Victoria Bitter works up a hard earned thirst in new TV spots via Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
Victoria Bitter celebrates the return of the iconic brand’s tag line ‘for a hard earned thirst’ in a new TVC campaign set to premiere on Australian television on Thursday 8 November via Clemenger BBDO Melbourne.
The new campaign consists of three spots, ‘Hands’, ‘Shirt’ and ‘Sweat’ that champion capable Aussie blokes and reinforce the simple truth that there’s nothing like a hard earned thirst.
Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) general manager of Victoria Bitter, Richard Oppy, said the campaign is the final step in taking Victoria Bitter back to its best.
Says Oppy: “The feedback from drinkers about the return of Victoria Bitter to full flavour 
and full strength has been overwhelmingly positive and we think returning to the ‘For a hard earned thirst’ tagline will be just as well received. Victoria Bitter is once again the only beer for Aussie blokes who have worked hard and built up a hard earned thirst, whether it’s on a work site or doing a bit of DIY on the weekend.”
The men featured in the new spots were either experienced tradesmen or simply skilled, capable blokes.
To provide a unique, close-up view in all spots, tiny cameras were attached to everything from chainsaw blades, to sledge hammers and from ute trays to paint rollers, going through rigorous testing to ensure they could withstand the impact of honest, hard work.
Ant Keogh, executive creative director at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne said the team wanted to make ads that captured the heart and spirit of what beer drinkers loved about the brand.
Says Keogh: “When it comes to writing a Victoria Bitter ad, there’s so much pressure from all sides. Right from the outset, our creative team made a commitment to focus on what was right for Vic Bitter drinkers. Of course, that’s how it should always be, but to truly do that is another thing. We wanted to make ads that captured the heart and spirit of what beer drinkers loved about the brand.”
Drinkers will also notice that the new Victoria Bitter comes in packaging that gives a tip of the hat to the heritage packaging of the past. The new look, created by Melbourne design agency Cowan, puts ‘Victoria Bitter’ proudly back on the label, as well as integrating the ‘1854’ establishment date and ‘4.9%’ ABV message.
The new Victoria Bitter, at full flavour and full strength is widely available now at pubs and bottles shops right across Australia. Victoria Bitter, the original big cold beer is back.
Agency: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
Creative Chairman: James McGrath
Executive Creative Director: Ant Keogh
Creative Directors: Jim Ingram and Ben Couzens
Art Director: Ben Couzens
Copywriter: Jim Ingram
Agency Producer – TV: Sevda Cemo
Agency Producer – Print: Ben Nash
Strategic Planner: Mike Derepas
Account Management Team:
Paul McMillan – Managing Partner
Simon Lamplough – Client Services Director
John Meagher – Account Director
Georgia Field – Account Manager
Client: CUB, Victoria Bitter
Andy Gibson
Andy Meldrum
Richard Oppy
Craig Maclean
Mim Orlando
Belinda Brosnan
Director: Mark Molloy
DOP/Cinematographer: Jeremy Rouse – Main Unit, Ryley Brown – 2nd Unit
Producer: Alice Grant
Production Company: Exit Films
Editor: Rohan Zerna
Flame Artist: Eugene Richards
Post Production Company: The Butchery/ The Refinery
Sound Designer/Engineer: Paul Le Couteur
Sound House: Flagstaff Studios
Packaging Design: Cowan Design
Media: Mediacom
Public Relations: Liquid Ideas
BTL: Apollo
71 Comments
Great to see VB standing up for its drinkers instead of taking the piss out of them. As it should be.
Finally they have brought it back to where Patts had it 5 years ago.
Ironic that It’s all the old Patts crew who made these.
Really nice job.
My fav is the shirt.
Great to see this direction make a come back and done so well. Congrats.
These are making me fucking thirsty. Brilliant stuff.
MIght actually knock the top off one this arvo.
Love it! VB back to what it should be. Ads about having a beer after a hard days work. Well done
yes. it’s back. well done to all involved.
Simple truths, nicely done. Not overcomplicated. I like em, even if the beer is ****
Nice. Good work.
Ads for beer drinkers, not award juries. Nice work.
Shirt spot is gold.
As a VB can drinker, it’s great to see the real VB ads are back. The marketing department at CUB that walked away from this campaign 7-8 years ago are cocks.
Top work Ingrams and Cowsens.
Client led content. Business as usual in Australia.
Great Work Jim & Cuz. Squid.
Great ads, human truths that will resonate. Well done lads.
Strategically good.
Creatively average.
solid. not outstanding.
Gosh it’s trying hard isn’t it?
Nearly, but the melodramatic voice over ruins it for mine.
Pitty the creative is a bit straight. Strategy is right, return to hard earned is good clienting. Just wish Clems had brought there usual A game creatively.
