Lambassador Sam Kekovich changes his tune becoming a chop star in 2012 campaign via BMF
Trade press exclusive – After two years travelling the world as Lambassador, on his one-man crusade against unAustralianism, Sam Kekovich realised the job was too big, and the world too vast, for him and his dodgy knees alone. Old-fashioned diplambacy isn’t cutting it anymore.
So to spread the Lamb message as far and wide as possible, especially to da youf (listening to iPods, iPhones and iDon’tknowwhatkindofmusic), Sam decided to use something that pervades every aspect of modern life: Popular Culture.
Unfortunately, Sam discovered that pop culture itself is rife with unAustralian behaviour.Which is why he’s created ‘Chopular Culture’ instead, releasing his own ‘chop song’. After all, if Obama can rap, Kevin Rudd can sing (just) then why can’t Sam Kekovich get all hip chop?
Keeping to tradition, Sam’s ‘Chopular Culture’ campaign launched last night across Australia with his annual, 90-second, ‘Address to the Nation’ across the Chanel Nine Network. It was followed by the release of his 3-minute music video, Barbie Girl (which he recorded with pop starlet Melissa Tkautz and Australia’s Got Talent winners Justice Crew, and features a cameo of pop culture guru Richard Wilkins).
The 90-second rant and 3-minute film clip were directed by renowned music video parodist Craig Melville @ Jungleboys.
This year’s campaign was written by BMF creative director Dennis Koutoulogenis, who left the agency at the end of last year. He has been lead creative on the Lamb campaign over the last eight years, winning many awards and peer accolades along the way.
2011 AIPP Australian Professional Photographer of the year Gerard O’Connor shot the epic pop-culture-style point of sale campaign, which included 36 cast members styled by Marc Wasiak.
As well as point of sale, large format outdoor, print, radio and an online push will all help launch Sam’s ‘Chop Star’ campaign. Integrated content collaborations with Channel 9 and Nova, and social media complete the package (including personalised video messages from Sam to other pop icons).
Sam’s campaign aims to get as many hits as possible for his song Barbie Girl to get it to the top of the ‘Nova Australia Day Countdown’.
So go on, hit like at www.facebook.com/SamKekovich
You know it makes sense.
Agency: BMF
Client: Meat & Livestock Australia
Director: Craig Melville
Producer: David Curry
Production Company: Jungleboys
Post/VFX: Emerald City
Sound: We Love Jam
Photographer: Gerard O’Connor
Media: Universal McCann
PR: Hausmann
43 Comments
Puntastic
Still one of the only ads that makes me watch from start to end.
Really? People honestly think that is good? Really?
It should be put on a showreel with the Coles Normie Rowe ad.
Way to lead the world Australia.
Woe, woe, woe. Is 2012 going to be the year of Karaoketing? I agree with Shaun on this.
As chintzy as this is the public will lap it up
The video clip is done very well. Gold.
Looks like the lowest common denominator is getting lower and more common,
can see lots of drunken Aussies lurching along the streets of their home cities or beautiful overseas countries singing either this or Normie’s piece of garbage…something to be really proud of…give this kind of crap the chop!
The music clip is great. However, the Kekovic state of the nation spots are very tired.
Stop ripping off my photographic style or I’ll sue your ass!
Just how many alarm bells where ignored to produce this fiasco? Surely, any sane person’s gag reflex would have reacted the moment someone suggested the “Barbie Girl” track?
Just how many alarm bells where ignored to produce this fiasco? Surely, any sane person’s gag reflex would have reacted the moment someone suggested the “Barbie Girl” track?
BMF, if you want a lesson in pop parody, the Yeo Valley ‘Churned Forever’ campaign has it all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTrG7mpb61U
Another case of the idea being better than the execution. It’s actually a great idea and a nice way to move a campaign on when it was beginning to feel a little stale – but the song sounds naff instead of funny and worst of all, betrays the ‘honest no-bullshit Australian’ tone of voice that Lamb has worked so hard to nurture.
But it’s better to go down all guns blazing trying for something new and interesting than wussing out and doing the same thing year after year. So good on BMF for having the guts to give it a go.
