Australian Lamb has returned with its annual summer campaign, and this time it’s taking a dig at our slide out of the world’s 10 happiest countries list.
Created by Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, the new push responds to Australia slipping to 11th place in the World Happiness Report last year, marking the first time the country has fallen outside the top 10.
The film, directed by Dave Wood from Good Oil, sets out to prove Australians are happier than the rankings suggest, using humour, cultural cues and data from an official happiness survey commissioned by Australian Lamb.
Data, culture and a very Australian definition of happiness
The campaign leans into the idea that global measures of happiness fail to capture what makes Aussies joyful.
Hardware store sausage sizzles, unique wildlife and the country being “totally girt by sea” feature as shorthand for local culture, even if they do not immediately translate internationally.
At the heart of the story is a familiar unifier: the summer Australian Lamb BBQ. The spot positions shared meals and togetherness as the real drivers of national happiness, arguing that connection matters more than rankings.
Nathan Low, general manager for marketing and insights at Meat & Livestock Australia, said the campaign was designed as a playful rebuttal to the global index.
“We believe the ‘World Happiness Report’ doesn’t understand the unique cultural nuances that we enjoy about being Australians, so we wanted this campaign to be a playful reminder that we truly are a happy nation, especially when we come together. And nothing brings us together quite like Aussie Lamb.”
Droga5 leans into unity and togetherness
Droga5 ANZ chief creative officer Damon Stapleton said the work celebrates the everyday moments that define Australian happiness, even if they resist easy measurement.
“We may not be the happiest country on paper according to the so-called experts, but there are so many things that make us happy that just aren’t going to fit in a pre-determined form,” he said.
“This year’s campaign is a celebration of Australia’s sense of unity and togetherness, and whether it’s enough to put us back in the top 10 is yet to be seen, but we hope it reminds people of what brings us together.”
The campaign premiered on January 5 and is rolling out nationally across TV, cinema, BVOD, SVOD and social, with media handled by UM. PR, social and influencer activity is led by one green bean, with earned and owned channels supporting the broader summer push.
Campaign Credits:
Client: Meat & Livestock Australia
General Manager – Marketing and Insights: Nathan Low
Strategic Marketing Operations Manager: Jeffrey Ng
Brand Manager – Lamb: Derek Lau
Creative Agency: Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song
ANZ Marketing Practice Lead, CEO of Droga5 ANZ: Matt Michael
Chief Creative Officer: Damon Stapleton & Barbara Humphries
Chief Client Officer: Belinda Drew
Executive Creative Directors: Hugh Gurney & Joe Sibley
Creative Directors: Thomas Gledhill & Lennie Galloway
Senior Copywriter: Liam Jenkins
National Head of Production: Romanca Mundrea
Head of Production: Penny Brown
Producer: Izzy Robertson
Head of Effectiveness: Kit Lansdell
Business Director: Harrison Stone
Business Manager: Matthew Stafford
Designer: Kamron Lyons
Production Company: Good Oil
Director: Dave Wood
Executive Producer/Partner: Sam Long
Producer: Catherine Warner
DOP: Earle Dresner
Production Designer: Jeremy Fuller
Casting: Peta Einberg
Post Production: ARC
Editor: Harrison Carr
Assistant Editor: Liam James
Grade: Ben Eagleton
Online: Jesse Meha
Producer: Cheryn Frost
Archive: Savage Archive
Audio Production: MassiveMusic
Head of Creative Production APAC: Katrina Aquilia
Sound Design: Simon Kane
Music Composition: Haydn Walker
Media Agency: UM
Phil Ely, Senior Strategy & Planning Director
Sharyn Keller, Client Partner
Ann-Maree Mulders, Senior Creative Connections Director
PR, Social and Influencer Agency: one green bean
Managing Partner: Lauren Bailey
Senior Account Director: Molly Dodwell
Account Director: Amy McCann
Senior Account Manager (PR): Alexandra Moy
Account Manager (Influencer): Caoilfhionn Blaney
Account Manager (Social): Sarah Hutt