Well they have. This year, they’ve launched an army, led by SBS’ Lee Lin Chin, to save Australians abroad from the misery of an Australia Day without a lamb barbie.

Open on a bleak, wintry cityscape. “Warsaw, winter, ‘96. Minus 17. And not a chargrilled chop in sight. That was no way to spend Australia Day,” SBS news reader, Lee Lin Chin narrates.

“We’ll never let that happen to another Australian again,” she promises.

Chin has made herself head of Operation Boomerang, the mission to save Australians all over the world from going without lamb on the barbie on January 26.

The Monkeys have left no doubt about the importance of lamb on Australia Day. The agency’s 2016 Australia Day campaign for MLA is a gripping, action-packed military rescue of expats trapped overseas. Chin’s army, including Sam Kekovich and Fitzy & Wippa, are saving as many expats as possible.  save Even someone who look remarkably like Princess Mary is plucked from her royal balcony.

“Australia Day is a day for coming together over lamb. This year the thought was around what about the Australia Day orphans – all those ex-pats in foreign countries, cold and alone on January 26th, missing out on a lamb barbecue with their friends or family. Then it was about how we could get them back home with their loved ones this Australia Day,” Scott Nowell, executive creative director, The Monkeys, explained.

As the troops land back on home soil, they’re welcomed by a message from the ‘Prime Minister’ and a huge lamb barbies, overseen by George Calomobaris.

Because you never lamb alone on Australia Day.

The Australia Day campaign will be supported through a major radio partnership with The Nova Network’s Fitzy & Wippa show. From Monday January 11 through to Australia Day, the hosts are showing their commitment to Operation Boomerang. They will broadcast from London throughout the first week, seeking out overseas Australians to be flown home for Australia Day and a lamb BBQ.

The ad will also run on digital, social and TV. PR will spread the message across earned media. In-store, product-focused point-of-sale will deliver lamb BBQ inspiration, focusing on a selection of cuts.

Andrew Howie, group marketing manager, Meat and Livestock Australia, commented, “We’ve had a blast bringing this campaign to life with The Monkeys. The Australia Day Lamb campaign is now in its twelfth year. The challenge of evolving the campaign to ensure it remains relevant each year is certainly a fun one to have. This year’s campaign continues to highlight the value MLA places on brave creativity. Kookoo Koo.”

Credits:

Advertising Agency: The Monkeys 
Executive creative director: Scott Nowell
Senior art director: Paul Sharp
Senior copywriter: Mike Burdick
Head of production: Thea Carone
Managing director: Matt Michael
Planning director: Michael Hogg
Content director: Katie Wong-Hee
Content manager: Siena Shuttler

Production Company: Rabbit 
Director: Lachlan Dickie
Exectuvie producers: Lucas Jenner & Alex Hay
Producer: Lucas Jenner
DoP: Germain McMicking
Production designer: Jackson Dickie
Offline: Dan Lee @ The Butchery

Post production: White Chocolate
VFX supervisor: David Mosqueda
Colourist: Scott Maclean
Designer/Compositor: Michael Blanche

Sound: Song Zu
Sound designer: Simon Kane
Producer: Jess Bonney
Music: Damian de Boos-Smith @ Sound Planet Australia

MLA group marketing manager: Andrew Howie
MLA brand manager – lamb : Matthew Dwyer
PR agency: One Green Bean
Media agency: UM