HER HIGHNESS

TitleHER HIGHNESS
BrandVODAFONE
Product / ServicePUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
CategoryA09. Consumer Services / Business to Business
EntrantDDB NEW ZEALAND Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Idea Creation DDB NEW ZEALAND Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Production GOODOIL FILMS Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Additional Company VODAFONE Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

Credits

Name Company Position
Damon Stapleton DDB Group New Zealand Regional Chief Creative Officer
Gary Steele DDB Group New Zealand Executive Creative Director
Freddie Colthart DDB Group New Zealand Creative Director
Matt Williams DDB Group New Zealand Creative Director
Aiken Hutcheson DDB Group New Zealand Copywriter
Stan Lee DDB Group New Zealand Art Director
Judy Thompson DDB Group New Zealand Executive Producer
Charlotte Glennon DDB Group New Zealand Senior TV Producer
Karla Fisher DDB Group New Zealand Lead Business Partner
Natalie Pierpoint DDB Group New Zealand Business Partner
Helen Darwin DDB Group New Zealand Senior Business Manager
Michelle Savill Goodoil Director
Mark Foster Goodoil Executive Producer
Maria Innes Manchego Goodoil DOP
Tim Mauger Goodoil Offline
Jon Cooper The Coopers Sound Design
Nileema Allerston Vodafone NZ Masterbrand Manager
Gabrielle Paul Vodafone NZ Product Owner Loyalty & Engagement

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

We see a regal queen looming over us, addressing her court on matters of war, as tense cello music rises in the background. Without warning, a mobile phone starts to ring - appearing to originate from within the audience. She talks over it until she can't stand it anymore. Her eyes dart towards the source of the sound; right down the camera towards the audience, breaking the fourth wall, and character. The second her eyes land on the source of the ringtone, the music stops dead. She sarcastically insists the owner of the phone take the call, because whatever it's about, it's clearly more important than her big speech. Supers appear on screen one by one, next to her scowling face; "Don't ruin the moment," "Turn off your phone." She continues to stare wrathfully down camera, as a faint church bell rings forebodingly through the awkward silence.

Cultural/Context information for the jury

As the ad is only shown in cinemas, we used Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound to make the phone ringtone sound like it was coming from within the audience. The ad plays during the movie trailers section, right before the movie starts, convincing the audience they aren't watching an ad, but a trailer, making the interruption all the more abrupt and unexpected.