See These Newspaper Ads With Your Own Ears

Created by Colenso BBDO and produced by Franklin Rd, the campaign wittily continues the New Zealand brewers' commitment to sustainability with radio spots describing how the ads would look had they printed them.

BBQ

The trilogy of ‘full-page radio’ executions comprises a commentator wryly describing a traditional print ad in droll detail: "Our newspaper ad depicts a backyard BBQ with three to seven friends, these ‘threven’ friends stand in a circle cheersing ice-cold DB Export…

"If you were to hear the exchange it would sound something like “wayhay”. But you can’t. It’s a newspaper ad."

The scene pictured conjures fond memories of good times with your real-life, less attractive friends.”

The three ads conjure typical male beer-drinking scenarios: a BBQ; construction workers sharing bevvies at knock-off time and two guys fishing at the beach...

"If your mind's eye had a nose you'd smell the sea breeze".

Beach

The work continues the agency's previous innovative campaigns for the planet-loving, Heineken-owned brand, such as 2015's Brewtoleum, which saw the creation of a clean plant-based biofuel using leftover beer, and last year's Beer Bottle Sand Machine, which offered a solution to the global sand shortage with the design of a machine that makes sand from spent beer bottles.

Worksite

“You can’t have a beer without a planet?" said Colenso BBDO creative director Max McKeon, referencing the brand's tagline, "That’s why we chose to print our latest newspaper campaign on radio, and save the lives of numerous innocent trees.”

Samuel Forrest, marketing manager at DB Breweries commented: “We sought to give drinkers further licence to enjoy a DB Export. And what better purpose than if the beer you drink fuels advertising that saves the world.”

We'll drink to that.