How Belong Brought a Little Bit of Love into the World of Telco
When learning to swim, the thought of getting thrown into the deep end can be terrifying. The unknown is hidden beneath the surface. There is an unease to looking at the bottom of a pool, and not really knowing how far down it goes. The water reflecting back onto your face is bright, blinding and hot.
And then, you turn around and you see your family or perhaps a few friends all getting ready to jump into the cold water. They smile and give a little nod, they know how scary this can be for some people. A reassurance washes over you.
You look back and this time the water is still, gentle and somewhat inviting. The unknown is not so scary but rather exciting. There’s a whole new world to explore. So with your goggles strapped on tight and sunscreen slathered, you jump.
Often, producing an entirely new brand campaign can feel a lot like jumping into the deep end. It can be overwhelming, no one really knows where to start, ideas are flying here, there and everywhere. But when partnered with a good strategy, a storyboard and a clear line of thought, taking that leap of faith can be less daunting.
Aaliah Eggins Bryson from Belong has very recently gone through the trials and tribulations of redefining their brand. Together with Howatson+Company, they have produced a touching love story between an eel and an underwater internet cable.
A concept that is hugely different to other telco brands and one that required faith in ‘more of the good stuff’. LBB’s Casey Martin spoke to Aaliah about the strategy behind producing such a campaign.
LBB> You said that you can’t help but smile when you watch the newest spot for Belong and I have to agree. Why was it important for you to take a more unconventional route, to have a lonesome eel fall in love with an internet cable rather than showcasing the product using the typical tactics, families fighting over slow internet for example?
Aaliah> Isn’t it just a great love story of a moray eel falling in love with an internet cable – I personally loved it the moment the idea was presented to me! Advertising has and is changing. We know that we can’t rely solely on traditional, conventional tactics given how difficult it is to capture attention. We don’t have big media budgets, so we needed to go with a fewer, bigger and better approach. Otherwise, the Belong brand would simply blend into the background, going unnoticed by our target audience.
As a result, we have made the decision to wholeheartedly embrace the core elements that have set the Belong brand apart and made it unforgettable over the last four years – the emotional connection it forges with our current and prospective customers and a sense of belonging.
I love the joy, playfulness, and positivity of this campaign and I think it is what truly distinguishes the Belong brand and makes it so unique. It felt only natural to create a campaign that authentically brings these emotions to life in our unique way.
Ultimately, our success hinges on our ability to bring a smile to your face – making the Belong brand not only appealing but also memorable to a broader audience.
LBB> When working with Howatson+Company, what drew you to them? What makes them different?
Aaliah> The success of an agency is determined by its people and for me, the people at Howatson+Company are next level exceptional. They have an internal value which is "Care Fiercely," and every day, I witness them putting this principle into action. I can see that they don't limit their focus to the creative campaigns directly before them; instead, they take a much broader perspective. For example, they consider how today's campaigns will have a lasting impact on our business growth, leveraging their diverse offerings, including technology, media, and strategy, to ensure we leave no stone unturned in our aim to grow our brand and achieve tangible commercial results.
But ultimately, they’re a team that I genuinely enjoy spending time with. We set ourselves an ambitious timeline on this campaign and I found myself working out of the Howatson+Company office more often than my own office to collaborate, connect and get through the work. It is amazing how impactful it is to forge close, trusted relationships with your agency team where you are all making the effort to spend physical time together. It also saves a lot of time!
LBB> How does this brand platform amplify Belong’s overall message?
Aaliah> In spite of what I said earlier – digital connection is still really important. This campaign wouldn’t have been possible without it given Zombie studios are based in Brazil. At Belong, we recognise the importance of people being able to form connections and participate in the digital world, as well as the incredible sense of belonging that comes with that. And we provide the services to make that possible for more people.
The message behind this brand platform and campaign ‘More of the Good Stuff’ is to make Australians aware they can get awesome inclusions and quality with their mobile and internet plans for an awesome price with Belong. At the end of the day, it helps us legitimately differentiate on value in today’s tough economic climate.
