Victoria Bitter has launched its first major advertising campaign in more than five years, featuring a change to the famous VB anthem, and a broader, more inclusive theme aiming to redefine what ‘hard work’ means.
Carlton & United Breweries’ head of classic beer Sarah Wilcox said the new ads were about working smarter, not harder, in 2024. Accordingly, the anthem, still voiced by William McInness, has been changed to “A hard earned thirst means a whole lot more”.
“VB has always proudly stood for an honest day’s work, and the blood, sweat and tears that go into that. But it’s time to re-define what hard work means.
“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,” Wilcox said.
The new ads show an arborist – the ‘Pythagoras of eucalyptus’ – using mathematics to safely fell a tree between two buildings, and a motorbike rider – the ‘surgeon of steel’ – fixing his bike 200 clicks from anywhere.
The campaign also highlights ‘earning a thirst’ off the traditional worksite at other jobs including surfboard shapers and music roadies.
“VB is still best served ice cold, but the world has changed since the ads first aired in the 1980’s, and we think these new ads reflect that,” Wilcox said.
The new campaign premiered on 28 January across broadcast television, outdoor, radio, online and social.
