Opera houses aren't known for their promos. But of course, the Sydney Opera House is different—one of the world's most glorious and beloved buildings, it now has a transcendental piece of advertising to match, courtesy of Sydney agency Three Drunk Monkeys.
It's a love song to the building, really. Over the course of 10 months, artists performing at the Opera House were asked to perform sections of Nick Cave's classic "The Ship Song." The artists include Neil Finn, Kev Carmody and the Australian Ballet, Sarah Blasko, John Bell, Angus and Julia Stone, Paul Kelly and Bangarra Dance Theatre, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Opera Australia, Martha Wainwright, Katie Noonan and the Sydney Symphony, The Temper Trap, Daniel Johns and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The lyrics are perfect for the Jørn Utzon-designed structure, with its location in Sydney Harbor and giant white shells like sails soaring into the sky.
"Come sail your ships around me/And burn your bridges down/We make a little history baby/Every time you come around."
The spot takes the viewer on a journey through the backstage rehearsal spaces of the building—a look at the interior of a building most famous for its exterior facade. The song was released on iTunes on Tuesday, and a 30-minute documentary about the project, narrated by Guy Pearce, featuring behind the scenes interviews with the artists, will be screened on Australian TV.
"We set out to create a piece of content that would celebrate the House’s role in the global creative community and as an icon for Australia," says Sydney Opera House director of marketing and communications Victoria Doidge. "The calibre of the artists who volunteered in this project is testament to the House’s special place in our national psyche."
CREDITS:
Client: Sydney Opera House
Spot: "The Ship Song Project"
Agency: Three Drunk Monkeys, Sydney
Executive Creative Director: Justin Drape
Executive Creative Director: Scott Nowell
Creative Director: Noah Regan
Art Director: Noah Regan
Copywriter: Noah Regan
Copywriter: Simone Louis
Head of Broadcast: Thea Carone
Production Coordinator: Lauren O'Shea
Content Director: Suzy Coman
Content Manager: Kate Behne
Director: Paul Goldman
Production Company: Exit Films
Producer: Caroline David
Music Director/Arranger: Elliot Wheeler
Music Producer: Emma Hoy
Music: Turning Studios
Editor: David Gross