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Behind the Idea: Why Foster’s brought back Brad and Dan

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Foster’s heroes, Brad and Dan, returned to screens recently in a multi-media campaign that sees them once again playing agony uncles to Brits in need.

Created by adam&eveDDB, the work marks the brand’s biggest advertising investment (£6m) in years and builds on the much-loved concept of the characters offering their uniquely positive perspective on life from their beach-side den.

Below, Nick Casby, brand director of everyday beer at Foster's parent company Heineken, reflects on the first spot, Brother-in-Law, which offers a playful nod to the rise of craft beer and revives the Good Call positioning.

 

What was the brief?

We needed to get Foster’s firing again. It’s a huge business driver and the market is changing, and we wanted to bring back what had been a very successful campaign with new, modern, insights relevant to the lives of our now slightly older audience, and the world in which they now live.

Tell us about the inception of the idea…

We wanted to harness all the good will surrounding the old campaign and make sure we stayed true to what had made it successful previously.

What Was the biggest challenge?

To make the old campaign work in slightly shorter time lengths.

And what about on the production side; how did the various teams work together? 

We were lucky enough to get director Tim Bullock back on board. He helped evolve the campaign originally and understands it brilliantly. Once we knew he was up for doing it, we all relaxed.

What about the music/sound, artwork or effects?

We just tried to match the old work, which has a very specific feel.

Why do you think the idea works for the brand? 

British drinkers will never get tired of Aussie sun, optimism and humour. And they need it now more than ever. The world – especially for older guys – is a confusing and sometimes unrecognisable place. They need more advice, optimism and humour than ever to navigate the world.

Why do you think this first spot resonates with the audience? 

A lot of our drinkers have kind of grown up with Brad and Dan as their endlessly optimistic, glass half-full agony uncles from down under. We all need that now, more than ever. Especially in uncertain times, our response tends to be to seek comfort in the familiar – especially when it’s funny. And ultimately, Brad and Dan just don’t take things too seriously – something ‘beer advertising’ (and advertising in general) has become far too guilty of in recent times.

Why did you decide this was the best way to present the campaign considering there are so many media platforms out there today?

Because ultimately, TV is still the best way to reach the majority of beer drinkers in the UK. And it’s the only channel that suggests other people are seeing (and therefore choosing) your brand – so it feels big, popular and universal; exactly what Foster’s should be. We also created assets for digital platforms where we could give some more positive Aussie advice through Facebook, YouTube and video-on-demand.

What do you hope people take away from the work? 

That selling beer can still be irreverent, light-hearted and fun.

 

 

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