Looking forward to the annual Australian Lamb ad controversy? The Monkeys and MLA have done their part. Their lamb-y comment on the current border lockouts with echoes of Trump imagines a 2031 in which huge walls divide Australia’s states and territories permanently. The fun includes digs at West Australia, a pair of budgie smuggles with a phallic hole and a wonderful Scomo finale. Of course, it’s all to highlight the fact that lamb unites us.

The Monkeys executive creative director, Vince Lagana, noted, “In testing times, it’s easy to forget we still live in the greatest country in the world. Border closures have challenged our Aussie spirit with our nation feeling more separated than ever. Thankfully, it’s nothing a little optimism, good-natured fun and a unifying lamb cutlet can’t fix.”

Graeme Yardy, domestic market manager at MLA, commented, “2020 has been a year that has really tested the Australian spirit. For the first time in our history having hard borders between states has challenged how to stay connected as individuals and as a country. As a brand that celebrates unity and the power of coming together, this year in the ad, we wanted to remind Australians that we are always stronger together. Our hope for 2021 will be that the virtual get togethers of the last 12 months, will be replaced with an Aussie lamb barbie, the most unifying, and delicious meal of all.”

The commercial launched across free to air and subscription TV nationally on Sunday, January 10, and will run across digital, social and retail OOH channels, supported by one green bean driving coverage for the campaign across earned media and owned social.

Scott Dettrick, creative director at The Monkeys, stated, “The last year has been so surreal that as a country we have come to accept that anything is possible. The idea of virtual borders becoming real ones in the near future feels more real than it probably should. The start of 2021 is a great time for us to reflect and bring people back together over some lamb.”

Credits:

Creative Agency: The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive
Group Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder: Scott Nowell
Executive Creative Director: Vince Lagana
Creative Director: Scott Dettrick
Creative Team: Harry Boothman & Joash Tham
Art Director OOH: Jonathan Rands

Group CEO & Co-Founder: Mark Green
Managing Director: Matt Michael
Business Strategy Director: Kit LansdellGroup Content Director: Ciaran Miller-Stubbs
Content Director: Fizzy Keeble
Senior Content Manager: Ruth Peck
Senior Producers: Christina Wilmot & Penny Brown 
Producer OOH: Will Haslingden
Design Lead: James Halliday
Senior Designer: Laura Ives

Production Company: Airbag 
Director: Ariel Martin
Executive Producer: Alex Tizzard 
Producer: Megan Ayers
DOP: Lachlan Milne

Editing: ARC Edit
Editors: David Whittaker & Lucas Baynes 

VFX: Airbag
Grade: Fergus Rotherham
Conform: White Chocolate

Music & Sound: Song Zu 
Composer: Haydn Walker 
Sound Designer: Simon Kane 
Producer: Katrina Aquilia

Media Agency – UM

PR Agency – one green bean

Client: Meat & Livestock Australia
General Manager – Marketing and Insights: Nathan Low 
Domestic Market Manager: Graeme Yardy
Brand Manager: Anna Sharp
Assistant Brand Manager: Krystina Batt