Just in time for summer, Diageo Australia is launching a new television commercial (TVC) and through the line campaign to support the launch of a refreshingly different pre-mixed drink from Bundaberg Rum, Lazy Bear.

Combining the iconic Bundaberg Rum with the taste of dry ginger ale and natural lime, Lazy Bear is a refreshingly different new drink from Australia’s favourite rum brand.

The mid-strength Lazy Bear is the perfect drink for long lazy summer afternoons with your mates and introduces Bundaberg Rum into a drinking occasion not normally associated with rum.

The TVC for Lazy Bear was shot on location in Thala Beach, North Queensland, just outside Cairns. It features five mates enjoying a lazy afternoon by the beach in hammocks, swinging in increasing arcs, like a Newton’s cradle (which they’ve constructed), before cleverly grabbing a bottle of Lazy Bear from an esky perched in a tree.

The product name and campaign were conceived by Diageo and Leo’s in response to the trend towards more casual daytime drinking occasions. Lazy Bear is a direct invitation to re-embrace well-earned ‘lazy time’ with your mates.

With the product name nodding towards the brand’s most famous icon, viewers will be encouraged to keep an eye out for some guest appearances by a famous figure long absent from our screen: Bundy R Bear. He makes a cameo appearance across seven different versions of the TVC where he can be spotted enjoying some well-earned ‘lazy time’ of his own.

Grant McAloon, joint ECD, Leo Burnett Sydney, said: “Spending time with friends is important but we often struggle to find that time. So when it does happen, it’s something to be celebrated. So that’s what we set out to do.”

His ECD partner, Vince Lagana, added: “We’re proud to have worked so closely with Diageo on this product that moves one of its biggest brands into a new space, along with a campaign that reminds us that ‘lazy time’ is actually precious time.”

Jodi McLeod, Marketing Manager, Bundaberg Rum, said: “Bundaberg Rum Lazy Bear is our biggest premix launch in years. We have already seen an amazing response to the product from retailers as the weather starts to warm up and shoppers look for the perfect drink to accompany those summer picnics and BBQs. We’re excited to be launching a campaign that brings to life lazy time with our signature humour and reintroduces Bundy R. Bear to surprise and delight everyone whose been missing him from our screens.”

The campaign, which also runs across cinema, outdoor, digital and social, launched on 23 September to coincide with the NRL preliminary finals.

CREDITS:

Client – Diageo

Marketing and Innovation Director: Adam Ballesty

Head of Strategy and Innovation: Drewe Letchford

Innovation Futurist: Joe Spence

Marketing Manager: Jodi McLeod

Senior Brand Manager: Karl Roche

Assistant Brand Manager: Anita Mamo

Agency – Leo Burnett Sydney

Chief Executive Officer: Pete Bosilkovski

Executive Creative Director: Grant McAloon & Vince Lagana

Senior Art Director: Nils Eberhardt & Ben Alden

Senior Copywriter: Dave Govier & Michael Dawson

Executive Broadcast Producer: Tim Pietranski

Integrated Producer: Cassie Collin

Head of Print: Adrian Jung

Strategy Director: Ross Cameron

Group Business Director: James Walker-Smith

Business Director: Neil Duncan

Business Manager: Aaron Wall

PR Director: Liz Hunt

Head of Connect: Emma Montgomery & Karla Pritchard

Communications Strategy Director: Linda Fagerlund (nee Tran)

Media Director: Stuart Capel

Media Agency: MediaVest

Production – Revolver

Director: Steve Rogers

EP/Producer: Pip Smart

EP: Michael Ritchie

DOP:  Geoffrey Simpson

Editor:  Bernard Garry (The Editors)

Grade:  Ben Eagleton (BE Colour)

Post Production/VFX: FIN design

Post Supervisor:  Justin Bromley

Music: Song Zu