This is the media release for the launch of the 2008 Build Boat Campaign… don’t bother following the link at the end of the story to see it and don’t bother trying to Google it, it seems to have disappeared from YouTube and from the brewery’s own site as well. The XXXX YouTube Channel has very promptly added the XXXX Island video to the current ‘Digger ads’ on the channel, and hours of XXXX Angels footage… but everything about the boat seems to have been expunged.

However, if you Google xxxxgoldboat, as was suggested to consumers at the time, in addition to an abandoned Flickr photostreamand an abandoned WordPress blogandBlogspot page, you will find some lamentable ads on Vimeo, though even the In Deep Water website for these link through to the resurrected ‘Jacko’ type ads that followed it .

All in all, the Build a Boat seems to have ended up like the SS Minnow, but the cruise didn’t even last three hours.

It’s interesting that the logo for the campaign featured the doomed ‘Natural Beer Promise’ as well…

Media Release

END OF AN ERA FOR JACKO AND THE BOYS…
NEW TELEVISION CAMPAIGN AIRS TONIGHT FOR XXXX GOLD

27th October 2008

XXXX will today reveal a new advertising campaign for Australia’s largest mid-strength brand, XXXX GOLD. The XXXX GOLD Boat Building Project, developed in partnership with advertising agency BMF, spells the end for the long running ‘Jacko’ campaign which supported the brand for more than eight years.

The new campaign will feature 12 new characters – three groups of mates – each coming together on a project: building a boat. The campaign is based on the insight of ‘man time’ – busy men taking time out of their work and home lives to come together and spend real time with their mates, working together on a project.

“Jacko, his dog Marlin and their mates have served the XXXX GOLD brand extremely well, but in ensuring the brand evolves, we decided it was time to retire the boys on a high note and introduce a new concept of mates coming together to build something,” said Andrew Coates, Marketing Manager, XXXX GOLD.

“We credit Jacko and the boys for helping XXXX GOLD forge a buoyant mid-strength category, as well as turning this Queensland brew into one of Australia’s most popular beers nationally, and we are confident this new campaign will continue that success,” Andrew said.

XXXX GOLD, which launched in 1991 and grew quickly to become Queensland’s leading beer, is now Australia’s second largest brand and retains almost 60 per cent share and market leadership of the mid-strength category.

According to Warren Brown, Executive Creative Director, BMF, the Jacko campaign resonated well with the target market and enjoyed great staying power:

“Jacko and the boys starred in more than 30 TVCs since launching in 2000, making the campaign one of the longest running and most successful of the past two decades,” said Warren. “People related to Jacko and his mates and they became celebrities in their own right, which rarely happens with a TV campaign.

“We’re confident that Australians will appreciate the same great humour and enjoy the good times experienced by the new XXXX GOLD characters, and will hopefully be inspired to create their own project with their group of mates.”

The 60 second spot introduces the new characters, with one group lamenting that in a ready-made, flat-packed world, they never get the chance to create anything from scratch. For different reasons, all three groups resolve to start a project – to build a boat – and every few weeks a new 30 second supporting spot will launch, charting each group’s progress.

The new campaign will air on free to air TV across Queensland and regional Australia tonight as well as pay TV nationally, and will also be available online at www.XXXX.com.au in the coming days. For fans of the Jacko campaign, they can still see the last few ads online today.