SIX finalists for this year’s Mumbrella TV Ad of the Year Award have been announced, and for the first time in history, one industry or sector has two candidates in contention.

While Meat & Livestock Australia’s Sam Kekovich Australia Day lamb campaigns have often resonated with judges and the public alike in the past, this year for the first time the latest MLA beef ad also features among the final six TV ad contenders. Both ads are produced by different creative agencies.

The Mumbrellas have considerable credibility, being the only advertising industry awards where every category goes through a live judging process in front of a senior industry jury. This week, dozens of teams from across the media and marketing industry converge on the Sydney Hilton for an intense day of judging featuring ten juries sitting simultaneously.

Competing with MLA’s two contenders this year will be Budget Direct’s “Captain Risky”, ALDI’s “Like Brands, Only Cheaper”, Devondale’s “Mr Vanderhoof” and Bundaberg Rum’s “Men Like Us Like Rum” campaigns.

With not a little irony, MLA managing director Richard Norton told a producer audience in Melbourne last Friday night that ten years or so ago, the lamb industry was outraged when it was announced that Sam Kekovich would become the industry’s new ‘Lambassador.’

“This year, with Sam stepping back to take a lesser role, MLA has received just as much criticism,” he said.

“But it’s exciting news for the red meat industry and MLA to learn we have two finalists this year. Never before has one industry or market sector had two ads in the top six finalists,” he said.

The Mumbrella award winners will be announced on June 4.

 

Iconic sporting commentary backs beef campaign

 

In it’s latest ‘You’re better on beef’ marketing campaign up for this year’s Mumbrella award, MLA is looking to position beef as the fuel for active people, juxtaposing commentary from famous sporting moments with everyday activities, like trying to get the lid off a jar.

After conducting consumer research, the new campaign devised by agency, BMF, sees MLA change its consumer messaging around beef from seasonal campaigns to year-round health-based messaging.

“We want to remind busy working families about the benefits of eating beef,” MLA marketing manager Andrew Howie said. “These families make up one third of Australian households and spend $2 billion on beef each year, and we know they have a strong emotional desire to feed their families healthy, satisfying meals.”

The commentary used in the TV ad includes Cathy Freeman’s gold medal at the Sydney Olympics and Ian Thorpe’s 200m freestyle world record in 2000.

“Communicating the benefits of a healthy balanced lifestyle to families shouldn’t be boring,” Mr Howie said. “Modern life is busy, packed full of challenges. We wanted to show families that the benefits of beef make it easier to overcome those challenges householders face every day.”

Click the link below to view the ad

 

Lamb campaign still on a high

 

Selling lamb may not be the most glamorous of assignments for a marketing agency, but somehow every year MLA’s Australia Day lamb campaign captures the public’s attention.

In little over a decade it has managed to turn lamb into the ‘must have’ staple for any good Australia Day gathering, making anyone who doesn’t have it feel ‘unAustralian’.

This year MLA made the tough decision to move on from its brand ‘Lambassador’ Sam Kekovich to embrace a new brand message – and one that’s probably more in keeping with modern-day Australia.

But while Sam Kekovich still had a cameo this year, MLA has made the tough decision to move on from a proven formula with cricket legend, the late Richie Benaud fronting this year’s campaign.

In this year’s ad, Benaud recruits a number of national icons, past and present, to attend an Australia Day lamb barbecue. Sam Kekovich still warrants a place on Benaud’s invite list, along with the likes of Captain Cook, explorers Burke and Wills, bushranger Ned Kelly, cricketer Don Bradman and media icon Ita Buttrose.

Click the link here to view the ad: