Optus has partnered with Droga5 ANZ to launch a new cinema campaign encouraging audiences to put down their phones and engage fully with the big screen.
Created by Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, the campaign marks the agency’s first film work for Optus since it was appointed the lead creative agency in 2025.
Rethinking the cinema message
Titled “Put down your phone,” the campaign reframes the traditional pre-movie announcement by shifting the focus from audience etiquette to the effort behind filmmaking.
Rather than simply asking viewers to switch off their phones out of respect for others, the campaign highlights the sweat, sacrifice and craft that goes into making films.
A twist on storytelling
Directed by Andreas Nilsson from Revolver, the campaign features two spots, Abe and Again.
Each film initially presents as a high-production cinematic story before revealing itself as a humorous tribute to the behind-the-scenes effort of filmmaking – from method acting to boom operation.
National rollout
The campaign premiered in cinemas across Australia from 2 April, supported by media strategy from Accenture Song.
Optus Acting Chief Marketing Officer Lauren Dawber said the campaign aims to make a familiar message more meaningful.
“We saw an opportunity to make the age-old ‘turn off your phone’ announcement something more meaningful… inviting audiences to give great films the attention they deserve,” she said.
Celebrating the craft
Droga5 ANZ Chief Creative Officer Barbara Humphries said the work is a tribute to the filmmaking process.
“Filmmaking is a wonderfully obsessive craft… we wanted to celebrate that passion and persistence and remind audiences that the best way to respect it is simply to look up and watch,” she said.
Credits
Client: Optus
Chief Marketing Officer: Lauren Dawber
Senior Manager, Brand: Vaness Burr
Associate Director, Brand: David Hustwit
Creative Agency: Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song
ANZ Marketing Practice Lead, CEO of Droga5 ANZ: Matt Michael
Chief Creative Officer: Barbara Humphries & Damon Stapleton
Principal Director: Kezia Quinn
Creative Directors: Thomas Gledhill & Lennie Galloway
Creatives: Herman Ulberg and James Greig
Head of Strategy: Ben De Castella
Group Business Director: Samar Karim
Senior Business Manager: Indivar Kumar
National Head of Production: Romanca Mundrea
Head of Production: Penny Brown
Senior Producer: Kaija Wall
Production Company: Revolver
Director: Andreas Nilsson
Managing Director / Co-owner: Michael Richie
Executive Producer / Partner: Pip Smart
Executive Producer / Producer: Caroline Kruck
Director of Photography: Stefan Duscio
Post Production Company: The Editors
Editor: Alexandre de Franceschi
Finish: Soren Dyne
Audio Production & Music Supervision: Sonar Music
Sound Designer: Andy Stewart
Media Agency: Accenture Song Media
Main image: Droga5 ANZ