Merrick Watts remakes ’80s Tourism Australia ad for MLA
Triple M presenter Merrick Watts has made a mock version of the 1980s Tourism Australia ad which starred Paul Hogan and the famous line ‘throw another shrimp on the barbie’.
The online ad for Meat & Livestock Australia created by BMF is part of MLA’s ‘Throw another steak on the barbie’ campaign.
The idea behind the campaign is to petition the tourism board to remake the original ad and undo the stereotype that Australians ‘throw shrimps’ on the barbecue.
Watts told Mumbrella: “We had a whole lot of hits for the petition that was set up by MLA and as a result I’ve made a recreation of the Tourism Australia ad.
“It’s funny because it’s so crappy. Basically MLA said just do whatever you want to do.” he said.
“MLA have a good sense of humour. They thought it would be funny to put some resources into making the ad look like I did it. They gave me the leeway to do whatever I wanted.”
The initial call-to-action ad, also by BMF, featuring Watts was viewed more than 700,000 times on YouTube, and according to MLA, the ad increased the Nothing Beats Beef Facebook fan base by 141% with over 50,000 Australians signing the petition to remake the ad.
Earlier this week, Watts’s radio show Merrick & The Highway Patrol made headlines in the US and around the world with its MLA-branded stunt, the Carbeque, half car, half barbeque.
Credits:
- Agency: BMF
- Managing Partner – Steve McArdle
- Executive Creative Directors – Carlos Alija & Laura Sampedro
- Art Director – Trent Hendrick
- Copywriter – Andie Graham
- Planning – Christina Aventi
- Director – Stephen Carroll
- Production Company – Exit Films
- Post Production – The Editors
- Online – The Editors
- Agency Producer – Mel Herbert
- Editor – Dave Whitaker
- Producer – Tobias Webster
- Art Buyer – Basir Salleh
- Music & Sound Production – Noise
- Digital Project Manager – Rachel O’Toole
- DoP – Hugh Miller
- Client Director – Bec Morton
- Account Director – Jonny Bucknall
- Account Manager – Ciaran Miller-Stubbs
- Account Executive – Rose Flowers
So was this Merrick’s or BMF’s work. The article reads as though it were Merrick’s, but the credits indicate BMF.
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