Lampooned Normie Rowe remix leads to record beef sales for Coles
One of most heavily criticised ads of the last 12 months has resulted in best-ever sales for the advertiser.
The TV ad for Coles hormone-free beef, featuring veteran crooner Normie Rowe and a reworked version of his 60’s hit single Shakin’ All Over, saw beef steaks sales jump by 25% and barbeque beef sausages rise by 79% in a week of record meat sales for Coles.
A survey of the Australian public by the advertiser found that 25% of people felt better about Coles having seen the ad; 15% said they felt worse about the brand having seen the ad.
Brand awareness for Coles ‘no added hormones’ beef had reached 85% in the week after the ad, it was revealed by Coles general manager, marketing, events and sponsorships Tony Phillips at the Mumbrella Marketing Summit this week.
“Most of the commentary [on the Normie Rowe ad] is coming from the industry,” said Phillips. “That’s fine. Some of it we laugh at. Sometimes we think maybe we pushed the boat out too far.”
The ad was created by Ted Horton’s The Big Red agency.
I don’t want to live on this planet anymore.
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If this was last week, then I think Coles should send a meat tray to BMF and one to Sam Kekovich as well to say thank you for encouraging all of Aus to fire up their barbies.
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Don’t want to seem too skeptical, but did these sale increases happen in the week of Australia day?
Lots of Barbies on and around Australia day regardless of horrible ads.
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“25% of people felt better about Coles after seeing the ad.” The only possible explanation is they must have felt really shit about Coles beforehand.
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I bet this remix was the real cause of the uplift in meat sales.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-oHruQzSo4
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yes i think Coles needs to come clean on the data – was this based on previous corresponding period (ie Australia Day week?)
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Thanks Les, you beat me to it, even our small local butcher sold out of beef.
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Sorry to disappoint, but the figures are the average over 4 weeks and hardly vary from week to week – Australia Day, or no Australia Day. And Sven, the increases are compared to last year – that is, 4 weeks against the 4 corresponding weeks last year.
So, if you don’t like the ad – fine, but you gotta love the results.
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Fred, I much prefer the remix too…..except it looks like Normie is having a stroke.
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I would think that 15% of people feeling worse about the brand would concern them wouldn’t it?
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@Suck it up – good to know!
Still would you equate that much uplift in one ad campaign? Or would you look at the good work Coles have done over the last year with their agencies and assign some (or most?) of the success to that as well?
I would suggest this would be a much fairer measure, seeing as it’s looking at a specific 4 week period YoY – I’m still not convinced of the effect of one annoying ad.
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“Suck it up”- Who’s to say that a more entertaining TV spot for beef running the same 4 weeks would have done just as good a job!
And while I’m in advertising & love to take the kudos for a client’s success, it’s never just the TV ad that generates sales. POS, pricing, merchandising in store probably play a bigger role.
I liked Normie Rowe better when he was punching out racist old sports commentators.
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Oh gosh had nothing to do with the price slashing!!
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I propose that you could still have the same uplift in sales (or more) with a less annoying and pitiful ad. And Coles brand measures would greatly improve.
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Interesting. Let Coles pay for ads and MLA keep their money for work with the trade who actually sell the meat, ie butchers, food service and wholesalers.
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well they say there is no such thing as bad advertising.
All the media attention this got would have had Coles rubbing their hands together with glee.
So yes – I think Coles would LOVE Normie and rightly so.
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It’s like JB’s annoying ‘CAAARRAAAAAZZZYYYYY PRICES!’ ads – they’re designed to look horribly cheap so you think you’ll pay less at the register. This ad annoys me but probably appeals to the same people that make terrible current affairs shows rate so highly.
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The usual splattering of empty advertising adjectives and meaningless buzzwords. Perhaps they’ll do a version of Bah Bah Black Sheep for next month’s lamb sale?
“Beef Sales Increase Australia Day week.” isn’t as exciting a headline I suppose.
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