{"id":587563,"date":"2026-09-02T04:04:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T04:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/587563\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T04:04:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T04:04:20","slug":"one-new-zealand-wants-kiwis-to-pick-up-the-phone-in-new-misinterpreted-campaign-via-mccann-campaign-brief-nz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/587563\/","title":{"rendered":"One New Zealand wants Kiwis to pick up the phone in new \u2018Misinterpreted\u2019 campaign via McCann \u2013 Campaign Brief NZ"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t September 2 2026, 2:30 pm | BY Ricki Green | No Comments<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"One<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t \tOne New Zealand and McCann New Zealand have launched \u2018Misinterpreted\u2019, a new campaign that highlights the ambiguity of texting and encourages Kiwis to get connected the old school way: by picking up the phone.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Faced with changing social norms and generational divides \u2013 with research showing 25% aged 18-34 never answer the phone, 70% prefer text, and 81% feel anxious about calling \u2013 McCann took the opportunity to invite Kiwis to rediscover the value of a traditional phone call.<\/p>\n

The campaign creative highlights the texts, emojis, and phrases we use every day, exposing the wildly different meanings they can carry: from an unembellished thumbs up or brutal \u2018k\u2019, to the confusing \u2018all good if not\u2019 or generationally divisive \u2018dying\u2019 (do they need an ambulance, or have you just told a great joke?).<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"One
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"One<\/p>\n

Coming to life across simple OOH and print executions, \u2018Misinterpreted\u2019 brings to life a simple truth: Tone and context can be lost in a message, so we\u2019re often left guessing. But you always know with a call.<\/p>\n

Alan Jones & Angelo An, Group Creative Director\u2019s at McCann New Zealand, say: \u201cMessaging is a minefield. The strength of this campaign is that we\u2019ve all been there, and everyone has their own examples. Thinking someone\u2019s angry when they\u2019re not. Thinking someone isn\u2019t angry when they are. Or learning that your go-to thumbs-up emoji is terrifying your younger co-workers. Yep\u2026 it\u2019s better to just call.\u201d<\/p>\n

Georgia Mahaffie, General Manager Brand & Marketing at One New Zealand, says the engaging campaign is built on a universally relatable human truth that seamlessly ties back to the brand\u2019s core message.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve all stared at a text message and thought, \u2018What does that mean?\u2019 And apparently even a thumbs up can get you into trouble these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I love about this work. It\u2019s simple, it\u2019s topical and it makes the point without taking itself too seriously. \u2018Let\u2019s Get Connected\u2019 is ultimately about bringing people together \u2014 and sometimes the best way to do that is still just to pick up the phone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The campaign launched on August 24 and runs across OOH and print.<\/p>\n

Client: One New Zealand
Creative Agency:\u00a0 McCann New Zealand
Media Agency: McCann New Zealand<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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