Meat and Livestock Australia has unveiled its 2016 Australia Day campaign and it could be set to top last year’s popularity already and it hasn’t even hit TV screens yet. After a teaser was launched last week, the full ad was pushed on social today to gain traction ahead of its broadcast roll-out.
The ad, which stars Lee Lin Chin, focuses on bringing overseas Australians home for Australia Day, and reminding them that ‘lamb brings people together’ on the national holiday.
There’s another strong set of cameos this time including ‘Lambassador’ Sam Kekovich, but newsreader Lee Lin Chin steals the show.
Chin is the commander in charge of Project Boomerang and tells of the ill-fated Australia Day spent in Warsaw in 1996 “without a char-grilled chop in sight”. She vowed not to let it happen again and built an army of Aussie icons including Kekovich, Fitzy & Wippa, rugby player Stephen Moore and cricketer Mitchell Johnson.
Chef George Calombaris is manning the barbeque, there’s a suggestion that Princess Mary is involved throughout and the voice of the “Prime Minister” adds an end note.
Last Year’s campaign starring the late Richie Benaud and a cast of Australian icons became an instant cult favourite, winning awards and earning a place in the AdNews Top Ten Australian Ads in The Annual. This year’s ad is set to go the same way. The official YouTube clip has been seen almost 52,000 views and it’s been tending on Twitter all day today.
Scott Nowell, executive creative director of The Monkeys, says: “Australia Day is a day for coming together over lamb. This year the thought was around what about the Australia Day orphans - all those ex-pats in foreign countries, cold and alone on January 26th, missing out on a lamb barbecue with their friends or family. Then it was about how we could get them back home with their loved ones this Australia Day.”
The Australia Day campaign will roll out across TV, radio and digital from Monday 11 January.
It includes a partnership with Nova via Fitzy & Wippa show which will air form London for the first week and will also reach out to Aussies abroad to bring them home for the national day.
There will also be a significant PR and in-store push.
Andrew Howie, group marketing manager of Meat and Livestock Australia, says: “We’ve had a blast bringing this campaign to life with The Monkeys. The Australia Day lamb campaign is now in its 12th year. The challenge of evolving the campaign to ensure it remains relevant each year is certainly a fun one to have. This year’s campaign continues to highlight the value MLA places on brave creativity. Kookoo Koo.”
Take a look at the past decade of MLA Australia Day ads here and for more on the MLA and Howie see below:
The Marketer: Meat & Livestock Australia, cleaving, the brave way
Did you miss any of the MLA Aus Day coverage on AdNews?
A look through 10 years of MLA’s Australia Day
Creatives unpack MLA Australia Day campaign
'We're not big spenders, we're big thinkers' - MLA marketer
MLA faces backlash over 'disrespectful' Australia Day campaign
MLA ad complaints rocket to more than 400
'Save our Lamb ad' campaign support fires up
MLA ad is closest Australia gets to John Lewis Xmas ad
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