Menulog Teams Up With Footy Legend Sailor To Do Mundane Things At Home During State of Origin

On 21 June, during game two of Australia’s State of Origin rugby league series, Menulog rolled out a set of ads featuring footy legend Wendell Sailor – aka Big Dell – doing mundane things at home.

The campaign for the Australian and New Zealand online food and beverage ordering app and delivery service platform, was developed with agency Thinkerbell, included spots showing the legend brushing his teeth, having a snooze and reading ‘King of the Wing’.

The marking burst, which marked the company’s third year as an official Origin broadcast sponsor with Nine Network of the NRL state tournament, emerged from footy fan feedback during Game I which found that the frequency of the brand’s new campaign featuring Katy Perry disrupted their Origin viewing experience.

So Menulog chose to have some fun with this insight by taking its marketing in another direction for Game II through a series of deadpan, dull TV ad spots playing throughout the match.

The campaign’s TV ads were supported via earned media and social content.

The Blues catching up on Delivery! #OriginWithMenulog

— menulog (@Menulog) June 8, 2022

Well that's a Cherry on top of the QLD pie! #OriginWithMenulog

— menulog (@Menulog) June 8, 2022

Gagai delivers for QLD! #StateofOrigin #OriginWithMenulog

— menulog (@Menulog) June 8, 2022

The campaign was created for client Menulog Australia by a group of agencies led by Thinkerbell (which worked on the creative, earned and social strands), UM (which handled media) as well as production company Elastic.

“We may have slightly overcooked it for footy fans with our advertising during Game I of State of Origin. But we get it…the fans tune in for some great footy,” explained Menulog Australia’s Marketing Director Simon Cheng. “Our Katy Perry ad is definitely not going anywhere and Aussies can expect to see and hear it many more times, but for game 2 of Origin, we wanted to give them something a little closer to home with a bit of Wendell.”

Thinkerbell Chief Thinker Adam Ferrier added: “We admire brands who have a bit of fun at their own expense. We loved helping Menulog get involved in the conversation and deliver something bloody unexpected.”

Comment

This campaign follows on from Menulog’s 2021 text-themed State Of Origin marketing campaign, which also featured Sailor, titled ‘Origin Snackdown’.