This mediocre crap is beneath my lofty levels of awesome, however the unwashed masses that make up the Australian public will enjoy it as it appeals to their low-brow tastes.
Looks like they’re flogging an ex-footy player to death. At least this should be the last time we see him.
Wow. That was just 3 minutes too long.
Let’s go barbie?
…the flat-cap energy-drinking masses will think it’s heaps mad ay. You know, the ones with suvvern-crosses on their nissan pulsars and staffordshire bull-terriers called ‘nugget’.
tits though…
BMF you’re only good as your last ad, and this ones pretty old now.
Even the little Telstra Kid would be graduating High School by now.
Lovely work, guys. The climax needed a bit more money shot in my opinion but great work again.
please stop it BMF – please!!! enough is enough.
I think the opposite…
Speech is clever.
The film clip is awful to listen to and watch.
WTF is a music video parodist, an does the world really need one?
Isn’t ‘parody’ French for ‘unoriginal’?
That filmclip is so bad it sent a shiver down my lamb bone.
Wow….definitely a missed opportunity… the remix is terrible, the direction is awful and to top it off, the chops look like shit.
awful. whatever – still running with that old, “what did he do” guy? Maybe Melbourne people know him….
Hugely successful campaign for the client so I’m not surprised they keep going with it. In terms of making it stand out from the year before each time, I think this is another good effort. Also think that there can’t be much of a tougher directing gig than Sam Kekovic singing and dancing…
You can’t access the ad in the UK. Now that’s what I call unAustralian!!!
Not sharing the ad with Aussies abroad unAustralian!
Diggers in Afghanistan not able to watch the latest clip, unAustralian!!
Wow….. What an embarrassment. That music clip is so UN Australian…
Hang your heads in shame, and get your southern cross Tatts removed. Covering a shitty Danish pop song is so Lame. i was going to cook a lamb roast on the weekend. Now i’m cooking chicken!!
Go jungle boys!!
I think BMF are off their chops.
People will love this. God that depresses me.
This guy approves: http://browncardigan.com/?p=10318
@Cringe.
The Yeo Valley ‘Churned Forever’ campaign is a slick attempt at parody, well shot, well observed in terms of copying that style, but it lacks the most important element of parody: that it’s actually funny.
For that you go to Lonely Island, Tenacious D, Flight of the Concords… etc
A funtastic humorous imitation and a cool pop parody:)
I like it!!!
x
Please for everone’s sake please stop this! Sam wasn’t funny in the first place now I’ve been pun whipped into submission and the diplambacy wasn’t even close, please spare yourselves, the brand, and every aussie from firther embarrasment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFVedjvliWo
done
Will all the haters just get off their high horses.
It wasn’t made to appeal to your pseudo ‘arm chair cannes’ sensibilities.
It was aimed squarely at the masses.
They love getting pissed and bloated on burnt food while flying the flag.
Diss them and you surely don’t deserve to take the biz from BMF.
As a former D&AD judge, i still laughed with it (not at it) and wished the weather was good enough for a barbie up here.
This campaign is just like the way i like my burger grilled, well done with a lot a european cheese.
Does it have to be said again?
“Them” is us. Those “bogans” who like this kind of thing are our brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, husbands and wives.
Most of those making comments here seem to think the very fact that this clip appeals to “them” makes it automatically bad. It doesn’t and this isn’t.
David Ogilvy said it half a century ago: The customer isn’t an idiot, she’s your wife.
That’s yet another lesson today’s ad wankers have never learned.
@erasmus My wife is an idiot.
Shark jumped. Also pun.
Kudos to the BMF guys for freshening up Kek in a compelling way. This brief must get tougher and tougher each year, so I’m full of admiration here.
I love taking the piss and this ad does it beautifully. To those who don’t get it – you’re either overthinking it or one foot out of the industry due to your age – it’s a warm piece of fun that has broad appeal. Which is pretty much what a Barbie on Ozzie Day is all about ain’t it?
Nope don’t work there, and never known one of the credits, but I’d put a chop on the grille for them on this one happily.
1:39 best comment of 2012…so far.
3 minutes of this crap Barbie girl! WTF!! this should make worlds worst commercial!
I lost all my IQ watching this B grade crap! i