LBB> We see so many campaigns within the Telco industry that tug on the heart strings of audiences rather than trying to promote that data behind ‘why they are better than the rest’, why is this so and do you that it is a strategy that works well?
Aaliah> We know that creating emotional connections in campaigns is important because it helps them stand out and remain memorable in the minds of consumers. Emotions leave a lasting impression, and people are more likely to engage with brands that do this. However, I can understand that it can feel somewhat empty if a campaign delivers only emotion. Striking the right balance is super important. While emotional campaigns are attention-grabbing, they should also deliver real solutions that meet customer needs.
Neglecting either aspect can be detrimental to the brand. When I explain this concept to the broader team at Belong, I ask them ‘why do you love your husband or wife?’. There are the big standout moments such as when you got married (this campaign) but there are also the everyday moments that are equally as important such as them making you a nice dinner (service, quality, price, data, speed). I’m really proud that we’ve built a brand platform that does both; it’s memorable but also fully communicates the value that we have purposely built for our customers through our products and services.
LBB> Talk us through the strategy behind this particular campaign?
Aaliah> The noticeable evolution of this brand platform strategy is moving from a values-based brand towards a value-based brand. In the past, we have focused our communications strategy on the importance of Belonging and connection with our 'Rocks’ campaign and, more recently, on carbon neutrality with 'Thummit'. As we listened more to the needs of our customers and everyday Aussies we realised, particularly in this challenging economic landscape, that more and more Australians are looking for better value without compromising on quality. Our communications strategy is to talk about all the inclusions we offer our customers, such as awesome data, speed, and security, and all at an affordable price.
LBB> What challenges did you face when working together with Howatson+Company? And what were the highlights?
Aaliah> I can think of three key challenges we were up against;
First, the time crunch was a big one. It might not be evident from the final campaign, but we had just four months to get everything done from start to finish. That was a challenge in itself.
Second, we knew Belong's low brand awareness, especially when going up against heavyweight competitors, would be a consideration. So, we decided to reframe our media strategy and communications and use upper-funnel brand tactics to get more people interested and boost our market presence.
And thirdly, there's the challenge of not enough people knowing that Belong is a telco. We've been considerate to ensure that not only are we highlighting brand cues but also drawing attention to category cues too in our comms.
Some highlights would include; the unveiling of the character's final illustrations and launching the new ad to the Belong team dressed as a mermaid and ‘encouraging’ H+Co's client partner Ollie to dress up in a lobster costume!
LBB> Where do you see the brand platform heading in the future?
Aaliah> The strength of 'More of the Good Stuff' lies in its effectiveness as a vehicle for conveying the value we provide to our customers - not only in the present but also in the future. It’s so versatile and as a fully integrated campaign, it can stretch and evolve to respond to the changing needs of our customers, which is what really matters here. That's why we view it as a resilient and enduring platform that we can establish and maintain.
LBB> How do you establish a strong brand message and how do you incorporate that in everything the brand does?
Aaliah> It certainly is a challenge to tell Aussies about your brand succinctly and resisting the urge to stuff every message that you want to say into your communications. The creative team at H+Co has certainly kept me honest here. Truth be told, customers don’t care about your brand as much as we do so it’s essential to closely examine the needs, desires, and motivations of your target audience. The key is to address those needs authentically and genuinely in a way that sets your brand apart and meets those customer needs in a unique and meaningful way.
We did that with 'More of the Good Stuff' – Belong offers excellent quality products and services, at a great price! From there, that identity becomes a guiding principle that affects everything you do. We are fortunate to have a fantastic team at Belong, and we invest significant effort internally to ensure that every business functions understand what Belong’s DNA means to them. We even created a manifesto, which we're calling the More-manifesto, for new starters.
LBB> Lastly, I have to know, does the eel have a name?
Aaliah> The team actually put this to a vote – ‘EELong Musk’ was the crowd favourite.
