Need for speed?

AUCKLAND, Today: Southern Cross Pet Insurance has launched a series of NZ-first ‘speedometer billboards’ as part of its new Live Your Pet Life project, a campaign designed to keep Kiwi furry family members safer and healthier for longer. Developed by TBWA\NZ, MBM and Lumo Labs, the special billboards are now live in a range of locations nationwide.

The first phase of the campaign focuses on road safety, with the billboards detecting and displaying the speed of passing vehicles.

The billboards also showcase eight Southern Cross-insured cats and dogs and messaging that congratulates drivers on their safe speed, or implores drivers to drive safely and within the speed limit.

Southern Cross Pet Insurance GM Anthony McPhail said: “Working with MBM and Lumo, TBWA\ transformed a range of digital advertising executions into interactive billboards that respond to the average speeds of drivers in high-risk areas.”

Using roadside speed signs as inspiration, TBWA\ emulated a similar concept utilising media space. The ‘speedometer billboards’ use LENS software, tracking the live speed of cars travelling past to calculate an average speed.

Anthony McPhail: “The inventive campaign is a fantastic way to spread the message about improving road safety for pets.

“With this campaign, we’re on a mission to help our nation’s cats and dogs live healthier lives for longer.

“With the technology being a camera-based product, we were able to develop real-time speed recognition and tracking for each individual site.”

“We want to encourage drivers to be more aware of their surroundings and remind them to slow down for the sake of animals in their area.

“We think these billboards are a wonderful way to do that.”

TBWA\ CCO Shane Bradnick said: “We hope this campaign reminds New Zealanders there’s another important reason to be safer on the roads and show our pets we care.

“Let’s all slow down for Ollie, Wolfe, Dixie and Margot.”

Lumo Labs head of digital design Jamie Snow said: “The campaign provided us with a unique opportunity to utilise our audience measurement technology in a way we hadn’t previously explored.

“With the technology being a camera-based product, we were able to develop real time speed recognition and tracking for each individual site.

“Depending on the results, this allowed us to then run a message either applauding the average driving speed or promoting a message for safer driving to protect our furry friends.”

The speedometer billboard sites are spread across Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, and Christchurch. The road safety message is the first stage of a longer campaign.

CREDITS

Client: Southern Cross Pet Insurance
Agency: TBWA\ NZ
Production: Match
CCO: Shane BradnickChief
CD: Mick Stalker
CD: Ashley Wilding
CD: Daniel Davison
Art Director: Darran Wong Kam
Agency Producer: Cherie Mason
Production Company Producer: Geraldine Turney
Account Director: Zak Murtagh
Photographer: Steven Boniface
CEO: Catherine Harris
Group Business Director: Simon Mills
Client: Brigette Muir
Client: Kristen Gernandt

About Southern Cross PI
Southern Cross Pet Insurance helps New Zealanders care for their pets, currently looking after the health of over 54,000 domestic animals. In FY21, the business paid out more than $ 18.21 million in claims (including GST).

SCPI, which also sponsors Pet Refuge, is a group of independent businesses united by a shared brand with an interest in the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders.