Seen+Noted: Ampol unveils digital audio campaign ‘Last Chance Servo’ via Saatchi & Saatchi AUS

Saatchi & Saatchi Australia and ARN have teamed up to create ‘Last Chance Servo’ – an innovative digital audio campaign turning Ampol’s radio ads into lifesaving road safety alerts.

 

The ‘Last Chance Servo’ campaign uses ARN’s Dynamic Audio inventory to trigger contextually tailored commercials, leveraging location, time, and meteorological data to communicate with drivers travelling along one of Australia’s most remote and dangerous roads.

The hero of the campaign is an isolated Ampol “servo” in the small village of Glendambo in outback South Australia. Drivers in the area who are listening to podcasts or streaming radio on ARN’s iHeart app will hear timely reminders to prepare for the potentially perilous journey ahead of them – where running out of fuel and water can escalate into a life-or-death situation.

With hundreds of unique creative variants made possible by the Dynamic Audio decisioning engine, drivers are reminded to fill their tank at Ampol and conduct checks to ensure their vehicle can go the distance; from tyre pressure, oil, or coolant, to watching out for kangaroos at night. The campaign even mentions some of the locals drivers can expect to meet behind the counter at Ampol and the Glendambo Hotel.

The ‘Last Chance Servo’ campaign message is reinforced on the ground with point-of-sale collateral at the Glendambo Ampol, so that drivers won’t miss their last chance for food, refreshments, and even their last chance for a toilet break for 251 kilometres.

Says Michael Dargan, head of creative, ARN: “We’ve seen fantastic results from our Dynamic campaigns in cap cities, so we’re thrilled to be extending the inventory beyond regional stations into remote areas. Contextual relevance at scale is a huge focus for us in media, and at ARN we’re thrilled to be right in the middle of that discourse, producing data-driven, hyper-targeted and contextual messages for clients across Australia.”

Says Noni Guest, head of brand and marketing, Ampol: “Last Chance Servo is an audio innovation that ensures drivers are more aware of our uniquely remote roads that can be dangerous without ample fuel and supplies. As Australia’s Own service station, we’ve been by Australia’s roadside for generations, helping all kinds of Australian drivers on their journeys. Last Chance Servo expands this purpose through dynamic digital audio and we see the potential in using this initiative on other remote roads in the outback.”

Says Piero Ruzzene, creative director, Saatchi & Saatchi: “The heat, inhospitable terrain, and vast distances of the Australian Outback claim roughly 40 lives a year. For this reason, the humble Ampol servo is vital in remote parts of Australia. With ARN, we saw an opportunity to help avoid future tragedies and prove Ampol’s positioning as a brand that understands Australia’s uniquely tough conditions. Last Chance Servo takes dynamic audio technology and reimagines it to alert drivers of the dangers of driving through the Outback unprepared while directing them to stop at a nearby Ampol station to stock up, rest and prepare for their (now safer) journey ahead.”

ARN was the first publisher globally to bring Dynamic Audio inventory to commercial FM broadcasting. Since 2020 the network has been using the technology to create contextually relevant digital audio campaigns for advertisers in the podcasting, music, and radio streaming environments via their iHeart App.

Says Kade Robinson, creative director, ARN Sydney: “We’ve long known the simple math that relevant advertising is more memorable and engaging, therefore more effective. In this instance, using contextual triggers to communicate with drivers on outback roads is a class-leading use of the dynamic tech. The team at Saatchi & Saatchi are big champions of innovative digital audio campaigns and have been a dream to work with. They just get it. And Ampol are leading the pack when it comes to advertisers meeting their consumers where they are. This is the second Dynamic Audio campaign they’ve done with us, and they really understand the power of contextual relevance in audio.”

Ampol’s ‘Last Chance Servo’ campaign can now be heard on ARN’s free iHeart App in selected areas in regional South Australia.

Ampol Australia
Noni Guest – Head of Brand and Marketing

Saatchi & Saatchi Australia
Dave Bowman – Group CCO
Mandie Van De Merwe – CCO
Avish Gordhan – CCO
Piero Ruzzene – Creative Director
Carlo Mazzarella – Creative Director
Mac Wright – Copywriter
Tamara Kennon – Senior Integrated Producer
Dave Tang – Director
Joe Giuffrida – Edit & Motion Graphic Lead
James Tracy-Inglis – Group Account Director
Suzanne Leddin – Account Director
Edward Moult – Account Manager
Allie Naylor – Account Manager

ARN
Kade Robinson – Creative Director
Anthony Badolato – Mixing Engineer
Todd Falusi – Mixing Engineer
Ray Peters – Recording Engineer
Michael Dargan – Head of Creative
Ashley Lush – Group Business Director, Agency
Jenna Thomas – Account Director, Agency
Susan Dickens – Senior Account Director, Agency