Indie agency Reunion’s first work for Rest Super has been edited, Mediaweek can reveal, with the original high-pitched scream replaced by one less earsplitting “to enhance the light-hearted nature of the advertisement.”
The changes were made at the end of April, before Wednesday night’s Gruen panel lashed the ad – and focused on the scream – in the first episode of the season. Panellist Camey O’Keefe, director of Gambol Creative, called the spot “a hot mess.”
Ex-Leo Burnett boss and fellow panellist Todd Sampson added: “The crazy thing for me is the scream is the best part of that ad, because the strategy makes absolutely no sense.”
A Rest spokesperson confirmed the scream change to Mediaweek, saying: “Rest has updated our birthday cake television commercial to enhance the light-hearted nature of the advertisement and the intention of the campaign.
“An updated version of the advertisement, with an alternate recording of the actor’s reaction in the final scene, replaced the previous version on 27 April.
“We anticipate our Super.Simple brand campaign will continue to evolve based on a number of factors, including performance metrics, feedback and the intention of the campaign.”
The spokesperson added that the next phase of the campaign will launch later this year.
The Super.Simple campaign for the profit-to-member super fund was launched in March – the first creative work by Justin Hind‘s Reunion agency since it won the Rest account in December last year.
The ad does appear to have evaded the most recent complaints list from Ad Standards, released this week.
Former CHEP CEO Hind, along with wife Dominique Hind and Stephen Knowles, joined forces to launch Reunion agency last June. Justin Hind and Knowles serve as co-CEOs and co-founders, and Dominique Hind is managing partner of people and operations.
See also:
Justin Hind’s Reunion Agency launches first work for Rest Super
TV Report 15 May 2024: ABC’s Gruen returns to tackle Foxtel’s Hubbl campaign