In the high-stakes world of advertising, brands often spend millions trying to craft the “perfect” message—something profound, aspirational, or technologically groundbreaking. But in 2006, Tip Top Trumpet and the creative wizards at Colenso BBDO Auckland decided to do the exact opposite. They didn’t sell the creaminess of the dairy; they didn’t show slow-motion chocolate swirls. Instead, they gave us a man in a pair of tight blue Speedos, a 300-meter rule, and a linguistic crisis that would embed itself into the New Zealand soul forever.
This is the story of “Togs, Togs, Undies”—the “Simplifying Summer” campaign that proved that sometimes, the most effective way to sell a product is to barely mention it at all.
The Strategic Pivot: From Glamour to Gritty Reality
To understand why “Togs, Togs, Undies” worked, we have to look at what came before it. In the 1990s, Tip Top Trumpet was defined by the “Can’t Beat a Trumpet” era, fronted by supermodel Rachel Hunter. It was high-glamour, aspirational, and very “traditional” advertising.
By the mid-2000s, however, Tip Top (then under the ownership of Fonterra) faced a branding crossroads. The world had moved on from the polished perfection of the 90s. Consumers were craving authenticity, humor, and a mirror held up to their own, often awkward, lives.
Enter Levi Slavin, a junior creative at Colenso BBDO who had recently moved from Western Australia. As an outsider, Slavin noticed something peculiar about New Zealand beach culture: the inherent social anxiety of where it is—and isn’t—acceptable to wear skin-tight swimwear. This “hyper-diluted observation” became the seed for the “Simplifying Summer” strategy.
The 300-Meter Rule: A Masterclass in Narrative Logic
The premise of the commercial is deceptively simple. A “Confident Guy” (played by actor Tom Walsh) walks from the beach through various urban environments—a supermarket, a pedestrian crossing, a bus stop—while a narrator tracks his progress.
The ad established a pseudo-scientific social law:
- Within 300 meters of the water (and with the sea in sight): You are wearing Togs. You are a hero of the surf, a beach-going legend.
- Beyond 300 meters (or when the sea is obscured): Your garment has undergone a categorical shift. You are now wearing Undies. And you are a public nuisance.
The comedic genius peaked when a large truck passed between the camera and the beach, momentarily blocking the water. The narrator’s voice immediately shifts from the calm “Togs… togs…” to a panicked, accusatory “Undies!”
Casting the “Confident Guy”
The ad would have failed without the perfect “Confident Guy.” The team needed someone who wasn’t a traditional “rugby hunk” but rather someone with a “flourishing mullet” and “very long, skinny legs.”
Tom Walsh won the role after an audition that involved walking through public spaces in his Y-fronts while being filmed on a Handycam. On the day of the shoot at Browns Bay, Walsh was subjected to a professional spray tan followed by splotchy bronzer to achieve the specific “neglected skin” look of a man who spends too much time in the sun and not enough time in the gym.
The Rob Brydon Factor
While the visuals were distinctly Kiwi, the voiceover came from an unexpected source: Welsh comedian Rob Brydon. At the time, Brydon was a rising star in the UK but wasn’t yet the household name he is today.
Director James Pilkington insisted on Brydon’s dry, instructional, and slightly detached delivery. The recording happened at 3:00 AM New Zealand time. Brydon reportedly stuck strictly to the script—which was essentially just the words “Togs” and “Undies” repeated—and noted at the end that it was “quite funny.” For the junior creatives at Colenso, that was the ultimate validation.
Beyond the Speedos: The “Simplifying Summer” Anthology
While “Togs, Togs, Undies” is the crown jewel, it was actually part of a five-part suite of ads. Each one tackled a specific, unwritten rule of the New Zealand summer:
- Stomach Hold-In: The silent struggle of men sucking in their guts while walking past groups on the sand.
- The Covert Pee: The necessity of maintaining a neutral, “staring at the horizon” facial expression while urinating in thigh-high water.
- Ocean Hair Flick: The reality of how the “shampoo ad” hair flick actually looks in real life (messy and mechanical).
- Breast Repackage: The subtle maneuver women use to adjust bikini tops after a heavy surf.
By addressing these “micro-realities,” Tip Top positioned itself as the brand that truly understood the Kiwi summer—sand in your car, sunburn on your back, and all.
The Legacy: From Ad to Cultural Lexicon
Most ads have a shelf life of six months. “Togs, Togs, Undies” has lasted nearly two decades. Its impact on the cultural lexicon of New Zealand is staggering:
- Linguistic Shift: The word “togs” (specifically differentiated from “bathers” or “swimmers”) was reclaimed as a point of national pride.
- Infrastructure: There is an actual mountain bike trail in Auckland’s Woodhill Forest named the “Togs Togs Undies Trail.”
- Hospitality: A “Togs, Togs, Undies Café” was established near Waipu Cove.
- Real Estate: Airbnb hosts in NZ still use the phrase as shorthand to describe how close their “bach” (holiday home) is to the water.
Why It Worked (The Agency Takeaway)
From an advertising perspective, the campaign is a case study in Minimalism and Observation.
- Zero Product Ego: The ice cream (the Trumpet) only appears at the very end. The brand earned the right to be there by providing 25 seconds of pure, relatable entertainment first.
- Hyper-Localization: The ad didn’t try to look like a global campaign. It embraced the vivid blues, the slightly unpolished suburbs, and the specific vernacular of New Zealand.
- The Tension/Release Model: The humor relies on the tension of the “transformation.” The truck obscuring the sea is one of the most effective uses of a “payoff” in TVC history.
Conclusion: The Triumph of the Uncomplicated
When Fonterra sold Tip Top to Froneri in 2019 for $380 million, they were selling more than just factories and milk supply chains; they were selling “Togs, Togs, Undies.” They were selling a brand that had successfully woven itself into the fabric of national identity. Colenso BBDO and Tip Top proved that you don’t need a complicated brand narrative to win. You just need to notice the things everyone else is too embarrassed to talk about—like the fact that once you cross the street into a supermarket, those aren’t togs anymore.
Those are undies. And for the love of summer, put some clothes on and have a Trumpet.