VB MAKES A CLIMATE CHANGE
GPY&R Melbourne has launched the latest installment of their award winning campaign for Victoria Bitter. Now in its fourth year, the campaign continues to build on the 38 year legacy of the VB theme music and line- 'for a hard earned thirst'.
This time the campaign tackles the issue of climate change head on and proposes a very Australian solution.
Written to introduce the new 'Mid-strength' flavor of Australia's most famous beer, the ads go to air across drought effected Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia this week. With southern states planned for later in the year.
This is the first ad in the campaign directed by Tim Bullock from Prodigy, and the first to involve writer Jim Ingram, who when interviewed said "I like playing with my balls".
AGENCY: George Patterson Y&R, Melbourne
CREATIVE: Jim Ingram, Ben Coulson, Ben Couzens
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Prodigy
AGENCY PRODUCER: Romanca Jasinski
DIRECTOR: Tim Bullock
PRODUCER: Samantha Mead
POST PRODUCTION: Iloura
SOUND: Flagstaff
posted by CB @ 6:10 PM
42 Comments:
Hey, what a coincidence. I like playing with Jim's balls too.
Yep, good!
Dam it! Been trying to do an idea about global warming for months. Jealous!
2 points of view to take here:
From the consumers point of view: 'Beer is the answer to global warming, clever enough, the ad's pretty good, stays true to the blokey VB feel, furry muff'.
From an advertising point of view:
Let's replace VB with any competitor (Carlton Draught, XXXX, Tooheys New etc etc). Doesn't make a difference does it? But oh well, that's a minor one, that can be said about a lot of categories. Which makes me think this probably means this wasn't the first time this idea was pitched. But once more, this happens with a lot of great ideas and it's just what happens.
Now, what irks me, is this is an ad for MID STRENGTH BEER! Now, I get it; you can drink more and keep cool all day because there's less alcohol. But the ad doesn't say it. This is like trying to keep up with a Pirates of the Caribbean plot. The only mention of mid-strength we get is 'we've managed to cram the taste of VB into a lighter beer'. So my opinion is good thought, bad execution, and it will likely increase sales of full strength VB more than mid. Which isn't a bad thing but it's not the brief.
Don't you just love planners?
You can't go wrong with a monkey in an ad. Nice one fuckers.
Little Aaron
Love the comment by Jim. Gold standard!!! Nice ad to boys!
Good to see there is life after Boony. Well done all!
Cracker quote Jim!!!! Best on Blog
I find it awkward when jim makes me play with his balls.
Good old anglo aussie humour.
matt, the planner dude is right. but like the ad, he took a long time to make his point.
The beer for global warming is a funny idea.
But it gets buried in all the other stuff.
Love it! An ad with balls (not just Jim's) that actually comes out with a piont of view on a topical issue, and a funny one at that. Piss funny. Got my vote.
About time some one fixed that global warming issue. Been bothering me for a while. Sink more piss, save the world. Nice.
VB sales have been going south fast.
This might actually help fix the problem.
I hope the frozen moment works because me thinks the client's gonna plaster that over everything.
Well done guys [and the planner too of course]
These guys just keep murdering Tooheys. Well done.
7 out of 10 for the gags, 9 for nailing the global warming issue. First brand confident enough to have some fun with an issue we are all so damn worried about.
Hey matt 6.53pm, I'm confused. You seem to get the ad, and yet think it's not on brief.
Seems a simple brief, announce the new MID and keep the VB brand ticking over in a funny / memorable way. Not sure what brief you think it's not on?
Don't mean to be critical, but you are confirming what many in the industry already think of planners- good at post rationalising work & great at overcomplicating things.
This is just another really good idea in a strong campaign. Enough said.
V good!
VB's got balls.
This is the biggest PR blogging campaign I've seen in ages. 18 positive posts within a few minutes of each other.
This ad is beyond retarded.
Freakin' Mammoth! Just like their balls. Love it.
