Australia’s Victoria Bitter (VB for short) responded to one of the most controversial moments in Ashes History by brewing “England Bitter”: a special beer for a bitter English Cricket team.

The PR response gave VB the most earned media in the brands 170-year history, in just 72 hours.

Situation:

In cricket there’s no bigger stage than The Ashes – a 142-year old sporting rivalry between the Australian and English cricket teams. But when a controversial umpiring-decision went Australia’s way in the 2023 series it became the most talked about cricketing moment in recent memory. And if you’re English: one of the most whinged about. In fact, they were so bitter they went as far as refusing to have a beer with the Australian team after the series – a tradition as old as The Ashes themselves.

Brief:

Let’s show support for the Australian Cricket team, and stick it to the bitter Poms.

Objectives:

Get Australia and the world talking about VB.

CULTURAL CONTEXT:

The Ashes are Cricket’s biggest event – a 142-year-old tradition seeing Australia and England battle for a tiny trophy called ‘The Urn’. For two weeks nothing matters to the two countries more than The Ashes. Despite the bravado, and often hostile atmosphere on the pitch, The Ashes also carry a more wholesome tradition. Because for the last 142 years, after the match both sides have gathered in the dressing rooms for a commemorative beer. But that changed in 2023.

Taking advantage of a grey area in Cricket’s rules, a savvy 'stumping’ by Australia became the most talked about cricketing moment in recent memory. And if you’re English: one of the most whinged about. Without going into the details, the completely legal action had England questioning Australia’s integrity, character, and commitment to ‘the spirit of cricket’ - which is rich, coming from the country who literally wrote the rules they accused Australia of exploiting.

But even more outrageous, was the English team broke tradition refusing to have a beer with Australia after the series.

As a major sponsor of the Australian Cricket team for the best part of its 170-year history, Victoria Bitter holds deep ties to the values and culture around Australia and its love for cricket. Simply put; Australia wouldn't be Australia without Cricket, and Cricket wouldn't be Cricket without VB.

With our Cricket team under fire: it was up to VB to go into bat for our boys.

THE IDEA:

Refusing to have a beer with an Aussie goes beyond rudeness. It’s flat-out bitter.

So to stick it to the bitter English, and all their talk, we got to work and brewed a beer to match their mood.

Playing off England’s penchant for room temperature ales, their reputation for “whinging” and VB’s tagline “the big cold beer, for a hard-earned thirst” became “the big warm beer for a hard-earned whinge.”

England Bitter was shipped straight to the English dressing rooms, with an invitation to join the Aussies once their bitterness had subsided.

STRATEGY:

With all the talk about Australia’s values, it was time for VB to step in and defend them.

Our insight was simple: Talk is cheap, doing is what Australia and VB are about.

We knew if we showed up with action rather than words Australia would get behind us.

So we decided to turn England’s resentment and bitterness into an opportunity.

Key message: England Bitter: The Big Warm Beer, For A Hard-Earned Winge.

Within 24 hours, VB had production of England Bitter rolling.

Announced with a single post on our own social accounts, the project was picked up by media outlets in Australia, England and around the world.

Within 48 hours, cases of England Bitter were delivered to the English team’s dressing room, social media posts organically trending, a print ad in the UK papers, shirts printed and a team on the ground in the UK handing out merch at the next Ashes match.

Within 72, hours every major news outlet in Australia had picked up the story and we had reached over 23 million people... that’s over 90% of Australia.

And despite not paying a cent in sponsorship money; we were the most talked about brand throughout the Ashes series.

Giving VB the most earned media in the brands 170-year history, in just 72 hours.

RESULTS:

In terms of social engagement and PR, England Bitter was the most successful campaign in VB’s 170 year history.

With minimal media spend, we turned England’s resentment into an extraordinary opportunity for an iconic Australian brand. And despite not paying a cent in sponsorship money; we were the most talked about brand throughout the Ashes series. Most importantly, the Poms would eventually fail to win back the Ashes, giving them something else to be bitter about: The rain.

23.5 Million impressions

$4.5 Million in earned media

1391% organic social engagement VS benchmark

Highest Levels of Social Engagement in VB’s 170 year history

30,000 cases of England Bitter beer ordered

Ashes Retained