Carlton Mid ‘Male Intelligence Division – Bloke Bots’ Wally Lewis Poster

After the takeover by CUB of the Matilda Bay brewery in WA CUB wanted to tackle the Mid-strength market which had grown to such an extent it was taking over the full-strength market in both WA and Queensland. In WA hey used a two prong brand launch with Fremantle Bitter and a CUB branded Carlton Midstrength.

They tackled WA first and then launched this product in Queensland (against XXXX Gold).

The campaign was based on the idea that men need to spend more time with their mates and less time with their wives; although this seems like an idea that would raise the ire of women across the nation, this sense of mate-ship and the ritual of having a beer with male friends is so deeply entrenched within Australian culture that the ad was widely accepted and appreciated for its humour and homage to the average Australian man. It resonates it hit upon something central and almost sacred to our nation; the rites of beer and pub-conversation amongst mates as integral to the lifestyle and image of the Australian ‘bloke’.

Linking the product to an identity and lifestyle that resonates with the target audience (men presumably from 18-35) puts Carlton in the ‘front of mind’ position when purchasing alcohol for the purpose of drinking with mates. This allows the audience to relate to the poster and the product, as they may have friends to whom the situation depicted applies.

This campaign is very successful primarily due to its communication of the selling point of the product; “Stay a little longer with Carlton Mid” immediately tells consumers that the alcohol content is lower than other beers, and uses this quality to promote the fact that this can mean more time with your mates. CUB was confident that this appeal worked on their audience; their general manager of marketing at that time, Andrew Meldrum, said “there isn’t a man in Australia who doesn’t wish they could get more time with their mates”.

The next extension of the Carlton Mid campaign involved robots doubling as themselves.

A man taking his rubbish out knocks his head on the garage door, again and again. Another man sitting at the bus stop starts to flail his brief case around with involuntary movements. In an office a clerk whizzes through his paperwork. In the suburbs a man is on a ride-on lawn mower, out of control. In a staff room a man pours coffee over his front as he reads a journal. A man washes a car without reference to the passenger’s window being down. At a press conference the interviewee collapses. Another man droops as he sit on the toilet. What’s going on? They’re bloke bots, a recently invented feature designed to free up men to drink Carlton Mid beer in Australia. While their stand-in robots stand in for them, the ‘real men’ are down at the Elvecland Yacht Club enjoying a game of pool and a cold drink, drinking responsibly of course. With remote controls they can provide the actions and voice for their doubles. It’s the Male Intelligence Division. But the Male Intelligence Division is still learning how to control the ‘beta’ products.

This poster was part of that campaign.