Spots that will not only sell beer but also make the consumer happy while the agency and client both make money.
Isn’t that what it’s all about??
This is exactly the same strategy and creative as the old Patts work from 4 years ago, that got them fired. Wierd world!
“Right from the outset, our creative team made a commitment to focus on what was right for Vic Bitter drinkers.”
I know what he’s saying, but it pretty much reads like an admission that putting the consumer (and not juries) first isn’t standard practice when making work.
Not Clems usual creative standard, but it will work.
I like it. Well done.
well written,relevant,really well made spots
very well written and really nicely shot.
i agree that the voice over goes a little bit OTT at times, but i really like these.
not sure why some comments say its lacking in terms of creative -i think its all there.
great job – the sweat one is my fav
I wish the writing was just a bit tighter/better. A bit straight, but not bad ads.
Is this the agency that we are celebrating here, or the client who said, lets cut the marketing crap and return beer to the values the punters said they want.
It’s gotta be the client on this one, not so much the agency or creative that has had a win.
nice work the zohan.
‘Using your forearm as a towel’ is my favourite bit. Well done all-round. Will sell Beer, which is exactly what it’s meant to do.
This is solid but not original or breakthrough work for a solid but not new strategy.
They are just going back to where they were before politics and marketing screwed VB up.
Which makes it the right thing to do, but creatively and strategically it’s nothing new or original.
Very nice work. I didn’t hate the stuff droga did, but trying to make VB cool was never the right way to go. Stick to your knitting, and your target, and do it well. Will sell loads of piss and get their loyal drinkers back.
Really nice answer to what must have been a very limited brief.
My only question is why leave it until the end to introduce the music? Feels like it wouldn’t have detracted at all having the music play throughout, definitely would have helped branding. They are selling beer, not sweat after all.
Either way well done!
Made by the only two sets of worthy man-hands in the place. Nice one Jim and Cuz.
Nice work lads. I like this better than ‘beer chase’. It’s more than a parody. And I like the writing and the truths.
I’d drink to this.
Cheers to all involved.
Take away the VB music at the end and let’s say no DOP was used or slick post, they look like some instruction videos for a handyman product or DIY instructions.
Average to say the least. Same old Patt’s account service and same old clients from when patt’s had it.
@Kill Joy – It really smarts when lemon gets into the cut doesn’t it? Well, I got a whole bag of lemons over here. You should come over.
Agree with Golf Claps…should’ve had the music run throughout the ad rather than at the end.
Great ad nevertheless!
These might not be the big award winning opportunity the creative team needs or wants, but the spots are solid and mature. Let’s hope it’s not too late for them to work.
FURIOUS MAMMOTH!
Same old same old. Good but same and old.
Well done Mark and Alice. They look great !
Under another name – my own – I urged some years ago(in a newspaper column) a return to the ‘hard-earned-thirst’, simply updated, when the business went to D5. Of course it was a challenge they couldn’t and wouldn’t rise to. They had to throw away the baby with the bathwater to show how ‘clever’ they were. This, on the other hand, is a solid but unremarkable first move back to a brand property with not only decades of investment behind it but genuine marketing credibility. But that’s OK. Surely it’s only the beginning of a new era. There’s plenty of time to sprinkle a bit more ‘creativity’ in future campaigns once this is bedded in. So beware condemning it for being a bit functional in this incarnation. The Clems boys have demonstrated they have the firepower when it’s needed. I would also acknowledge that the coincidence of timing with the reintroduction of the 4.9% alcohol content and the release of this work is either good luck or genius planning. When taken together, it all makes so much sense.
Karl Stefanovich thinks it’s the best ever.
Is that good?
VB is a massive brand with a massive amount of emotion attached to it an all levels. Patts invented it and evolved it, Droga5, well, Droga5-ed it, and now Clems take on the next phase, to re-enstate a proud brand’s credibility and sales.
For me this stuff works well, does not take the piss of the VB drinker, has a touch of the hard man and a smile about it and feels honest and true. What’s not to like.
What always amuses me is that most of the shit slingers here have probably never made a beer ad let alone one for VB. It’s a very small club the; ‘I made a VB ad’ club. So cheers to those all in it – if any one knows about a hard earned thirst we do. (Good on you Cuz, Jim ‘n Ant).
Just like a penis in a high heel shoe. Great.
I worked at droga – on vb – and it took over a year of trying to talk them back into the reward for effort strategy that had made them famous, creatively written as hard earned thirst of course.
His name was Dom, ran a research company, he’s the guy who said it had lost its relevance. Client listened to him over Patts and Droga.
The thing I learned out of all this is that advertising CD ‘s have lost their relevance.
the whole business almost has and it’s unfortunate.
