The new brand campaign for leading vehicle telematics and tracking company Tracker, conceptualised by House of Brave, uses beautifully crafted storytelling to successfully reposition the brand in an altruistic space, moving its focus from pure stolen vehicle recovery to a provider of proactive value to its partners and customers.
The brief from Tracker was to move the current brand perception from stolen vehicle recovery or protection to care - from metal (the vehicle) to flesh (the consumer).
This position creates differentiation from competitors and maintains the emotional high ground created with previous communication. Tracker has always owned ‘protect’, but had to build upon what went before in order to own both care and protect.
HOB Executive creative director Vanessa Pearson says that in order to achieve the brand shift, they needed to move the focus from what the brand does, to what it believes in and stands for: “We spoke about how lighthouse brands behave and how they communicate; that product advertising explains the product to me but good brand advertising is about creating empathy – it has a purpose that relates to consumers and communicates this purpose in order to add value to their lives and lifestyles”
Pearson says the insight revolved around the instinct to care and protect: “When you care, you are prepared to meet someone right where they are at that point in time, you become very present to them, even putting yourself in harm’s way sometimes to protect them.”
This gave House of Brave’s creative team the freedom to embrace a richer message touching an emotional core.
Shot by 0307 Films and director Kevin Fitzgerald the TVC tells the story of a young, blind boy who has a difficult early life within the backdrop of post-depression America. This young boy’s only joy is listening to a local shopkeeper play piano. The shopkeeper takes him under his wing and teaches him how to play, changing his life forever.
It is in fact the true story of a relatively unknown man named Wiley Pitman, who cared enough and took the time to nurture and protect the love for music and the inherent talent of a young, blind boy who became the musical legend, Ray Charles.
Pearson says: “Tracker’s campaign line ‘Never underestimate the power of looking after something’ speaks to the potential in each of us and you never know what someone may achieve or become given time, opportunity and the power of care and protection.
“We believe with someone by your side, your outlook changes. It's empowering to know that someone has your back.”
Michael du Preez, Marketing Director at Tracker says: “Tracker has very high brand awareness as the leading vehicle telematics and tracking business in South Africa. Few people know, however, that our diverse services and capabilities stretch far beyond stolen vehicle recovery and fleet monitoring.
“We want to prepare the market for a Tracker that provides a very unique range of services and we believe that building a brand with purpose, which creates an emotional connection with its market, is essential.”
Tracker Head of Marketing Charlette Roetz says: “The concept presented by House of Brave intrigued us through its unique treatment, emotional story and ability to differentiate. Tracker creative has always occupied an avant garde niche within the industry and we felt this creative would pair well with Tracker’s narrative style in communicating our brand promise.”
Creative TVC Credits:
Ad Title: Wiley Pitman and Five Notes That Changed a Life
Country: South Africa
Client: Tracker South Africa
Creative Agency: House of Brave
Account Manager: Natasha Gresle / Tatiana Glyptis
Executive Creative Director: Vanessa Pearson
Writer: Dan Parmenter / Stefanus Nel / Conan Green
Art Director: Thereza Norton
Production Company: 0307 Films
Recording Studio: Produce Sound
Executive Producer: Jo Barber
Music and Sound Design: Adam Howard
Agency Producer: Saffron Doran
Director: Kevin Fitzgerald
Editor: Gordon Midgley
Post Production: Black Ginger/Pudding