Convert your thinking about Cash Converters
Cash Converters, Australia’s largest retailer of pre-loved goods,has launched a new integrated advertising and PR campaign, to changethe way consumers think about the world around them and the brand.
The’Convert Your Thinking’ campaign is the culmination of a five yearre-branding exercise to reinforce Cash Converters’ positioning asAustralia’s leading second hand goods retailer and provider of shortterm finance.
The campaign was created by 303, with television commercials produced by Gobstopper ProductionCompany and PR activity by Professional Public Relations. A digitalcampaign by Longtail will launch in August.
General Manager ofCash Converters, Ian Day said the advertisements depict peoplediscovering that ‘ordinary’ can sometimes be ‘extraordinary’.
“Thecampaign was designed to awaken consumers to alternative ways ofthinking – to consider the world from another point of view. Who saysyour old isn’t someone else’s new, or that second hand can’t be firstchoice? We’reasking people to reconsider Cash Converters when it comes to lifestylechoices, whether that be buying a second family TV, hunting down a coolretro bike, or considering an alternative finance solution.”
“We’vemade a lot of changes to our business over the past five years and ourcustomers have been telling us that it’s time to stand up and becounted as a leading brand.
“We’re about helping people to geton with their lives, responsibly. We’re not out to change people’sopinion about Cash Converters, we just want them to put aside anypre-conceived ideas they may have and take a fresh look,” he said.
303’s Rene Migliore said the Convert Your Thinking campaign was a five year journey to shift the Cash Converters brand.
“Ourresearch told us that customers were ready for Cash Converters to takethe next step in the way it presented itself – to be proud of the roleit plays for its customers and confident in its position as a categoryleader. Cashies customers have no preconceptions about thebusiness, they’re just looking for solutions. Whether it be a retrobike, or a short term cash loan, Cash Converters is providing thosesolutions,” he said.
Derry Simpson, 303’s Head of Planning said: “Cashies customers have a fantastic attitude to life. Theyare focused on the end goal rather than the means and they’re not hungup on being like everyone else. This is an attitude that we foundwonderfully refreshing and one we believed we should be celebrating asa brand.
“We wanted to foster this and invite others to try thinking a little differently about the world and about Cashies.”
Credits
Writer – Malcolm Maclean
Art Director – Ross Dungey
Agency Producer – Belinda Hawkins
Production Company – Gobstopper
Director – Perry Westwood
Producer – Toby Towell
Music – Tim Count & Keith van Geysel, Music Design Systems
Head of Planning – Derry Simpson
Media Planner – Nicki Sullivan
Group Business Director – Rene Migliore
Business Manager – Elliott Woolf
PPR Senior Account Manager – Georgia Ball
PPR Account Manager – John Cooke
Cash Converters National Marketing Manager – Glenn Donaldson
Cash Converters National Marketing Executive – Jo Walker
42 Comments
Wow, I feel like I am being force-fed. I don’t buy it, even the second time around.
Much better than the previous stuff. They finally have lost that sense that they are appealing to the desperate and cash strapped.
It will be interesting to see if Cashies stores are flooded by trendy hipsters looking for their latest retro chic items.
Hmm
Ballsy. Drawing a heck of a bow.
Will win stacks of awards and I love it! but wonder if its the right advert for the right client?
Hope it works. Glad I didn’t pay for it. (Don’t think I will be alone there.)
11.51 Win Awards? You have to be joking.
It reminds me of the old HBF ads. The ones before they had an insight and won at Cannes
‘Will win stacks of awards’ This is a terrible ad, it won’t win anything, anywhere. If the hideous soundtrack didn’t alert to this fact, then the dated direction should have.
This was obviously too big an idea to have a home-grown director handle it.
It won’t win anything. It looks like a generic ‘hey, everyone’s happy because they just had a great experience at (insert client name)’ ad that could be for bloody anything.
And the song’s an absolute sow. Cheesy, middle of the road, uninspiring dross that you’d get on 6PR or anything on the MW dial.
This is terrible terrible wallpaper. Very forgettable.
These words of wisdom from the Australia website:
In our wonderfully organised society, the ‘pawnbroker’ acts as a kind of friendly and convenient clearing house. Helpful street kids and ice addicts transfer the goods from your place to the local store, from where YOU have the option, in your own time, of retrieving said items for a nominal storage fee. AND, whilst you’re there, who knows, you might even pick up that $10 pre-owned CD version of ‘Christmas with Kamahl’. Good times.
11.51 said yes it will. Wait and see.
Has too it was produced in the East. Don’t you know how the universal laws work?
Convert your agency. Soon.
Took me 10 mins to go through the credits!
Yes 1.57, local directors and crew are doing it extremely tough and have been for the last 18 months in particular.
An extraordinary amount of local TVCs have been made by non WA directors and key crew during this time, exacerbating the problem, many of these WA Govt funded ads.
The quality difference is subjective.
The sad reality is the few dedicated local directors and crew left are unlikely to stay in the “film industry” (almost an oxymoron at present) if the situation doesn’t improve.
ha ha. someone should tell Ian Day to keep on message.
