Most maps don’t do it justice, but Australia is quite massive, so connecting 99.7% of humans who live there is no mean feat. Yet Telstra wanted to showcase its impressive network coverage (with one million square kilometres more coverage than any other mobile network) modestly. So instead of going all in on one blockbuster campaign, to capture the sheer scale of Telstra’s network, ad agency Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, in partnership with its sister agency +61, opted for 26 smaller films instead.

Each bite-sized clip introduces a native member of Australia’s vibrant natural landscape – be it flora, animal or critter – brought to life by the masterful hands of stop-motion director and animator Tobias Fouracre (you may remember him from such films as Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs).

Shot simply in the style of a vox-pop interview, each brilliantly crafted character is voiced by real Aussies from the remote and rural towns they represent (all served by Telstra’s network), ensuring the campaign rings true.

Director Jeff Low delivers his trademark absurdist humour across the 26 films, elevating the naturalistic dialogue with a Creature Comforts style of unscripted charm all wrapped up in just 15 seconds each.

From the dusty outback to the dramatic Rocky Cape, the visual style across every vignette is consistently exquisite. Indeed, the whole campaign, from the animation to the art direction, is a masterclass in pure craft. But it’s the smart writing that truly elevates it from a good campaign to a great one.

The Better on a Better Mobile Network campaign played out to viewers during Australia’s Channel 9 broadcast of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, making use of its wide-ranging executions to give captive audiences a different taste of Telstra each time it came on screen (unlike other brands that repeated the same old message). As a result, the campaign spilt over into the cultural conversation and spurred fan-made homages and even competitor parodies.

Credits:
Creative: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire with +61
Chief Creative Officer: Micah Walker
Creative Directors: Cass Jam, Mark Carbone, Ian Williamson
Senior Producer: Emma Wright
Business Lead: Hanne Haugen
Production Company: Revolver x Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Jeff Low
Managing Director/Co-owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Partner: Pip Smart
Producers: Caroline Kruck, Kwok Yau
Animation Director: Tobias Fouracre
Post Production AU: The Editors
Post Production UK: Electric Theatre Collective; Shift Post London