Meet the ZAGG Test Dummies!

Independent creative agency and production company Little Big Engine has created a new advertising campaign for ZAGG, a phone-protection company that sells superior screens and cases. To prove that ZAGG is better than rivals, the ads show them acing a series of brutal tests endured by a couple of true experts: “ZAGG Test Dummies.”

This is Little Big Engine’s first work for ZAGG—after winning the assignment earlier this year in a competitive pitch. Two spots broke recently to coincide with the new iPhone 15 announcement, and more will roll out throughout the fall. The campaign comprises a launch film and five 30-second spots that are product-focused.

“Most phone protection companies are cheap knock-offs sold on Amazon that conduct TikTok influencer demos by dropping phones off buildings or throwing them off ladders. But ZAGG decided to “zig,” said Patrick Maravilla. “Instead of joining the fray and putting phones in peril, we raised the stakes by strapping them onto a pair of crash-test dummies. The ZAGG Test Dummies serve as comedy relief mascots who discuss the features of the screen protectors while testing them—and getting the crap beaten out of them in the process—without losing a beat. After all, it’s all in a day’s work. The ZAGGs hold up. The competitors’ screens do not.”

ZAGG’s objectives are to educate people on its tech innovations and reach the Apple-user audience just as the latest iPhone is debuting. On the branding side, ZAGG wants to be known as the premium choice in screen protection and cases. “If you’re gonna drop a grand on a new iPhone, you better have the best protection you can find. And ZAGG’s innovation with graphene and blue-light filtration is far beyond the infinite knockoff options you can find on Amazon. So, we needed to come with an idea that could break through the cheap social demos on Instagram and really stand out,” added Matt Merrill, senior head of creative at ZAGG.

The U.S.-focused campaign will run on connected TV and social media, including Meta (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), TikTok, and Reddit. It’s ZAGG’s first brand work in years.