“We’re not out to change people’s opinion about Cash Converters, we just want them to put aside any pre-conceived ideas”
So why is the message “a five year journey to shift the Cash Converters brand”…
FAIL
2.17 A very sad and narrow minded outlook.
I’m not really a big fan of the ad but find your general attitude a little disconcerting.
If its over 5 years old it must be crap?
Did your mummy let you use the laptop yesterday.
Its a rich and diverse society we live in that’s what makes it so good.
Oh aren’t you all a bitter bunch.
I think its nice work. People’s perception of buying second hand stuff is shifting – just look at ecochic businesses such as The Greenhouse. I think its a very fertile space for Cashies to play in, even if this campaign is just scratching the surface.
More ads would be able to build a bigger picture and give it some depth.
10.16 Yes, you are right- it is fertile territory which is why I don’t understand how they effed it up so badly.
Perry is fantastic but why oh why does he seem like the only director in Perth right now? This could be a lotterywest ad.
I just went to Cashies and picked up a second hand pillow and a copy of the ad on Beta tape.
10:33,
Good question. In the last 18-24 months Perry would have done more local spots (certainly financially worthwhile spots) than any local director. What did Rob, Zagar, Corrie and company do wrong?
Given the volume of work being done in-house, interstate or locally by imported directors I wouldn’t want to be a local director right now. You’d be struggling for food and rent money.
Fantastic campaign…saw the ad a couple of times now and has to be one of the best creative out of Perth in 5 years. Clever way of thinking about the brand and how it has evolved, the company is an international success story out of Perth…we should be proud regardless of the industry space they live in
303 have nailed it and gutsy move by the client.
Truly awesome!
The strategy is doing all the right things. The creative is just bland and boring
Great music track by MDS…still Perth’s premier music production facility by a country mile!
Oh, and by the way, Brad Habib at Soundbyte did the audio post production and final mixes! 🙂
Everyone involved did a fantastic job and I love it.
Why are you all so negative? Seems to me no matter how good or bad your work is in Perth you can always rely on losers on this blog to heap shit on it.
10.33 Maybe they’re practicing.
Perth’s Directors must diversify. They need to get their producers off their arses and market themselves nationally. For christ sake, you’ve all done some pretty good work of late and I think that a couple could have done pretty close a job as Perry with this one. The downfall is when we have a script which is very dependent on performance, Perth directors fall down. Since working with Perth directors, I have never been presented with a shot for shot storyboard. So much time is then wasted on set, setting up and discussing shots that not enough time goes into talent direction.
Guys, if you want some advice I have a few tips.
1.Employ a storyboard artist to help you get the shot list sorted before the shoot. This will free you up no end to focus on performance and give the creatives a sense of ease that you have things under control.
2. Get some national experience by getting your producers to put less in their pocket and more into national marketing. There are a couple of dinosaur producers out there so if you’re with one find another.
3. Get your Producers to charge a lot more. You guys shouldn’t be on the bones of your arse. For years Perth clients have been getting ads made for nothing and you and us have been letting them get away with it. It’s time you force our hand and get these jokers paying properly. Put it this way, a mate of mine owns a well known Weaving Mill. They make wonderful fucking towels that are sold internationally. Now, would think that these wonderful fucking towels would sell at 1/4 the price of all the others because It’s from bloody Perth? Fuck no! Again, get your producers to get their heads together and force the minimum price up to at least $120,000 per day. That’s still not eastern states prices. This will give you a decent budget to burn some film on getting the right performance.
4. Don’t put up with complacency from your producer.
5. Don’t put up with complacency from your producer.
Yes 303 tend to use a lot of eastern states directors but they are more experienced than Perth directors. So much more smooth working whilst leaving nothing to chance. The most calming shoots you could ever be on.
12.15pm
You ninny, it’s an old track by DB Boulevard. MDS have just re-recorded it because the agency/client are too mean to pay the original artists. Interestingly the original singer with the band, Monica Bragato, recently had her house broken into, losing her Wii, CD player, MiniDV camcorder, wippa-snippa and golf clubs. Coincidence?
10:14 PM.
Please give me a call or send me an email as I’m keen to further discuss your insights. Seriously.
10.14
While our local creatives continue to gaze longingly over east, dreaming of plush hotels, fancy editing suites and a chance to pick up a dozen donuts at the airport on the way back home, local directors will continue to lose out.
100% agree with “10:14 PM”: Producers get your hands from under your bumbs and do things properly by explaining to the agencies why things like tech recce, shot by shot storyboard ARE needed and make the shoot day run so much more smoothly and faster. Agencies should then educate their client about it. Like I always say if the pre-pro has been done correctly the shoot day will run like clock work saving at the end more money ;-). And yes if you wanna make money: DIVERSIFY get out of Perth’s comfort zone and gain experience working for other markets, O/E but also internationally in South East Asia and Dubai.
Thank you, anonymous bloggers, for your frenzied input.
While nobody should take anything written in these comments sections seriously, (anonymous comments are a fertile petri dish for breeding bitterness and cynicism) I felt that I should respond to the local production company debate.
