Lion and BMF sever ties, ending an iconic 19-year partnership
Ad agency BMF has cut its final remaining ties with one of Australia’s largest brewers, Lion, ending a near 20 year relationship which helped redefine beer advertising in Australia, Mumbrella can reveal.
BMF added star power to Tap King advertising for Lion
Lion and BMF agreed mutually to part ways, with Lion rationalising its agency roster under new marketing leadership.
The relationship between BMF and Lion had become increasingly strained in the wake of Lion handing the flagship XXXX Gold account to Host earlier this year, with BMF managing director, Stephen McArdle, saying the agency and brewer held different views on what worked.
Lion used to be the account that every one wanted, and produced truly world class work because of it. Now suddenly nobody wants to be part of it…and the work shows!!
this list of films is lacking without THE TOUNGE, an ad that launched a brand and a director. it’s just as big as the XXXX work created by Brown. it it a touchstone of modern Australian advertising.
Hi producer,
the Tongue is there…
Cheers,
Alex – editor, Mumbrella
Steady as she sinks…..
Lion should be embarrassed by the standard of their marketing across all brands. Creativity and boldness is such a differentiator in a crowded, largely homogenous market, but instead they produce absolute drivel. A million miles away from where they were five years ago. Bring back Arno Lenior or Margaret Zabel.
It reminds me of the beige marketing that FMCG behemoths like Nestle churn out. Strangely enough, this isn’t such a coincidence. No wonder they are collectely getting pummelled by the retailers.
I hope BMF enjoy some VBs tonight.
Ha! No surprise there was cheering, Lion are a nightmare. So shortsighted, talking about all brands on the portfolio and not just beer
Bravo BMF.
This will hurt Ogilvy and Host’s bottom line, culture and people
Seem to be a lot of comments from the agency. Cheering that a client who had hardly bought any of their work for the past two years has left?
Strange way to spin this.