Wild Turkey campaign celebrates local legends from bushfire-affected regions
Wild Turkey’s latest Australian campaign sees the whiskey brand celebrate some community-minded Aussies from bushfire-affected regions.
The latest integrated campaign comes from creative director, Matthew McConaughey, who partnered with Eleven to shine a light on local legends in 2020.
Matthew McConaughey with Lin Baird of Bogong Horseback Adventures
The campaign is part of Wild Turkey’s ‘With Thanks’ global program, which was launched in Australia in 2019 when McConaughey visited Sydney.
The ongoing initiative shows off the brand’s efforts on a local level to protect and preserve the wilderness for future generations. Wild Turkey bottle sales during November and December will be donated to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife in support of bushfire regeneration.
The campaign profiles three Australian local legends from bushfire-effected regions, with McConaughey hearing their inspirational stories via video call.
He spoke with Dana and Sam Mitchell who rescued over 600 koalas on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, Linda and Matthew Rudd who saved their 100-year-old pub from the bushfires and helped their community through the disaster, and Lin Baird whose Bogong Horseback Adventures business was devastated by the fires.
McConaughey said this year’s initiative is designed to give back to those who gave their all to their communities this year.
“I’ve been Wild Turkey’s creative director for over four years and here at Wild Turkey we want to thank and shine a light on people who are unapologetically committed to their craft, like the Russell family has been for nearly 100 years,” he said.
“This year, we are giving thanks and support to Australia’s local legends, because they gave their all to their communities. They did it not just for themselves, but for each and every one of us. They helped restore their communities and the wilderness that ultimately restores us all.”
The brand also created and launched the Wild Turkey local legends website – where visitors can discover new places to visit and support, hear from the local legends themselves, alongside how to get involved in volunteering programs to help with bush regeneration.
The integrated campaign, launched via PR, is being amplified through digital and social media. The full-length interviews, the crafted voice-overs for each region and different volunteering programs can be viewed on the Local Legends website: wildturkeybourbon.com.au/local-legends.
Wild Turkey is part of the Campari Group, and Campari Australia and New Zealand managing director Paolo Marini said the company wanted to create an initiative that thanked those who’ve been a pillar of their community during the bushfire disaster and recovery.
“The Wild Turkey Local Legends platform identifies a hallmark in what it means to be truly Australian. These Local Legends have stories of resilience and strength and this year for With Thanks, we wanted to create an initiative that raised a glass and thanked those who have been a pillar of their community,” he said.
“As part of our work on With Thanks, we’ll continue to support our charity partner the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife on their mission to protect and preserve the wilderness for future generations. We hope through this initiative that Australians will celebrate our bushfire-affected regions and unique wilderness.
Eleven’s creative team, Edwin Concubierta and Ekin Gunes, added: “It’s in our national DNA to help our fellow neighbours during tough times.
“Yet, the combined crises of 2020 are like nothing we’ve seen before. To have Wild Turkey and Matthew McConaughey not only recognise these resilient locals, but also rally all Aussies to visit and support the regeneration of these regions, gave us the opportunity to get people actively participating in the wilderness rebuild efforts through With Thanks.”
Credits:
Creative and PR: Eleven
Production: BOLT
Digital and Social Media: Apparent
Got a tip?
Zanda Wilson was a reporter and podcast producer at Mumbrella, specialising in radio reporting. He left Mumbrella in September 2021.
Linkedin
topics
ana and Sam Mitchell
Campari Australia and New Zealand
Campari Group
Eleven
Lin Baird
Linda and Matthew Rudd
Matthew McConaughey
wild turkey