Anybody who knows me knows that I probably share my work amongst local production companies more evenly than any other Perth creative. In the last 24 months, I have worked with Sauce Films, Timeline Productions, ZZ Productions, Soul Films, RT Films, Gould Street Productions, and Factor 30 Films.
I want to deliver for my clients the best production values I can muster for the available budget. Mostly, that means working with the talented and enthusiastic local directors, crew, stylists, editors and audio engineers. But, occasionally, it means bringing in a food stylist, DOP, or director to work with local crews. And, sometimes, it means shooting in another State.
Since a large number of 303 clients are national, why wouldn’t we be trying to find the best people in Australia to deliver results?
Perth agencies constantly have to pitch against Eastern States and even overseas agencies. Our TV work is seen in ad breaks with national and international work either side of it. We compete on a national stage.
I do as much as I can to support the local industry, so I am a little bruised at this anonymous sniping from production people. If anyone wants to engage in a real conversation about this issue, my email is malcolm@303.com.au
Thank you for reading this far.
Fine response Mal. Thanks for the Crispy Cremes.
7:09,
Agencies know the value of proper pre-production (time for tech recces, etc.) and things like storyboards, animatics and computer generated pre-vis (which F30 uses extensively by the way 10:14), and they do find the time and budget for them on their larger jobs. Jobs we have had the good fortune to do in the past, but jobs that local directors (including mine) haven’t been getting much of a look at lately.
But based on your comments I imagine (maybe incorrectly) that you work at an agency and know the value of these things so how ’bout you go tap someone in account services on the shoulder and try and make both our jobs easier by getting more money for your next script?
C’mon, seriously, if you know the value of these things then why are you blaming me that your agency doesn’t?
Does this mean that we might get a job from you in the next 24 months? Looking forward to it! 😉 (no sarcasm intended)
*Squeak*
What an interesting read. As a local production company I unfortunately agree with both sides. Having worked on local productions and with the Eastern States crews, when they shoot in Perth, I can honestly say the difference is not what the local production houses supply, it is that we rarely have the budgets to be able to do what the East can supply and what is expected. $1000 for a story board artist versus the ability to shoot on Digi Betacam or the Red(price here is hypothetical). We go with the best for production values, but something then has to be missed out. Given the opportunity to work with a decent budget, I know we can deliver to any level that the East Directors can. Sure, there is obviously missing in all of our pre production lead up, as I was told today by an agency producer, but why do the agencies not speak up and tell us what is missing. We do not know if we are getting it wrong if we are not told. As far as looking further a field (Asian etc) well most of us have done that. Look how many Eastern State people have moved to Perth to break into the market and then leave. Not saying it is not possible, but to be successful you have to be on the ground. I am sure Ross Tinney will agree with his need to live in Jakarta to make his business there successful. Most of us in production choose Perth for lifestyle and would at least like the opportunity to pitch.
If our pitch is not up to scratch, then certainly use someone from the East. The opportunity is what is important, not just being a check quote!
Hi Ryan,
7.09 here, some Agencies might (the good creatives with experience shooting with o/e companies) know that tech recces, shot by shot storyboard etc.. are important but for some reason they seem to overlook it when dealing with Perth production companies.
It’s a bit like the chicken and the egg, the prices have been driven down so much in the last few years and perth production companies have agreed to this otherwise they wouldn’t get jobs. The end result is most of the time (not always) an average tvc because not enough money was spent in pre, art department, wardrobe, cast etc… Because of this, when agencies have a good budget they go o/e because they think that they’ll get a better tvc which they probably will because then yes they’ll be paying for all the trimmings.
I know you already know all of this but maybe it’s time for perth production companies and agencies to get together and really discuss the issue so that local crews and directors get to really showcase what they are capable of.
Oh Ryan. It’s 7.09 again. Sorry but the chicken and egg prices issue is a real problem. Look at the wardrobe and art in the new Cash Converters spot. That had eastern states written all over it. That’s the difference my friend.
7.09,
No, they have time and money written all over them. I’m guessing the art department and wardrobe would have been done by local practitioners, the same locals that local production companies use.
I otherwise agree with you. But this is no place for an intelligent conversation so if you want to discuss this further, I am happy to. Give me a call.
In response to 10:14..I am not a dinosaur..I may look like one though. However to tell us local producers that we should stop putting the money in our pockets and not into marketing our directors.. what money? We throw all we can at production to make the best possible job we can with what we are given. The small amount left over is what we get paid. None of us on work experience anymore. Thank you for your insight to how we should operate, but we should not always be the ones to say “NO” to budgets. Some local production companies have done that and now do not get a look into some agencies because the Producer will not budge on price. Also, when us Producers do say “no”, you, (the agency) then keep everything in house. It is a no win situation. As mentioned in a previous blog, it is not our job to educate your client on the cost of production, it is the job of your agency who are dealing with the clients directly. If you would like us to educate your client then allow us to speak to them directly about budgets.
Well said Lee!
The ads for this campaign have gradually got worse, especially the one with the two chicks in the car who are terrible actors.
A year on, has this campaign actually achieved what it has set out to do? I am in my early 20s and I have not stepped foot in to a Cash Converters so if they are trying to appeal to the younger generation, fail in my opinion.
Did they end up winning awards?