Too many marketing people turning to science over emotion.
Ok. Wished they used the music throughout. Got a decent VO. And used the famous sign off that made Vic famous.
Jim and Cuz Vic at Patts was stronger.
Won’t sell any additional volume and Vic will probably lose another couple of million cases this year. Carlton Draught all the way and bigger brand.
People move on.
Calm down Patts posters (the first 30 or so), we like it. Mainly because someone finally saw sense. Run the tag line for 30 seconds with the song and it’d sell beer, especially now it’s not mid-strength.
That said, nicely done, tough gig to follow (the original work) and this is a nice start. As for the geniuses who decided to change strategy a few years ago, hope your learning how to shovel shit from stables in Sibera. Worst idea ever.
That said, I want the suit that sold it in working for me, that’s impressive.
What I love about these spots is something not many brands have the balls to do these days.
They have an opinion. They know their market. And fuck the rest of them.
No amount of beautiful DOPery from Mark @ Exit (almost as great as his VW spots) will make win these spots any awards outside of craft, but well done to the agency and the client for having the balls to say ‘we’re not here to please anyone. Matter-of-fact, we’re here to please one very small, but relevant target’.
And that’s the difference in this work. Tough blokes will lap this up right from the get-go, but the lily-white office workers will in time too, because they want to be seen as the tough blokes.
Solid effort guys, 2.5 pies out of 5.
I disagree. Hands is better than shirt. These are good ads. Well done.
But a lot like Miller High Life.
Look at the moose knuckle on the third pic! Manly.
BRILLIANT. Best beer campaign for a long time.
About f…… time.
Now they may start to rebuild this badly abused brand.
I think these are solid spots, and will sell truckloads of piss. For that, well done. But I want to put this out there. Would we be praising this as much as we are had it not been done by the beer kings at Clemenger? I think not. Nice job nonetheless.
Finally out of the hands of idiots.
How dare you point out any resemblance to Miller High Life. That won’t do. They are completely different. Obviously.
This latest effort by Clems Melbourne is one of the best beer campaigns of the past 40 years, anywhere in the world. It’s both strategically and creatively groundbreaking, and just consolidates the agency’s position as among the top three to five agencies in the world, if not of all time.
An early contender for Cannes Grand Prix 2013.
Dude (or Dudette, but I suspect you’re a Dude),
I’m partial to a bit of Clems-bashing myself….. but Miller High Life? That’s grasping at straws my man. VB earned the manly/can-do/anti-charlatan positioning about three decades before Miller did. Aside from the strategy there’s fuck-all similarity between the two.
If you read the rest of the comments above nobody is saying this is an award winner. Keogh himself called that in the press release. It’s a solid effort though and starts the journey back to respectability for a much loved brand that’s been much abused.
Vb will obviously generate a lot of comment and controversy no matter what the work is. But I think this stuff is actually bloody good. It feels right, looks good and is SUPERBLY written. It will sell beer to beer drinkers. people might disagree but I also think this is what award winning work looks like for the sheer effort to do what’s right and then do it better than most can. I’d vote for it but I fear most wont for fear of not being ‘creative’ enough. Anyway, that’s my two cents.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TS0j1PC_WA
@ @ @ Nice Work
Miller’s pretty damn close even if it’s purely from a cinematic / voiceover point of view given the example cited above.
I’d say the boys know the award opportunities here will be in point of sale and in-store posters, maybe even beer coasters or a manly hands stubby cooler.
But well done to the brand, and well done to Clems for getting out of the way. It takes brains to know when to do that.
Pretty damn close or exactly the damn same.
If “Miller High Life” wasn’t used as a reference by either the creatives or the director I’ll eat my shoe.
In the relentless pursuit of winning awards Clem’s has made two categories go backwards. Beer and the decline of growth for NAB.
Dumb advertising has hurt 2 big brands.
Any of you cunts ever had a VB? Spot on.
10:28 Not only are you wrong you are also a gutless swine. Put your name to it. I think it’s a brilliant transition from old to new. Here’s my number if you want to talk like a man – 0416106913
CC
Decline of growth for NAB? What are you smoking?
NAB and Clems have transformed the banking landscape and NAB have been the prime beneficiary of that. Transaction account opens, credit card opens, mortgage growth, customer sat gains, long term customer base profitability, brand differentiation…. name your metric.
As for beer, which brand are you referring to? This is only the start for VB and Clems so we’ll have to wait and see who the dummy is on this one.
My dad drinks VB – I’m not proud of it – but he could be anyone of the dudes in this spot.
Spot on for the market.
Love em.
Nothing has come close to the Original VB adds done all those years ago, but I think these may have just raised the bar.
Well done to all.
Cheers