Yellow Tail marketing boss says $5m Super Bowl regional buy ‘absolutely’ worth viewers’ eyes
The global marketing boss of Casella Family Brands has said the $5m investment in a 30 second ad for Yellow Tail Wine, was “absolutely” worth the expected 85% viewer reach at the Super Bowl.
The 30 second ‘Let’s Yellow Tail’ ad will reach 70 markets across the US.
Casella Family Brands, together with Havas Media, bought individual media slots in 70 markets across the US, making Yellow Tail the first wine brand to advertise at the US’ largest sporting event in forty years.
The brand was able to find a loop hole to Anheuser-Busch InBev’s exclusive alcohol ad rights, which prevent other alcohol brands from placing national ads during Super Bowl, through regional media buys.
Speaking with Mumbrella, Clive Coleman, Sydney-based global head of marketing at Casella Family Brands said he anticipates a significant lift in awareness scores which he believes will provide return on investment.
Commenting on the media buying process, Coleman attributed the success of Yellow Tail to its agency, Havas Media, who spent eight months buying spots across the individual US markets.
“It really was our media agency,” he said.
“They’re experts within the US so we didn’t know whether it was going to be possible or not but they came back with the plan which basically involved speaking to the majority of local markets and actually buying the local spots that are on the Super Bowl.
“It was a long and arduous process but the results are fantastic. We’ve achieved ads in 70 markets across the states and according to our media agency, we will hit 85% of people that will watch the Super Bowl, so that’s 85m people.”
Coleman said the kangaroo is an icon for the brand’s US audience
The ‘Let’s Yellow Tail’ ad will feature during half time at the Super Bowl and was made to generate spontaneous brand awareness.
“People love the Yellow Tail brand and have positive associations but it’s not really top of mind,” Coleman said.
“The brand was launched 15 years ago so by using the Super Bowl, that has a massive audience – 100m viewers tune into it – we would definitely get that spontaneous awareness. The other thing about the Super Bowl that’s unique is that not only does it have huge scale but the advertisements are actually part of the entertainment.”
Commenting on the creative brief, Coleman, who has led global marketing at CFB for sixteen months said the kangaroo was a distinct icon for the brand’s US audience, and will be key to driving brand awareness.
Created by US agency Burns Group, the ad introduces a new brand spokesperson, Yellow Tail Guy, and his sidekick kangaroo, Roopert, who visit different locations where people can enjoy wine such as at a BBQs, the beach or at parties. The new work also includes Australian actress Ellie Gonsalves as a beach-goer who bumps into Roopert and Yellow Tail Guy.
Coleman said the aim of the ad was to “own fun” and encourage Americans to associate the wine with casual events with friends.
“We aren’t stuffy people and the Yellow Tail brand isn’t stuffy, it’s a non conventional wine,” he said.
“We don’t play to all the traditional wine rules so this is a very different ad to what you’d see normal in wine brands and normally wine brands will have ads about the vineyards and the winemaker and the history and all sorts of things.
“This ad is all about fun really, and it’s very distinctive in the wine category.”
When asked whether or not the US would understand the Australian humour in the ad, Coleman said script lines were tweaked to suit the American audience.
“We’ve been really aware of the cultural differences and that’s why we’ve done a full process, including some qualitative research.”
Coleman said the brand will measure its success based on health metrics including brand awareness and spontaneous awareness and should they meet expectations, the brand will consider the 2018 Super Bowl.
The ad is the first in a series that will run over the next three years, as part of the wider ‘Let’s Yellow Tail’ campaign.
The campaign will run in-stores, through digital and online activations and social media and also includes a consumer contest to win a paid trip to Australia.
Regretfully, too many of my fellow ‘Mercians will want to know how did they train the kangaroo.
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“Created by US agency….”
There’s ya problem, right there…
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“Own fun”
And the marketing rhetoric that led to such a forgettable ad is revealed
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