Former cricketer Matthew Hayden helps out his everyday Australians with Century batteries

Former international test cricketer Matthew Hayden and rugby league player Andrew Ettingshausen are showing consumers how reliable Century batteries are and why they should be manufactured in the brand’s first major marketing push in 12 years.

The ad, created by Market 2 Market, sees Hayden helping a family on the side of the road, his friends set up a TV while camping, and re-start a boat out at sea.

Century’s new work aims to celebrate the brand as an Australian icon and remind Australians of the importance of reliable batteries and the need to continue to manufacture them locally.

“This year Century chalks up 89 years of manufacturing and we want to ensure they reach their century milestone,” Hayden said.

“There is nothing more satisfying than to reach a century and it is no easy feat – whether that is on the cricket pitch or in the boardroom: that number is increasingly elusive.”

“Century puts millions back into the economy along with employing 600 people alone: when you take into account the other national businesses dependent on their contracts this stretches to thousands of Aussie jobs. So you can see why we are passionate about keeping manufacturing in Australia.”

Stu Stanners, Century’s Australasian automotive general manager, said the brand wanted to remind Australians how important it is to keep jobs in this country through the new campaign.

“Just as Matthew Hayden is a hard working Aussie icon, we need Australians to know so are we: just as they support their sportsmen and women – we need them to support our industries,” Stanners said.

“And in the same way Australians rallied to support the dairy industry we want people to know we are about keeping jobs here in Australia.”

The campaign will run across TV and digital and will be supported by out-of-home and print.