The Monkeys (Creative Agency)
The Monkeys (formerly Three Drunk Monkeys) is an independent creative business based in Sydney. Founded in 2006 by Justin Drape, Scott Nowell and Mark Green, they now employ over 100 full-time staff including Writers, Art Directors, Designers, Filmmakers, Musicians, Photographers, Strategic Planners and Artists and Technologists.
In 2007 The Monkeys were named Adnews and B&T emerging agency of the year. With B&T stating “The Monkeys (Three Drunk Monkeys) has carved out its own niche through the development of entertaining ideas, bypassing conventions and using the best medium for the job.” In 2010 they were named Australian Creative Hotshop of the Year, B&T Advertising Agency of the Year B&T Grand Prix Communications Agency of the Year and ranked Adnews No. 1 Advertising Agency of The Year (7) . In 2011 they were awarded B&T Advertising Agency of the Year, Campaign Brief NSW Agency of the Year and Australian Creative Advertising Hotshop of the Year. They also picked up B&T Campaign of the Year and Australian Creative Idea of the Year for The Ship Song Project. The Monkeys have also been awarded at international award shows including Cannes, D&AD, The One Show and Clio. The Monkeys current clients include Parmalat, Telstra, Sydney Opera House, IKEA, BBC Knowledge and UBank.
Notable Projects
The Ship Song Project
To celebrate and promote the cultural importance of the Sydney Opera House, The Monkeys collaborated with musicians Neil Finn, Kev Carmody, Sarah Blasko, John Bell, Martha Wainwright, Katie Noonan, Paul Kelly, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, The Temper Trap and Daniel Johns, along with Opera Australia, the Australian Ballet, Bangarra Dance Theatre, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra to perform and record a reinterpretation of "The Ship Song" by Nick Cave
The performances were filmed by award-winning director Paul Goldman and music director and arranger Elliot Wheeler in the rehearsal rooms and backstage areas of the Sydney Opera House and edited into a seamless journey through the Opera House.
The Ship Song Project was released globally as an online film on 26 July 2011, and shared across traditional and social media channels.
The Ship Song was released as a single and reached number 34 on the iTunes Pop Charts.
A making of documentary filmed by Greg Appel, director of Australian documentaries Long Way to the Top and Bombora and voiced by Guy Pearce and aired on Foxtel on 11 August 2011.
30 Seconds (TV series)
Created and written by Justin Drape, Scott Nowell, Tim Bullock and Andrew Knight and produced by Andrew Denton’s production company Zapruder's Other Films Pty Ltd,:30 Seconds is an Australian comedy series which satirises Australian advertising companies and the advertising industry. It first aired on Foxtel’s Comedy Channel in 2009. The cast included Stephen Curry, Peter O’Brien, Joel Tobeck, Gyton Grantley and Kat Stewart. :30 seconds received AFI, AWGIES and Logie Award nominations.
The Cancer Council - Sun Sound
To promote skin cancer prevention The Monkeys worked with musician Ben Lee to create a simple melody that is now played at beaches, schools, sports grounds and pools, reminding people to protect themselves from the sun.
The Gruen Transfer
The Gruen Transfer is a TV show about advertising created by Zapruder's Other Films Pty Ltd and broadcast on the ABC. The Monkeys created three TV commercials for fictional products: Gruen Beer, Gruen Bank and Gruen Beauty that also aired on Australia’s commercial-free, taxpayer funded channel ABC. There was an immediate public outcry.
Guide Dogs NSW/ ACT
A multi channel campaign created with Curious Films and Director Paola Morabito featured interviews with human candidates applying for a role that requires the same job dedication that is expected of a successful guide dog.
BBC Knowledge
The Monkeys teamed with US based mixed-media Director Sean Pecknold from Grandchildren to create two brand identity commercials: Eat Up Brain which featured the voice of actor Richard E Grant and Honk If You’re Human which was voiced by comedian Stephen K. Amos.
Kids For Life - I can do anything
A story book featuring inspiring figures from history including Muhammad Ali, Jacques Cousteau, Pablo Picasso, Amelia Earhart and Martin Luther King who overcame difficult odds and inspired generations of young people. I Can Do Anything is sold in leading Australian bookstores including Dymocks and Collins. It has also been placed in the National Library of Australia. 100% of profits from its sale go to the children’s charity Kids for Life.
The Big Drink
A sculpture that exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea, the world’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition. Created by Simone Brandse and Justin Drape it is constructed from 450 kg of steel and PVC. The 13 metre large-scale bendy straw stuck out from the ocean beside Bondi’s popular coastal walk.
YouTube - Map My Summer
People were encouraged to upload videos of their summer experiences to a website. Every upload was geo-located using Google API technology to create a map of summer where visitors could browse the video content.
Filmmaker George Miller and Screen Australia have since created a short film from the uploaded footage. The film premiered at the 2011 Sydney Film Festival in June 2011
The Map My Summer film was featured at the Tropfest short film festival.
My Family Feast
An Australian television program co-written and produced by The Monkeys, Hopscotch Films and Benchmark Films. Hosted by chef Sean Connolly, the show first screened on SBS in 2009 and features the lives and cooking traditions of Australian immigrants and their families. My Family Feast received awards at the 2010 World Food & Wine Festival and a 2010 Logie nomination.
Foxtel EOFYS
This multimedia campaign promoted Foxtel’s end of financial year sale and coined the acronym EOFYS which has since become commonly used in the Australian vernacular, having been used by other retailers to promote their end of financial year sales.
Foxtel HD+
The campaign follows several generations of one family as they react to each new piece of technology, from the arrival of television in 1956 to Foxtel HD+ in the present day. The campaign was regarded by the CEO of Foxtel, Kim Williams as the most successful product launch in the history of Foxtel