A new product-led campaign, developed in harness with agency Clemenger BBDO, saw former Cricket Australia official beer Victoria Bitter call on cricket fans to eschew the classic English Breakfast Tea and instead brew up a Aussie cuppa as it launched its very own product innovation – ‘VB Tea’.
The limited-edition tea, created using the beer brand’s own Super Pride Hops and premium black tea leaves, was created to be the perfect drink for Australian fans staying up late to support their cricketers in the 2019 Ashes series again the Poms in England.
Launched on 28 July on Victoria Bitter’s own merchandise store, the limited edition Ashes tea is supported by a spearhead spot which asks ‘What’s worse than drinking English breakfast? Drinking it while the Poms are playing. VB Tea for a limited time only, while stocks last.’
The video is supported by social content, PR and influencer engagement.
“We know how much Australians love cricket, and the long hours and sleepless nights they put themselves through whenever there’s a series in the UK,” said VB marketing director Chris Maxwell.
“So, we wanted to reward their hard work in supporting Australia by creating the perfect alternative to English Breakfast to sip on, as we go to battle with the Poms in what’s sure to be a hard-fought series. After all, there’s no time to snooze – especially if the Poms are losing.”
Evan Roberts, executive creative director, Clemenger BBDO, added: “Staying up into the wee hours to support the team, then going to work a few hours later is hard work. Now fans can knock off with a nice hot cuppa based on a big cold beer.”
VB Tea retails online at $10 per box (excluding delivery) for a limited time at www.victoriabitter.com.au.
And Victoria Bitter, of course, encourages responsible drinking: VB Tea contains zero alcohol.
The initiative was created for Carlton & United Breweries’ Classic Brands Director Chris Maxwell, Associate Director (Victoria Bitter) Hugh Jellie and Assistant Brand Manager (Victoria Bitter) Emma Turner by a team from creative agency Clemenger BBDO, with PR from Clemenger PR, production by Flare, DOP from Betty Wants In/ Chas Mackinnon and Sound by Squeaky Clean/Ramsay Demarco.
Comment:
A smart idea: a branded utility for Australian cricket fans watching the games in their pyjamas (due to the time difference) to assist them through the late nights and early mornings – ensuring they don’t miss any key wickets or boundaries.
One that has the classic comic tone that is long part of VB’s positioning and which has synergies with an England hosted Ashes.
But it is an idea we’ve seen before from a beer brand – albeit in coffee rather than tea,
It reminds us of several other time-zone branded utilities from sports sponsors down under – particularly All Blacks beer sponsor Steinlager with its ‘Steinlatte’ coffee for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England (see case study).
VB parent company Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) was been an official sponsor of Cricket Australia since the 1996-97 season.
The VB brand had naming rights to the domestic Australian one-day international team and domestic one-day series, as part of a deal estimated to be worth $65m over five years.
But in 2017 Cricket Australia confirmed its relationship with Victoria Bitter had come to an end after two decades and VB was replaced by XXXX GOLD as the rights-owner’s official beer partner.
Yet this hasn’t stopped the brand leveraging the sport, and the team in its marketing through ambush work.
Indeed, this limited edition product led initiative is yet another inventive and imaginative Ashes activation from Victoria Bitter.
The Australian team’s official beer has an impressive track record of Ashes work stretching back to the likes of 2016’s ‘Earn A Place In The Australian Cricket Team’ (see case study), 2013’s ‘Ashes Scoreboard’ (see case study)
and 2011’s ‘Shout The Nation’ which saw it buy the whole nation a beer after England won the series.
Links:
Victoria Bitter
https://www.victoriabitter.com.au/
https://www.youtube.com/user/vbbeertv
https://www.instagram.com/victoriabitter/
Carlton & United Breweries
Clemenger BBDO
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