Tatura Hotel calls on people of ‘The Internet’ to become part of the pub in new web film via Taboo

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Screen Shot 2015-08-05 at 10.11.24 am.jpgPeter “Bugs” Ryan of the Tatura Pub has become an Internet sensation, thanks to the ingenious crowd funding campaign created by Taboo and their friends at Gen C and Betty Wants In.

When the team at Taboo found out that their mate’s country Pub was in strife, they did what any caring agency would do; they came up with a plan to save it. Their idea was simple – launch a crowdfunding campaign where people could contribute to the pub’s renovations and, in return, owner Bugs Ryan would name parts of his pub their honour.

Taboo enlisted the help of production company Gen C to bring the campaign to life. Together with videographers form Betty Wants In, they developed the campaign launch video, which received over 200,000 views and made the front page of Reddit within 24 hours. PR agency Mkt. Communications supported the campaign with media outreach both in Australia and overseas with Bugs and his pub appearing on The Project, Weekend Today, The London Times, Daily Mail and many more.

The job, which was paid in Chicken Parmigianas, was a labor of love for the agencies, who spent a lot of time on location.

Says James Mackinnon, Taboo: “When we first set foot in the pub we knew that it was a special place. After meeting Bugs, Steve, Verne and the other regulars, it was clear the talent we needed was sitting right there at the bar”.

A few celebrities caught wind of the campaign and jumped on board. Peter Helliar has an Oil Painting on the wall of the Dining Room, as does Cooper’s Brewery Founder, Thomas Cooper. Billy Brownless purchased the Men’s Urinal where he has been gloriously immortalised.

With only a few days left in the campaign, the group launched their second video, calling on none other than Kanye West to provide some live entertainment if the Pub hit its target. While this received a lot of media attention, they are still waiting to hear from Kanye to confirm the details of the performance.

Creative Agency: Taboo

Production Company: Gen C

Director: Jack White

Producer: Nicholas Cox

DOPs: Chas Mackinnon + Drew Dunlop (Betty Wants In) Post Production: Betty Wants In

PR: MKT Communications