Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

The commercial opens with the iconic music track “Freedom 90!” by George Michael. The camera tracks along the floor to a drum kit where we see a drummer in action – but this is no ordinary drummer. As the camera pulls back, we discover it’s an orangutan and she’s swept up in the joy of the track, drumming along in the rainforest. We hear George Michael cry out “…because I don’t belong to you and you don’t belong to me” before the song hits a crescendo with the “freedom” chorus, and the orangutan looks directly into the viewer’s eyes as the line appears on screen next to her: THE CHOICES YOU MAKE CAN CHANGE HER WORLD. She continues her joyful drumming as we pull back through the rainforest and see the DARRELL LEA logo appear and the final super: NOW 100% PALM OIL FREE

Cultural / Context information for the jury

In the year leading up to the launch of this campaign, Zoos Victoria had publicly ejected all Cadbury confectionary from Melbourne Zoo and their other properties due to their unsustainable sourcing of palm oil. In Australia, Cadbury dominates the chocolate/confectionary segment of the market that Darrell Lea is expanding into and there is still massive awareness of their famous “Gorilla” commercial, which had a Gorilla playing the drums to an iconic rock track.

Tell the jury about the choice of music track.

We needed the perfect track to support our message and set the right tone. With a media spend 17 times smaller than our competition, we needed something with immediate impact to draw people in and compel them to watch. So, it had to be BIG. It had to be loved. And it had to have a great drum beat. But not just any famous track would do. It had to support the very serious message that the choices we make as consumers can have a direct effect on environmental devastation and our planet’s future. At the same time, we had to ensure we were being entertaining and inspiring (not preaching or making our viewers feel bad). After all, we are selling chocolate! George Michael’s incredible lyrics were the perfect fit for this feeling of empowerment and joy for what is possible when we think about our choices.