The 1968 Victoria Bitter ‘Big cold beer’ commercial has been added to the National Film & Sound Archive’s Sounds of Australia collection.
The advertisement, with the voice of actor John Meillon, was made by George Patterson for Carlton & United Breweries.
The National Film & Sound Archive says the Victoria Bitter advertisement is perhaps Australia’s most iconic beer advertisement.
Initially conceived for Carlton & United Breweries’ (CUB) Bulimba Gold Top beer campaign in 1965, the radio and TV campaign was reworked for CUB’s Victoria Bitter in 1967 for broadcast in 1968 with John Meillon returning for the voiceovers, and a new version of the instrumental music composed by Bob (Beetles) Young.
“With his rich baritone and honest and passionate delivery, the Meillon voice was integral to the success of the campaign,” says the National Film & Sound Archive.
The campaign was used, with some minor variations, for the next two decades.
When Meillon died in 1989 at the age of 55, CUB, with the approval of the Meillon family, continued to use his voice through digital remastering and recutting.
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