Aussie lamb the 'Ultimate Social Device'

Lamb is being billed as the "the ultimate social device" in Meat & Livestock Australia's (MLA) new spring advertising campaign. The ad parodies tech commercials and showcases lamb as a tool for bringing people together.

The campaign’s success hinges on appealing to "younger shoppers" while addressing the record supply of lamb this season.

Launched on September 15 and running for four weeks, the Australian Lamb Spring campaign parodies the advertising style of technology brands but introduces a device that actually facilitates in-person connections: Lamb.  

General Manager for Marketing and Insights at MLA, Nathan Low, said that this year’s spring lamb campaign aimed to target younger shoppers.  

“Appealing to younger demographics is important to foster the next generation of lamb consumers and forms a part of Australian Lamb’s brand vision of making lamb the go-to for bringing friends and family together,” Mr Low said.

“The majority of frequent lamb buyers skews older in Australia, but in the last year we’ve seen positive brand growth from younger segments off the back of retail price decreases and the Generation Gap summer campaign.

“To continue building affinity with younger segments, we’ve styled this year’s spring campaign in a format they’re very familiar with, and using humour that also resonates with all demographics to showcase lamb as a social device that brings people together.”

Over the four weeks, ads will run across digital television, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and out-of-home panels, including skyscraper style billboards close to retail centres, reminding shoppers to buy lamb as they head into stores.

To drive purchases at the major supermarkets and retailers, the campaign will also be activated online when shoppers are planning meals, and at the shelf to capture the unplanned shopping trip.

According to Mr Low, spring was an important opportunity to drive consumer demand for lamb, as there was traditionally good supply available.

“This year’s Spring Lamb campaign coincides with 2024 being the largest lamb production year on record, resulting in a record supply of lamb available in the domestic market,” Mr Low said.  

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics said Q2 of 2024 saw lamb slaughter across Australia lift to its highest number ever, with 7.2 million head processed. This was 4.2% higher than last quarter’s record figure and 19% higher than at the same time last year.

“Lamb slaughter is forecast to lift on last year’s record to 27.7 million head. This is an increase of 11% or a further processing of 2.7 million head and would place 2024 as the largest year on record for lamb slaughter, beating 2023, which was also a record.

“Therefore, this campaign will help drive demand for the biggest supply of Australian lamb meat yet again. There will be plenty of lamb hitting the shelves over spring and summer, and we encourage everyone to share the lamb with friends and family."