How to get Aussies to eat lamb

The traditional Australian diet is very meat (read beef-) centric; meat and 3 veges was the standard meal for most Anglos and still is for many. So when you have to promote the consumption of other meats, it’s like pushing shit uphill- apologies for the unappetising metaphor. What it then takes is some really creative messages- the guys who sell pork did it with their campaign some time ago touting it as ‘the other white meat’ (in USA too apparently, where this link leads).

The Meat & Livestock industry association has come up with a campaign using an ethnic-origin ex-rugby footballer who uses the most ocker language and slang to make his point to cook lamb for Australia day as doing otherwise would be un-Australian. The ethnic stererotype rings true because in my experience the most ocker accents now come from the Greeks, Italians, Lebanese and East-European migrants (once collectively called wogs). They did this with award-winning ads in 2005 and 2006 and are doing it again this year (will post a link to the new ad when available):

In the latest ad, he is expected to take aim at retired swimmer Ian
Thorpe and “bling-encrusted” teenagers for being un-Australian.

“In this election year, Australians are faced with a stark choice:

allow un-Australianism to flourish, or take a stand against it, before
it becomes as prevalent as exposed genitals on a reality television
show,” Kekovich says at the beginning of the ad.

“In the past year, I’ve travelled all over this wide, brown land.
I’ve met a few people, both young and old, and listened to what they
had to say. I’ve seen first-hand the devastation un-Australianism has
caused. And frankly, I’ve had a gutful.”

The first ad in 2005, when the commentator launched a stream of
invective and called for capital punishment for un-Australian
behaviour, resulted in a major boost in lamb sales. Last year, the
campaign by ad agency BMF resulted in more than $2 million worth of
free publicity and lamb sales jumped 16 per cent.

More here.

Have to love a people who can laugh at their own stereotypes!

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