ANZ & TBWA walk on the pride side

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TBWA shops on both sides of the Tasman, and their client ANZ Bank – have crafted a new LGBTIQ campaign that celebrates love, and is scheduled to chime in with the Auckland Pride Festival and the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras – both currently under way (links at the end of the story).

The campaign is based on new research that finds the majority of the LGBTIQ* community still struggle with the smallest acts of public affection.

The research, commissioned by ANZ, has revealed in New Zealand that the LGBTIQ community is three times more likely (39%) than non-LGBTI (18%) and in Australia more than twice as likely (52%) than non-LGBTI (14%) to have felt uncomfortable performing the most basic gesture of love: holding hands in public.

Statistics also show that while the vast majority of New Zealanders (95%) agree that everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should feel comfortable holding hands in public, less than half of the LGBTI community (39%) are truly at ease.

The sample was 1001 respondents, distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand including both capital city and non-capital city areas.

In Australia, a large majority (94%) support everyone feeling comfortable with this show of affection, but only (43%) actually say they feel very comfortable.

Dissconnect ‘saddening’
“The disconnect between perception and reality is saddening,” said ANZ Bank’s Auckland-based head of NZ marketing Astrud Burgess.

“Holding hands is the simplest expression of affection, whether it be a family member, friend, first date or lifelong partner. It’s hard to fathom, in 2017, that not everyone is comfortable with this small but significant gesture.”

This insight is the inspiration behind ANZ’s latest campaign in support of the LGBTIQ community. #HoldTight aims to highlight this disparity and encourages all people across New Zealand and Australia and beyond to show their support.

ANZ staff speak up
The campaign launched with a hero piece of film accompanied by heartfelt stories told by ANZ staff.

“ANZ is using #HoldTight as a platform to share an important message about diversity, inclusion and respect and to help people understand the challenges that many members of the LGBTIQ community face,” Burgess says.

“It’s also an important message of support to our diverse customers and staff. “We hope to make a difference by encouraging the wider public to join in the conversation and show their support.”

Auckland Pride Festival director Julian Cook said: “This highlights the daily pressures that the LGBTIQ community faces. It’s a simple and loving gesture to hold your partner’s hand, however for fear of discrimination, and experiences in violence and abuse – the reality is that many in the community still don’t feel safe. We love the awareness that ANZ is raising about this issue for the community.”

As ANZ celebrates 11 years of supporting the SGLMG, nine years backing the Wellington Festival and five years actively participating in the Auckland Pride Festival, the #HoldTight campaign will be a constant theme over the coming month’s activity.

Wristbands light up for hand-holders
To celebrate at the parades in Auckland and Sydney, a limited edition, custom wristband will be worn by ANZ marchers in the parade. The wristbands will be exclusively distributed to spectators on the nights. This unique piece of wearable tech uses infrared to detect when two wearers are close together and lights up when they hold hands. The wristbands will create a spectacle on the night whenever people en masse hold tight.

As part of a broader social campaign, in collaboration with Twitter, a custom emoji has been developed to appear when people use the hashtag #HoldTight.

GAYTMs back again
Of course, the world-famous GAYTMs will be back again in Auckland and in Sydney, outside the Ponsonby Road and 45 Queen Street ANZ branches. Once again 50 cents from every non-ANZ customer GAYTM transaction fee will be donated to LGBTI services provider OUTLine.

“ANZ looks forward to celebrating the simple act of holding hands, making it part of mainstream conversation and encouraging the LGBTIQ community to stay strong and be resilient,” Burgess said.


CREDITS

Client: ANZ
Creative Agency NZ: TBWA
Creative Agency NZ:TBWA\Melbourne
Executive Creative Director: Paul Reardon
Creative Director: Tara Ford
Creatives: Tim Woolford. Scott Canning
Social Creative: Max Reed

Production

Head of Broadcast: Margot Ger
Head of Integrated Production: Dave Keating
Content Director: Harrison Webster
Content Producer: Stephanie Leddin
Content Creator / Editor: Jesse Richards

Account Service & Planning

Regional Group Head: Ricci Meldrum
Group Business Director: Claire Tenzer
Project Director: Amelia Van Veenendaal
Project Manager: Todd McLerie
Digital Planner: Paul Arena

TBWA\New Zealand

Executive Creative Director: Christy Peacock
Creative Director: Karen Maurice O’Leary
Head of Account Service: Robyn Budd
Group Account Director: Maike Blackman
Account Manager: Ruby Soole
Head of Production: Mark Paisey
Digital Production: Farah Iqbal, Marianne Short

Eleven PR

Managing Director Melbourne: Fee Townshend
Managing Director Auckland: Angelina Farry
Senior Account Director: Louise Cargo
Account Director: Jade Glashoff
Senior Account Manager: Andrew Sanders
Account Manager: Samuel Levi
Senior Account Executive: Samantha Drummond
Film Production Company: Revolver/Will O’Rourke
Director: The Glue Society’s Pete Baker
Managing Director/Executive Producer: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Head of Projects: Josh Mullens
Producer: Jasmin Helliar
DOP: Geoffrey Simpson
Edit House: The Glue Society Studios
Editor: Philip Horn
Colourist: Christine Trodd
Online: Lee Sandiford
Music & Sound: Level 2
Composer: Michael Edwards
Wristbands Production: Clear Systems’ Tim Boss

GAYTM Production

Illustrator: Tony Graystone
Production: FRP NZ

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