Boonie, the man who ‘normalised’ binge drinking returns to alcohol promotion with Canadian Club
Less than two years after a Foster’s marketer said he regretted his company using famed binge drinker David Boon to promote its beer, Canadian Club has signed him up.
Boon – who urban legend has it, once drank 52 cans of beer on a flight to the UK – is the new face of Canadian Club in the latest extension of its Over Beer campaign.
The former cricketer even appeared as a Boonie doll created to promote Foster’s brand VB.
But in 2009, Chris Maxwell, national sponsorship manager for Foster’s Group said at a conference: “At the time the business decided he was a good Aussie bloke. However, we came under a lot of criticism. We did not have the foresight. In glorification of that behaviour we have added to the normalisation of binge drinking in Australia.”
In today’s announcement of the campaign, Canadian Club’s brand director Trent Chapman said: “Boonie, a cricket legend first and foremost, but also a notable beer enthusiast, is the perfect face for this campaign – someone that Australian consumers can relate to when they are looking for that alternative to beer.”
The release quotes Boon as saying: ““I still enjoy a beer every now and then, but more often I’m finding it isn’t the refreshing drink I was after. My taste buds have definitely got more refined over the years, and I felt it was time for a change.”
And Damian Pincus, founding partner of ad agency The Works, said: “We wanted to take the strategy to the next stage in its evolution. Boonie is renowned for his beer drinking, and over many years has been supported by several beer brands.”
1pm update: Chapman told Mumbrella: “Canadian Club does not support or encourage excessive drinking. It’s responsible drinking campaign, Where Do You Draw the Line? sits across everything the brand does. Promotional elements of the Over Beer? campaign are only accessible by legal drinking age consumers. With regards to Boonie’s involvement, he is an Australian cricket legend first and foremost, but also a notable beer enthusiast whose drinking habits and taste buds have refined over the years, which is why we believe he is very suitable for this campaign.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Go Boonie, love your spirit
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I’m looking forward to your 1am update Chappo
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Right legend, wrong cricketer. Boonie didn’t down the 52 tinnies – it was a famous cricketer from the generation before. I’d tell you who, but sadly our absurd laws prevent that, so you’ll just have to guess.
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If Chris and VB listened to consumers rather than minority groups and teetotallers they too might deliver great campaigns like this. Boonie will always be a legend. Get me a CC
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I have turned my talking Boonie dolls away from the TV in case they see this ad and burst their batteries. Warnie’s had his teeth done and Boonie’s off the beer. It’s the end of civilization as we know it.
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Mike – I think you’re a little confused. Perhaps a couple too many beers after work has clouded the memory?! It was Boonie who apparently downed 52 cans. He surpassed another mustacheod cricketer, Rod Marsh who _only_ drained 45 cans.
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And in a couple of years’ time, Boonie will be the perfect ‘face’ for ACME liver transplants!!!
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Rob,
The Boonie Doll was light years in front of this. Absolutely legendary and won metal all around the world.
I don’t think this will.
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Typical agency response… and the sort that makes clients distrust agencies.
The goal isn’t to “win metal around the world”
The goal is to improve clients’ bottom lines.
Ask a CUB exec what Boonie Doll did for their bottom line. Ask ’em how happy they are today.
What do they tell you? Here’s what: Won metal for the agency, but did nothing lasting or meaningful to slow/stop the long, painful decline of VB.
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A bit of Googling and I found some details on the Boony I campaign results.
Foster’s commissioned IMI to conduct independent research. The findings included:
Exceptional awareness of 68% in all states (High = 35%+)
Strong participation across VB loyal, occasional and even non-drinkers – it has brought lapsed users back
The concept was most appealing to the two core strategic audiences – loyal drinkers and younger drinkers
Strong impact on favourability and future intention to purchase amongst 18-24’s
Increase on key brand measures helping to contemporise VB
Other results include:
Huge media cut through (300+ pieces of coverage) over a three-month period, excellent representation of key messages and use of stock imagery, strong demand for spokespeople for interviews, hot topic on radio, dozens of figurines posted on eBay (fetching up to $220) and blog entries online
Talking Boony figurines sold out in a matter of weeks
On-pack competition received high number of entries
Delivered Australia-first technology and the opportunity to develop further interactive, mobile and web-based activity around the technology
Positive volume uplift
Secured prominent floor displays in trade for peak pre-Christmas period
http://www.accure.com.au/carpa.....ony-files/
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Mike, regardless of your top secret info… The whole country is under the impression that Boonie was the one who downed the record breaking 52 beers, not Jonesy, Border, Marsh, Hughes, Phil Tufnell or whoever else you might think it is. Just do a search for “Boonie 52” and you have your evidence. End of story.
Great fit for the brand strategy, well done for getting Boonie on board.
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VB is the slop of beer. move on and get a proper beer. and forget about old walruses.
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