In this edition of B&T’s Campaigns of the Month, we’re putting August’s biggest creative contenders under the microscope: Australian Pork’s newest Get Some Pork On Your Fork spot via Dig, Thinkerbell’s latest Menulog work and Telstra’s Star Trek-esque drama.
System1 has once again tested the work with audiences, while B&T has roped in BMF’s Tom Hoskins and JOY’s Libby Young to weigh in on what’s working, what’s wobbling, and what’s winning hearts.
You can check out B&T’s whole Campaign of the Month archive here.
Australian Pork, Get Some Pork On Your Fork, Dig
Kicking it off with a new creative platform under the famous ‘Get Some Pork On Your Fork’ line via Dig. The creative work positions pork as the way to bring an “enticing twist” to everyday meals, and help you triumph amongst the family drama at mealtime. Focusing initially on the delicious sticky pork stir-fry, the campaign brings swagger and humour to Australia’s most popular meals to cook at home.
System1 Analysis
Australian Pork’s latest spot delivers standout emotional impact this month, with 61% of respondents reacting positively to the ad’s characterful charm and comedy. The storyline is beautifully simple: a woman returns from work to discover her husband cooking a mouth-watering pork stir fry. As the aroma fills the kitchen, her attraction toward him intensifies, culminating in a warm family meal together.
What makes this work is its relatability, balanced with playful humour. Audiences connect with the domestic scene while enjoying the wife’s exaggerated reactions and the tongue-in-cheek cultural references as her husband transforms into his most alluring self. The execution is bold, playful, and authentically on-brand. The only opportunity lies in earlier brand integration – introducing Australian Pork’s branding sooner would ensure the emotional connection lands with the brand rather than pork as a category.
Creatives Weigh In
Tom Hoskins, Group Creative Director, BMF
‘Get some pork on your fork’ is now an iconic and enduring Australian brand line. First launched in the 1990s, it’s admirable that Australian Pork Limited has stuck with it for over 30 years. Backing in distinctive brand codes like the pink suit in recent years has been a smart move. But, as is often the challenge with an iconic line, the question becomes: how do you keep it feeling fresh? I found the previous campaign a big, confident swing in tone and execution. This iteration, while still playful, feels a little safer and perhaps a little too expected.
Libby Young, Creative Director, JOY Agency
If I had to choose, the 2024 iteration felt stronger with “Por Qué?” at the heart of the creative, getting families to question their meal and giving a clear strategic reason for a Spaniard in a pink suit. This new ad feels reliant on the previous campaign, and its attempt to play with home stereotypes doesn’t feel quite as fresh. Still, the dog is cute.
Menulog, What’s Good In Your Hood, Thinkerbell
Next up is the next phase of Menulog’s ‘What’s Good in Your Hood’ platform, localising the creative idea to hundreds of suburbs and regions across Australia. The campaign supports Menulog’s strategic focus on backing local food heroes and driving orders to local restaurants.
At the centre of the project sits An Ode to Local, creative work featuring Aussie hip hop legends Bliss n Eso. The hyperlocalised campaign combines several AI creative and distribution tools to deliver tailored versions of the idea, showcasing local restaurants with lyrics and executions adapted to communities across the country.
Thinkerbell, working with Heckler and Made Promptly, engineered a custom creative toolkit that fuses live-action filmmaking, traditional VFX, and AI models. This system allowed one campaign to scale into hundreds of unique ads, without sacrificing craft or storytelling.
System1 Analysis
This ad masterfully weaves emotion, rap and brilliant branding into an epic creative package. Menulog’s distinctive brand assets are impossible to miss – from signature orange branding and sonic cues to subtle logo placements and appetising product shots. The brand has embraced a wonderfully bold creative direction, packed with wheelying grandmas, orange llamas and delightfully absurd moments that reward repeat viewing.
These comedic oddities don’t just entertain – they create a memorable world that keeps audiences coming back for more. It’s branded entertainment at its finest, where every eccentric element serves the larger strategy of making Menulog unmistakably recognisable while genuinely entertaining viewers, cutting through in a highly competitive category.
Creatives Weigh In
Tom Hoskins, Group Creative Director, BMF
‘Did Somebody Say…’ is now a long-running juggernaut. This latest outing offers a mix of both the fresh and familiar. The now globally known rendition is performed by local hip-hop duo Bliss n Eso. While its urban theme is a departure from the previous high-polish music videos, it allows Menulog to show that it’s backing and celebrating local restaurants and communities. The use of AI-generated visuals might feel a bit ‘of-the-now’ to many, but punters on the street will think a rapping battered fish is fun.
Libby Young, Creative Director, JOY Agency
Menulog’s What’s Good in Your Hood is a good example of AI amplifying creativity rather than replacing it. The localised approach gives local businesses a genuinely bigger stage, something traditional production approaches would blow the budget on. Proving how smart tech integration can make work more personalised and just as fun to watch.
Telstra, Scams (Steve Buscemi), Bear Meets Eagle On Fire & +61
Last but not least, Telstra has tapped Steve Buscemi to star in its latest spot, showing off the power of its network security created by Bear Meets Eagle on Fire with +61. Buscemi takes the part of an evil intergalactic Emperor, intent on taking over Australia through elaborate hi-tech scams. Despite their best efforts, the ‘Zalunians’ are constantly foiled by Telstra’s mighty network.
System1 Analysis
It’s wacky, distinctive and highly memorable – earning strong fluency and exceptional short-term brand attribution. Telstra might leave audiences confused, angry and slightly scared, but they’re certainly not bored. This strategy aligns with compelling research from Jon Evans, Adam Morgan at eatbigfish, and Peter Field in “The Extraordinary Cost of Dull.” Their analysis of the System1 database revealed that neutrality – not negativity – poses the biggest threat to commercial success.
While Telstra’s viewers experience mixed emotions, neutrality scores just 36%, proving the ad successfully sparks a response. The insight is crucial: any emotion beats none. When viewers feel nothing, they do nothing. Telstra achieves memorability in spades, with “cyber security” landing as the second-highest spontaneous brand association – mission accomplished. The only watch-out is the runtime. At over 20-40 seconds, the ad exceeds the sweet spot for sustained emotional engagement.
Creatives Weigh In
Tom Hoskins, Group Creative Director, BMF
This is such an inspiring shift from the ‘security’ metaphors and the ‘hackers in hoodies’ scammer tropes. Steve Buscemi may have top billing, but the stars of the show are the script writing and the meticulously crafted set design. Spaceballs meets 2001: A Space Odyssey, meets a secure network. Telstra continues to double down on craft and entertainment to deliver memorable product and network messages. It’s a bold and incredibly admirable approach that’s clearly helping people feel something bigger and more meaningful about the brand.
Libby Young, Creative Director, JOY Agency
I loved this – it’s an art director’s dream. Telstra’s Scamageddon is pure chaos in the best possible way. Over-the-top, beautifully crafted, and delightfully absurd. It’s a clever twist on a serious issue, turning scam protection into a retro-sci-fi comedy that’s fun to watch and leaves you weirdly confident Telstra’s got your back.
