TABOO Brings 'Big Fish' Energy to Ute Market

BYD is shaking up the Australian auto scene with the launch of the SHARK 6, the country’s first plug-in hybrid ute. To bring the SHARK 6 to life, BYD partnered with TABOO on an integrated campaign that captures the spirit of Aussie adventure through four TV spots directed by Guilty’s Edwin McGill, OOH, radio, digital and social media. This milestone reflects BYD’s commitment to innovation and TABOO’s reputation for bold, culturally-led storytelling.

The SHARK 6 represents a new frontier in automotive innovation as the world’s fastest-growing new energy automotive brand, BYD, teams up with exclusive Australian distributor EVDirect. “We believe it’s a true category creator, so we needed to launch with a bang. TABOO have the reputation for shaking things up and putting brands truly into Aussie culture,” says Kate Hornstein. The BYD SHARK 6 will be available for purchase online at bydautomotive.com.au or through BYD’s growing number of Australian stores from October 29, 2024.

The TVCs spotlight real stories with real people: bush cook and content creator Outback Tom, Olympian and BMX champion Caroline Buchanan, outdoor adventurer Chuck Prowse, and surfboard designer Shyama Buttonshaw. The campaign showcases the key features of the groundbreaking ute while delivering an entertaining display of the SHARK 6’s power, utility, and rugged appeal.

TABOO’s executive creative director Charlotte Adorjan says, “Our mission was to push BYD’s comfort zone and give them a category-busting campaign to match the exciting new dawn in auto technology. This car is game-changing. It’s not every day you get to shoot a commercial that in parts was powered by the product. The SHARK 6’s plug-in tech could run the lights, camera and the action. The crew were sold.”

To ground the car on Aussie soil, TABOO enlisted Australian punk-rock band The Peep Tempel to deliver the campaign’s powerful soundtrack. The song, “Big Fish,” brings the raw, driving energy needed to launch a vehicle of this calibre.

TABOO’s CEO Andrew Mackinnon explains, “We wanted to push the SHARK 6 to its limits, putting it through extreme driving (and filming) conditions to show that it can handle anything Aussie adventurers throw at it”.

Spanning TV, outdoor, and digital, the campaign amplifies BYD’s entry into Australia’s ute market, positioning the SHARK 6 as a must-have for those hungry for adventure.