Alf Stewart actor Ray Meagher fronts Australian version of Snickers ad
Home And Away star Ray Meagher appears in the first Australian version of Snickers’ long-running “You’re not you when you’re hungry” campaign.
Meagher – bad tempered Alf Stewart in the soap – features in the Clemenger Melbourne BBDO ad as the angry alter ego of a hungry trail bike rider.
US actors to star in the campaign include Betty White and Joe Pesci. Last year also saw a New Zealand version featuring former Ten breakfast host Paul Henry:
Brad Cole, Mars Segment Leader, said of the Logie-winning Meagher: “He doesn’t normally do commercials – he’s very protective of his personal brand. But he’d seen the Betty White ads and just loved them. We feel so lucky to have such an iconic Australian actor working for Snickers.”
Shot at Appin Motor Cross track in NSW, the commercials were directed by Brendan Gibbons, who was also responsible for the Mars Runaway Train campaign released at the end of last year. The stunt man who takes the jump on the BMX bike is Rhys James, one of Australia’s leading parkour competitors.
The ad also briefly features Martin Vaughan, best known for his Logie winning role in the ABC TV series Power Without Glory.
Credits:
Mars
- Marketing Director MARS– Nicole McMillan
- Segment Leader – Brad Cole
Agency
- Executive Chairman – James McGrath
- Executive Creative Director – Ant Keogh
- Senior Creatives – Seymour Pope, Tim Bishop, Paul Reardon, Simon Bagnasco
- Senior TV Producer – Sevda Cemo
- Print Producer – Mary Darzi
- Group Account Director – Jennifer Chin
- Account Director – Tim Clark
- Senior Account Manager – Atlanta Sgro
- Account Executive – Emma Smith
- Michael Derepas – Planning Director
- Matt Pearce – Planner
Production Company
- Production Company – Curious Film
- Director – Brendan Gibbons
- Producer – Tara Riddell
- DOP – Lachlan Milne
Post Production
- Editor – Tim Parrington
- Flame Artist – Eugene Richards
- Post Production – The Butchery (offline) and The Refinery (online)
Sound Studio
- Sound Designer – Paul Le Couteur
- Sound House – Flagstaff Studios
The epitome of a massive advertising idea.
Translates seamlessly around the globe.
Nice.
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Great choice with Alf. However, you see the punchline coming for miles (and really, it’s not that funny.)
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Like it a lot… but how many creatives are actually required to rewrite an ad that’s been done numerous times before.
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Stone the flaming crows! Ray Meagher as the talent – what a great choice!
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Sure it translates around the globe – cause it’s just the same ad everywhere with different celebrity talent. Coke Happiness – that’s a big idea. Even Lynx’s well worn magical transformation turning regular guys into romeo’s is more interesting than this tired old campaign. Sure the average Home & Away punter will think it’s funny, for a bit. But surely there must be other more interesting ways to tell the story that Snickers gets you back to yourself.
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‘The stunt man who takes the jump on the BMX bike is Rhys James’…it’s not a BMX bike, its a dirtbike. And where is the threat of rape dungeon?
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Bad, bad, bad – Really goes against safe motorcycle riding, sounds like the chocolate milk ad.
I am sure the road safety organisations will have something to say about the dangerous aspects of this ad. Should be banned and Ray should never have done irt as really not good for his Home and Away image.
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Tired! Not funny! Give me a Mars!
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@Carol Goldsmith – it’s not on the road, it’s off road dirtbiking. It’s people like you that make us live in a nanny state, you think you’re part of the solution but you are the problem. I wish your grandchildren never showed you how to use the internets and left you to tend to your many cats
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@carole goldsmith – HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
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I’d choose Andrew Bolt for the ‘before’.
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Aussie one seems contrived
Kiwi one works well.
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i didn’t see a road in that ad Carole
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awesome – showing people doing dangerous acts is just not on, go back to your knitting.
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I like both of the ads although the ad with the Alf Stewart character seems a little contrived. The Paul Henry ad on the other hand makes you wonder what offensive thing he is going to do in a Snickers commercial and seems to be to me at least more engaging.
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Thanks for saying what we were all thinking Carole Goldsmith. Why can’t these chocolate makers just focus on the caramel and peanut facts, instead of inciting our children to throw themselves off high-powered motorbikes. What if one of those out of control death machines runs over my cat? I’d only have four left. The world needs more journalists like you Carole, who aren’t afraid to speak the truth. Shame on you Snickers bar company.
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It was sad to see how some ham-fisted Bozo ruined the original Joe Pesci and Don Rickles version of this ad by chopping it up and re-airing a mutilated version.
God knows what motivated that move. Just bring back the original.
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Best. Ad. Ever.
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@Carol Goldsmith – have a look at the statistic of how many people injure themselves a year from dirtbiking compared to AFL or NRL matches. So by your logic all contact sport should be banned from our TV sets?
I actually don’t know why I am getting worked up at this, you’re obviously a relic from a bygone area who’s views now live in the fringes of obscurity
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Carol, statistics show that there is a 100% correlation between birth, accidents and death. Let’s ban birth to solve these issues. Alternatively look at them sensibly and look for causality instead of peddling your pet peeve.
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Awesome when was the last time you ventured away from your doorstep, I mainly work overseas so you can take you obscurity and get a life. Go outside your comfort zone.
When I return to Australia and see bad ads I just shake my head and wonder why I ever returned. JG.
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Love the snickers “Alf Stewart” ad, very funny! Best ad I have seen in a long time. Well done to all involved!
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I think Ray looks a lot like Alan Jones..
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