Iconic Aussie beer brand Victoria Bitter (VB) has launched their first new advertising campaign in over five years.
For fans of the lager, which is a staple in pubs and bottle shops across the country, the news is a sure cause for excitement, given the VB ads of old are as iconic as the beverage itself.
WATCH NOW: Victoria Bitters releases new ad campaign. Article continues after video.
For over 160 years, VB has been quintessentially tied to the life of working-class men across Australia. In fact, the official anthem of the beer has long celebrated this.
“You can get it jumpin’. You can get it pumpin’. You can get it pressin’ a suit. A hard-earned thirst needs a big cold beer. And the best cold beer’s VIC. A LONG COLD VIC.”
“You can get it liftin’. You can get it shiftin’. You can get it any old how. Matter o’fact, I got it now. VIC BITTER!,” Aussie screen legend William McInness tells the camera in a 1968 advertising campaign for the product.
Arguably, the ad is one of the most instantly recognisable television commercials in Australian history.
But now, this anthem is being changed to simply read “a hard-earned thirst means a whole lot more,” to show the diverse capability and skills needed for hard-working jobs.
According to Carlton & United Breweries’ Head of Classic Beer Sarah Wilcox, the two new ads were created to encourage and celebrate the Aussies who were working smarter, not harder.
“VB has always stood for an honest day’s work and the blood, sweat, and tears that go into that. But it’s time to redefine what hard work means,” she shared in an official press release announcing the historic news.
“Hard work is not just physical. It’s about celebrating the skills and technical capability of hard working Aussies to get the job done properly.”
WATCH NOW: Victoria Bitter release first ad in five years. Article continues after video.
In the traditional ads of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, a succession of men working in labour intensive and quintessentially “blokey” jobs were depicted.
But now, the idea of an honest day’s work has been re-defined and celebrated in a cheeky new way.
In one, an arborist is seen using maths to safely fell a tree between two buildings whilst the second ad shows a motorbike rider fixing up his broken bike in the middle of the outback.
“We know the VB ads and anthem are as iconic as our beer. VB is still best-served ice cold, but the world has changed since the ads first aired in the 1980s, and we think these new ads reflect that,” Ms. Wilcox added in reference to the intellectual skills showcased by the men in both ads as they problem solved on the spot.
