Australian telco brand Telstra has taken an unexpectedly whimsical approach to showcasing its business offering. Directed by Steve Rogers of recent Squarespace and Channel 4 fame, the new ad revolves around a curious shoemaker who passes from remote town to remote town, designing and fixing every kind of footwear you could imagine – from clown shoes to Cinderella-worthy glass slippers.

He is nameless, known only by his trade, and some even say he was born in a shoe, which might explain his remarkable artisanal skills.

It’s an enjoyably offbeat tale that would seem odd for a telco brand if it weren’t for Telstra’s run of memorable ads with the agency. “Business owners are inherently imaginative people; they have a vision of where they want to go. We wanted to create a campaign that reflects that ideal, without holding up a mirror to the audience,” adds Blake Crosbie, managing director of +61, the agency partner.

The shoemaker and his travelling workshop reflect Telstra’s ‘Wherever Your Business Goes’ line, an evolution of its ‘Wherever We Go’ brand platform that launched last year. There’s also an emphasis on his ability to respond to his customers’ every need – a message that Telstra Business would undoubtedly want to say about itself.

The film is joined by outdoor ads created with the help of illustration Ben Hasler and paper artist Kyle Bean, picking up from their previous work for the telco brand.

Credits:
Agency: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire with +61
Production Company: Revolver
Director: Steve Rogers
DoP: Nicolas Karakatsanis
Production Designer: Alex Holmes
Costume Designer: Eliza Godwin
Editorial: The Editors
Post-Production Company: Blockhead VFX
Sound House: Rumble Studios
Music Production Company: Manderley Music