Ardmona challenges Aussies to #buyhomegrown tomatoes in new work via Leo Burnett, Melbourne

Ardmona and Leo Burnett Melbourne are giving more meaning to a song we've heard a thousand times before, yet probably don't even remember the words to - the Australian National Anthem.

They've produced a heartfelt film featuring Aussie tomato growers and their families that modernises Advance Australia Fair, giving the words renewed relevance. It uses the lyrics poignantly to highlight the superb quality of our home-grown produce and encourage shoppers to be more patriotic at the shelf by choosing home-grown tomatoes over cheaper imports.

VIEW THE FILM

Says Jason Williams, chief creative officer, Leo Burnett Melbourne: "As consumers, we're a lot more powerful than we think. The decisions we make at the supermarket shelf can have a profound effect on products and, in this case, the lives of the families who produce them. We want to ignite patriotism in consumers so they think twice next time they're at the shelf."

The campaign comes at a time when the quality and integrity of imported produce has been seriously called into question. Reports have shown that the gross exploitation of migrant workers is still rife in the Italian tomato industry and just recently, Ardmona won its anti-dumping case against 105 Italian producers, which proved they had been illegally dumping excess product in Australia, undercutting Ardmona on price.  

Says Mark Connolly, GM marketing and innovation, Ardmona: "In light of recent events, we set out to highlight our Australian provenance in a provocative way and we think the commercial definitely achieves that. It also reflects SPC's end-to-end, paddock-to-plate investment and commitment to Australian tomatoes - from partnering with our fantastic, dedicated growers, to investing in a new state-of-the-art tomato processing plant at our Shepparton factory."

Filmed in and around Rochester, in Victoria's "Fruit Bowl," the launch follows Leo Burnett's hugely successful #MyFamilyCan campaign, which saw SPC and Ardmona cans re-labelled to feature Aussie farmers and their families. The commercial will be integrated into home-grown content and supported by PR and social media, which has already generated a significant amount of passionate conversation from patriotic Australians.

Agency: Leo Burnett Melbourne
Chief Creative Officer: Jason Williams
Creative Director: Michelle Walsh
Senior Art Director: Mike Fritz
Chief Executive Officer: Melinda Geertz
Group Account Director: Ari Sztal
Account Manager: Kenneth Chow
Producer: Cinnamon Darvall
Director of Integrated Strategy: Ilona Janashvili
Strategy Planner: Emily Gould
Head of Social: Chris Steele
Associate Digital CD: Tim Shelley
Production Company: Studio Pancho
Director: Lizzy Bailey
Producer: Francesca D'Orazio
DOP: Aaron Farrugia
Editor: Chris Ward
Sound: Sound Lounge
Client: SPC Ardmona
GM Marketing & Innovation: Mark Connolly
Head of Brand Marketing: Anand Surujpal
Media Agency: Slingshot