke Fuller Sound Design
Samuel Dawe Lead Actor / Voice Actor
Max Cattana
Supporting Actor
James Heathwood Sound Engineer (radio)
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