An endemic tradition of Australian meat-kooky

September 6, 2016 9:33 PM

As a country that rode on the sheep’s back Australis has no beef with lamb advertising. And the ad companies are neither chicken nor do they mince words when it comes to spruiking lamb as the national meal. But what is a national meal in a multicultural country? Way back last century, some clever duck in meat marketing promoted lamb as a multicultural meat, albeit clumsily. This century, in the lead-up to National BBQ Day (26 Jan, aka ‘Australia’ Day aka Invasion Day), Meat and Livestock Australia have run a series of modest unassuming advertisements. OK, only kidding. This year’s was an entertaining in-joke that caused some controversy.

Previous ads through the 'Lambassadorship' of Sam Kekovich insulted vegetarians and had that burnt smell of nationalism. Obviously comedy, the ads reference conservative long-term prime minister John Howard's dog-whistle politics with his un-statesman-like use of the term 'un-Australian' to denigrate refugees and others in the mid-2000s.

This year, to celebrate all the spring lambkins making their way to market, Meat & Livestock Australia have gone back to their marketing roots in the multicultural steaks with you’ll never lamb alone, a -heartwarming inclusive-as-seen-from-lefty-white-’oh they have excluded me, how cool!’ perspective that makes it news worthy.

The Kekovich oeuvre:
2006 There's nothing worse than being un-Australian. I should know, I've been Australian all my life .
2007 In this election year, Australians are faced with a stark choice. Allow un-Australianism to flourish or take a stand against it (referencing an election that would oust Howard).
2008 My fellow Australians, it is my solemn duty to inform you that it is time to abolish Australia Day.
2009 My fellow Australians, the world economy is rooted.
2010 My fellow Australians, and the rest of you. Mankind is facing a pandemic .
2011 Friends, bogans, countrymen, put down your beers.
2012 A lack of lamb has led to a lamentable litany of behaviour.
2013 My fellow Australians, recently I got hit in the head and I haven't been feeling myself since.
2014 My fellow Australians, after a decade fighting un-Australianism I'm taking a step back.

The Benaud (taken too soon - doff your caps, baggy green if you have them)
2015 - BBQ at Richie Benaud's house? (Richie Benaud previously )

MLA ads previously on Metafilter
(2005) http://www.metafilter.com/38703/Dont-be-unAustralian
(2005 again, what no doubles back in the old days?) http://www.metafilter.com/38960/Look-at-waltzing-matilda-Its-about-a-bloke-trying-to-get-a-nice-bit-of-lamb-into-his-tucker-bag-not-spicy-chicken-wings
(2012) http://www.metafilter.com/111484/A-New-Face-in-Chopular-Culture

posted by Thella (15 comments total)

What kind of turkey makes all these meat puns? Sticks in my craw, dad. Perhaps you should just clam up.
posted by Guy Smiley at 9:36 PM on September 6, 2016 [6 favorites]

Prepare to be lambasted for the flock of high protein Oz meat puns you've rounded up.
posted by notyou at 9:37 PM on September 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

Wouldn't is be simpler to just call it all lambvertising?
posted by Ghidorah at 9:56 PM on September 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

FPP is missing the BEST Aussie lamb ad of ALL TIME:

Trim Lamb

(pull! the other! leg!)
posted by prettypretty at 10:21 PM on September 6, 2016

For those like me who did not catch the "Definitely not Copenhagen" joke:
Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark
posted by madajb at 10:30 PM on September 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

An endemic tradition...

lambdemic, surely.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:44 PM on September 6, 2016

This year, to celebrate all the spring lambkins making their way to market, Meat & Livestock Australia have gone back to their marketing roots in the multicultural steaks with you’ll never lamb alone

This is actually really great.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:00 PM on September 6, 2016 [4 favorites]

Nice cameo from Jordan, from comedy band Axis of Awesome - she recently transitioned. Discussed previously on the Blue.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:03 PM on September 6, 2016

And don't forget this little corker, featuring a young Naomi Watts who has her priorities right.
posted by h00py at 11:41 PM on September 6, 2016 [5 favorites]

(I'm really looking forward to Gruen's take on this tonight, actually).
posted by h00py at 11:45 PM on September 6, 2016

Those "some" "controversy " links are piss weak (err, that's not a criticism of you Thella). It seems that to a certain crowd one is not allowed to even mention Australia Day in public. To connect over the top extraction teams rappelling into office buildings with the forced expropriation Australian aborigines from their land is confused at best. And if MLA aren't the sworn enemies of vegans then I don't know who is. Yes they will continue to take the piss out of them, and why not. PETA are more than welcome to return fire, and have done so on many occasions.
posted by wilful at 12:04 AM on September 7, 2016 [4 favorites]

h00py, thank you for linking the Naomi Watts ad - that was an important cultural moment that we still reference.

now i'm depressed it's snags for dinner. I wanna have lamb roast
posted by kitten magic at 12:17 AM on September 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

What? Nothing about the semi-naughty dance craze circa 1989/1990, the Lambada? (Australia: Where Men Are Men and Sheep Are Nervous)
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:22 AM on September 7, 2016

Baaaaaaaa (d)
posted by sammyo at 3:49 AM on September 7, 2016 [2 favorites]

I think this marketing strategy may have boomeranged on them somewhat.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 6:41 AM on September 7, 2016