Page 49 - AdNews Magazine Jan-Feb 2021

VEGEMITE — TASTES LIKE AUSTRALIA
Creative Agency: Thinkerbell
PC: Most of this ad is lost on me (apart from Skippy — I know him). Without intimate knowledge of each reference, it fails to connect. The craft is that of a pitch hype reel so it didn’t win me over there either. It leaves me pondering how much of this Australia is
still relevant today. But then it’s probably not targeted at me anyway.
GP: Cut me into slices and spread Vegemite ads all over me. If you don’t like this, get the f**k out of this country (a two-week
holiday in Bali should do the trick). Marketeers are all looking for purpose, and Vegemite found the best one to make people chuckle and weirdly patriotic.
DO: The ghost of the jingle has haunted Australian advertising since the golden days of Mo and Jo. But if anyone can have a crack at bringing it back, surely it’s Vegemite — the brand the Anzacs fought for. This campaign might not reach the heights of iSnack 2.0, but you can’t deny its charm.
R.M. WILLIAMS —
HUGH JACKMAN GETS COMFORTABLE
Creative Agency: Maximum Effort
PC: I really like this! You’ve got
to love a celebrity who doesn’t take themselves too seriously — Aussies are really good at that. It’s well scripted, well acted and well shot. The backstory of how Hugh Jackman actually owns five per cent of R.M. Williams is fascinating.
GP: How easily this could have been Hugh Jackman kicking up dirt on a dusty farm. How thankful are we that it’s not. It is proof that serious brands can and should be funny. As for dick jokes, well, I can’t get enough.
DO: A naked man with legs splayed like a Portuguese chicken is exactly the kind of subtle comedy that put this country on the map. But the pacing on this spot seemed a little off. Maybe something more could have happened? Still, as far as celebrity endorsements go, it’s pretty memorable.
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