This isn't the first campaign to take the piss out of global warming.
Surely everyone's seen the Diesel Global Warming Ready work that's been running globally? Did well at Cannes, and is stuck on the side of buses in Oz.
god, there's a LOT of Patts people on the blog today!!!!
that Jim - how hilarious!!!! (and it's drought 'affected', not drought 'effected'). sheesh.
the real problem for the creatives is that no-one drinks VB for the taste. It's only true worth is that it's beer with a 5% alcohol content. So there is no real reason to drink a mid version at all. That's why they sneak it in quickly in the middle of the ad and then do the right thing - make a good brand ad for VB. Love the ad, pity about the beer.
I don't work for GPY&R & I think its a great ad. Very funny, good! Its also good to see some good work getting praise rather than the negativity which usually surrounds this blog.
Jims got balls?
Ok, I don't think I got my point across very well.
I could be wrong on this, but I think the objective of the campaign is increase sales/awareness of VB's new midstrength beer.
This ad will be mistaken for 'another VB' ad, sales for full strength VB will go up, everyone continues not to drink 'VB mid' or whatever its called. Is this a problem I've seen the ad 5 times now and I still don't know what the freaking beer is called?
In December 2007 'VB mid' gets taken off the market because it's bombed. Normal VB is still kicking it fine.
Now when this happens, do you think Pats are keeping the business? Really? Ok, you do, that's fine, sorry for overcomplicating things!
hey matt. 11.23 here again. I think it's probably a dud product. VB knows it. GPY&RXYZ knows it. that's why the message is buried in a very funny spot.
First global warming ad other than the international campaign for Diesel that has been on buses/trams down there for 6 months.
I guess you juniors wouldn't see them as you're travelling on them.
Okay, like last year's brand campaign, it fails to deliver on "a hard earned thirst" so it could be done for any beer. But on the other hand, it's a lot funnier than the lame stuff with people ending up in hospital after a VB and a suvlaki. It's also better focused in terms of being uniquely Australian. But best of all, it takes the piss out of global warming, which is looooong overdue, so it wins me over.
So diesel got to it as well, big deal... I much prefer the VB ad because it has a funny solution, not just some twats lying on a beach.
It's a good product, I've tried it. The first Mid that tastes like beer. Bet it works. And the ad sells it well.
Matt, if Patts still have the account in Dec, will you be blogging an apology???
Hey Ben dont feel left out. you can play with our balls
love the juniors, I & P
Love you guys, but I think this isn't as great as everyone is making out. Still, my opinion means shit. I'm just waiting with baited breath to hear what 'Toby and Bec'think.
A lot of you people might idolise these Jim & Cuz characters, but as the monkey wrangler on set, I can tell you that they spent the entire shoot attempting to digitally penetrate Bobo The Chimp.
Young people these days...
Well done boys. And Jim.
i'm with you 4:56. that souvlaki campaign might've scored some metal but it was really a lesson in how to totally destroy a brand and 30 years of great advertising
ahhh 9.00pm... here you are! and we thought you were stuck in the ford falcon blog! so, you can tell us now... who fired you from Patts?
9.43 has a rather large oak on his shoulder. People say nice things about the new VB ad, one or two make a point about the more recent brand stuff being over-rated, and suddenly everyone got fired from Patts. Get a life, you sensative soul. (Let me guess, you had a hand in the souvlaki disaster, right?)
I think 12.56 has hit the nail right on the head. What's wrong 9,43? Did your mummy tell you it was weally, weally good? Haven't you worked out yet the mummy's always try to be nice?
10.53 and 12.56. Learn to spell. Then learn to do your job. Then make comment on other people's work. I think i probably hit a bit close to home with the Patts thing, eh? Come on.... who gave you the heave ho? Still smarting? Oh wait... unemployed? So thaaaat's it...... Oh, and I've never had a hand in souvlaki, either in reality or as a tvc.... yechhhh.
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