Aussie cricket legend Richie Benaud invites fellow Australian icons to a marvellous lamb BBQ in new Australia Day Lamb television campaign
For all the Australian expats out there! Legendary Australian cricketer and commentator Richie Benaud has enlisted the help of Lambassador Sam Kekovich and a plethora of national icons from through the ages to encourage Aussies to get together over lamb on Australia Day.
In the annual Australia Day lamb commercial, directed by Australian director Tom Noakes – who was a finalist in the Doritos ‘Crash The Super Bowl’ competition last year – Benaud captures the spirit of our national day by doing what we believe every Aussie should be doing on Australia Day; organising a big lamb BBQ and a game of backyard cricket.
The spot, which goes to air in Australia this Sunday, opens dramatically on the open seas, with Captain Cook aboard his ship approaching the Australian shore line. His steely focus on the path ahead is interrupted by a phone call from Benaud inviting him to a lamb BBQ at his place on Australia Day. “Cooky” agrees, and asks if fellow explorers Burke and Wills are also on the guest list – they’re keen, despite their death-bed-dire situation in a baking hot desert.
Benaud later looks worried when legendary outlaw Ned Kelly offers to “round up the guys” for the occasion, although this is less worrying than the rumour that Kelly has gone “veggo” (in fact he is just gluten intolerant).
Other iconic Australians invited to Benaud’s barbie include iconic cricketer Don Bradman, media giant Ita Buttrose, and of course Sam Kekovich. However when Billy Birmingham – famous for impersonating Benaud as the 12th Man – gets wind of the lamb feast, he’s bluntly told by Benaud that there’s nothing on.
Says Benaud: “In addition to my love of cricket on Australia Day, I wanted to be involved in another key part of our national day, the iconic lamb campaign. For me, this year’s campaign encapsulates what Australia Day is all about; Australians getting together for a lamb BBQ.”
Adds Michael Edmonds, General Manager Global Marketing at Meat & Livestock Australia: “As a nation we love our lamb, and it’s our belief that you never lamb alone. That goes double on Australia Day. Benaud might not be at the cricket surrounded by his army of fans this year, but he’s still making the most of the day and spending it with this pantheon of notable Australians.”
Lamb fans got their first look at Richie Benaud’s lamb crusade when the 1 minute 40 second edit premiered on Channel Nine’s Today show this morning. In the lead-up to Australia Day, starting this Sunday, 60-second and 30-second versions will be aired on TV, with the longer edit available to view online.
But the campaign doesn’t stop there. At butchers and retailers across the country, shoppers will be given lamb BBQ inspiration with several delicious and succulent lamb recipe suggestions displayed on posters at the till.
Lamb-lovers can also score a once in a lifetime opportunity to spend their Australia Day with Benaud himself. Ten Aussies (and two of their mates) are being given the opportunity to attend a BBQ to meet Benaud. To secure this exclusive invite people simply have to upload an impersonation of Benaud’s lamb BBQ call ‘Top Lamb Chop That!” to the We Love Our Lamb Facebook page.
Advertising Agency – The Monkeys
ECD: Scott Nowell
Managing Director: Matt Michael
Senior Planner: Michael Hogg
Head of Production – Thea Carone
Senior Producer: Jade Rodriguez
Senior Content Manager: Katie Wong-Hee
Director: Tom Noakes
Producer: Belinda Dean
Production company: Photoplay
DoP – James Brown
Post House: FSM
Editor – Stuart Morley
Composer – Damian De Boos-Smith
Sound House – Nylon Studios
Media Agency – UM
PR Agency – One Green Bean
MLA Marketing Manager – Andrew Howie
MLA Brand Manager – Lamb – Magali Nonnenmacher
5 Comments
Love Richie, but my goodness, he has looked and sounded better. Hope he gets well soon.
This is great work.
Ad comedy is usually so flat.
Punters are gonna love this.
Tough follow up after years of Keka too.
Love it. Wish i worked on it. Well done to all.
No need for case study video.
Or fancy digital hookery pokery.
This is old school at its finest.
Congrats to all involved.
Brilliant ad – if you don’t ‘get it’ then you sure ain’t aussie ! Well done to the marketing team 😉