Each year we look forward to the launch of Meat & Live Stock Australia’s (MLA) iconic Lamb ads. And this year was no exception. It is always a question of how this year’s ad could possibly outshine the last.
For the past 14 years, the MLA has run some of the country’s best ads - funny, yummy and quintessentially Aussie. The ads come to be a natural cue for Australia Day celebrations and trigger images of backyard barbies and the smell of a good lamb chop being burnt on the flames.
Well, the wait is over and it doesn’t disappoint. Last week the MLA team launched ‘Make Lamb, Not Walls’. The ad is set in 2031 and draws inspiration from the state hard borders we endured this year, and also takes a swipe at Trump’s “Wall” (which he never did build – thankfully!).
There are a few versions of the ad – including an epic 2:30s edit which is a hilarious parody and fully sets up the story. But the version which is being aired on TV is just the 30s edit which moves quite quickly. We were interested to see what people thought and how the two edits compared.
This is also the sort of ad which keeps on giving. You can enjoy watching it multiple times, even though it is so long. Each time I watch it I notice something new which makes me laugh – check out the posters at the newsagent at the start – one says “delays to the roll-out of the NBN’. And the stab at ScoMo making his way of the plane from Hawaii is a favourite.
But interestingly, for the 30s ad, there is a challenge with comprehension as the edit isn’t able to catch the narrative as well. This limits the appeal of the humour and overall execution a little.
People get the message that you should share the Lamb and east Australian Lamb on Australia Day, but they are missing the narrative of the storyline. Perhaps the team have tried to condense the story too much and missed some of the key elements of the set-up and the humour.
The ad leaves people feeling still feeling positive about buying and eating Australian Lamb. Emotionally people can relate to the ideas and scenario.
A clever story well told in a highly amusing and relevant way. Advertising brilliance that will be hard to beat next year!
