Droga5 and VB pad up for brand warfare with England

With England’s cricket team back on Australian soil for a big summer series, Victoria Bitter has teamed up with Droga5 ANZ to make sure there’s no confusion about one of the game’s oldest rules: stay in your crease.

The campaign, created by Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, plays on the lingering tension from the last Australia–England clash, when “words were said, beers were refused, and 250-year-old rules were forgotten.”

The initiative kicked off with a full-page ad in London’s Daily Mirror reminding England’s players, coaches and fans of the stumping rule before they even boarded their flight. Cheeky out-of-home placements greeted them at Australian airports, with further activity planned near key cricket venues throughout the summer.

VB’s ad in the Daily Mirror

To drive the message home, VB has also partnered with Liquorland to release limited-edition cans featuring “VB’s Laws of Cricket”. The special packaging will be available nationwide from 5 November, while stocks last.

Merv Hughes fronts the campaign

Leading the charge is former Test fast bowler and cult figure Merv Hughes, who appears in the hero film and across social channels, as well as on morning television and The Grade Cricketer podcast. Hughes has also been spotted handing out cans to the Barmy Army to ensure England’s most dedicated fans stay informed on VB’s laws this summer.

Tessa Whittaker, Marketing Manager, Victoria Bitter, said: “Victoria Bitter has a long history of championing sportsmanship and Aussie values. When the poms kicked up a fuss in 2023, we went into bat by creating England Bitter. This time around, we’re getting ahead of the game and preventing any further rule-related blunders by turning our iconic cans into an educational resource for visiting cricketers and fans.”

Adam Slater, Creative Director, Droga5 ANZ, added: “It’s tough being an English cricketer in Australia. Not only do you endure the hot Australian sun and beer that’s served well below room temperature – you’re also somehow expected to remember all the rules of that game you invented. We’ve loved working with VB to make life a little bit easier for our dear old English rivals, while keeping the brand front and centre all summer.”

CREDITS:
Client: Victoria Bitter
Head of Beer: Ben Eyles
Marketing Manager – Victoria Bitter: Tessa Whittaker

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