Diageo Australia has announced the launch of a major new brand campaign for Bundaberg Rum – the biggest one for the brand in over a decade.

The ‘Unmistakeably Ours’ campaign was created and executed with the help of Leo Burnett Sydney, and will be activated across multiple channels, including TV, out of home, digital and in-store.

With a media value of $20 million over the next 18 months, the campaign launches with a new 90-second TVC tonight to coincide with the launch of the 2017 NRL season and Bundaberg Rum’s second year of sponsoring the rugby league competition.

The 90-second TV spot opens with actor Gyton Grantley reminding us about the importance of Australia’s enduring values, and features cameos by Olympic gold medallist Anna Meares and surfing hero Julian Wilson, who famously paddled towards a shark in an attempt to save his mate (Mick Fanning) from an attack.

The spot also includes a Mardi Gras scene celebrating Australia’s enduring optimism and culminates in a celebration with the Bundaberg Rum team outside the distillery in Queensland.

Bundaberg Rum marketing manager Jodi McLeod said the brand has always celebrated the Australian spirit but never articulated this purpose as clearly or with as much pride as the new campaign.

“Recent brand research highlighted that pride in Australia has dropped to its lowest point in 20 years, and so, as Australia’s national drink, we wanted to celebrate the spirit that’s unmistakably ours and elevate the role that Bundy plays in bringing Aussies together,” she said.

“The campaign is a rally cry to unite all Australians around the best of the Aussie spirit and celebrate everything that makes us and our country brilliantly unique.”

Vince Lagana, joint executive creative director at Leo Burnett Sydney, said the words ‘Aussie pride’ come with baggage, so the agency set out to create a campaign “to remind Australians of the values that make us truly unique today”.

“All while maintaining the humour that Bundy is famous for,” he added.

Credits

Diageo:

• Adam Ballesty – marketing and innovation director
• Jodi McLeod – marketing manager
• Joanna Gibson – senior brand manager
• Clara Lee – senior insights manager

Leo Burnett Sydney:

• Vince Lagana and Grant McAloon – executive creative directors
• Michael Dawson and Adam Bodfish – senior copywriter
• Ben Alden and Nils Eberhardt – senior art director
• Jason Young – senior designer
• Ross Cameron and Graham Alvarez – planning director
• James Walker-Smith – group business director
• Neil Duncan – business director
• Rachel Devine – senior broadcast producer
• Adrian Jung – head of print
• Linda Tran – communications strategist
• Stuart Capel – media director
• Courtney Rule – PR strategist
• Liz Hunt – publicity director
• Gideon Hornung – experience director
• Alexandra Roubine – social media strategist
• Prudence McKendry – content producer
• Kit Baker – content creator
• Gotham Pillai – content writer

Film production:

• Lachlan Dickie – director, Rabbit Content
• Lucas Jenner – executive producer, Rabbit Content
• Marcus Butler – producer, Rabbit Content
• ARC EDIT – offline
• Blackbird VFX – online
• Song Zu – music and audio
• Toni Higginbotham – casting
• Prodigious Brand Logistics – social content

Stills Production:

• Jamie Macfayden – photographer, Louis & Co
• Will Palmer-Reeves – producer, Louis & Co
• Prodigious Brand Logistics – retouching