Australia's favourite lamb ad is back and it's 'roasting the comments section' as part of this year's Summer Lamb Campaign brought to you by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).
From how to make the perfect cuppa, to some of the year's most viral moments – this year's ad was created using real online comments that divided our nation on so many topics.
With its typical tongue-in-cheek humour, we're encouraged to get out of the comments and get stuck into a lamb cutlet instead. After all, our shared love of lamb is one thing we can all agree on.
General Manager for Marketing and Insights at MLA, Nathan Low, said that the Summer Lamb campaign showcases lamb as the protein that brings Aussies together.
"When you delve into the world of online commentary, it would leave you thinking we're all at each other's throats, no matter how trivial the topic," Mr Low said.
"But in real life, we don't treat each other like that. The Summer Lamb campaign is an irreverent reminder that we're at our best when we're united, and there's no better way to bring everyone together than an Aussie Lamb BBQ."
Ample supply meets summer demand for lamb
The annual lamb ad comes off the back of another incredible year for lamb production in Australia. For the year to September 2024, Australia produced 488,566 tonnes of lamb meat. This was almost as high as the number reached for the full year of 2023, which was the highest on record.
MLA's Sheep Industry Projections update in September 2024 said that 2024's lamb slaughter is projected to beat the 2023 record, climbing to 27.7 million head. This is due to 2024 having the highest national sheep flock since 2007, corresponding to increasingly high slaughter and production numbers.
"As producers have continued to send their lambs to the market leading into Summer, we can expect plenty of lamb on the shelves as the campaign launches," Mr Low said.
"Consumers have also continued to show their support for lamb on the back of these campaigns. For example, during the six-week campaign in 2024, purchase volume increased 18.9% compared to the previous year and purchase volume per trip increased 9% compared to the previous year.
"We hope Aussies enjoy the ad and it prompts them to share the lamb in 2025. Leave us a nice comment while you are at it."
Engaging campaign keeps lamb top of mind for consumers
Building on the 'Share the Lamb' brand platform, the five-week integrated campaign features topical jokes, a good dose of satire and of course, lots of mouth-watering lamb. It will feature prominently across online video, cinema, retail out-of-home, paid social and PR.
To keep lamb top of mind and drive purchase in store, the campaign will also connect consumers with a presence in major retail environments including Coles, Woolworth's, IGA, Costco, Drakes and butcher stores. Product-focused online promotion, digital screens, catalogue, digital assets and point of sale activity will deliver meal inspiration and drive purchase in store. The current issue of Rare Medium magazine will also feature Australian Lamb as a key focus, and have content promoted via paid media.
Created by Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, and directed by Max Barden from The Sweetshop, the ad was created with 100% real Australian comments sourced from online platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Facebook and YouTube.
The full-length ad premiered during the national evening news of Seven and Nine on the 7th of January. This will be followed by a national rollout across free to air, catch-up and subscription TV, cinema, paid social and retail out of home (OOH) channels.
