The first furphy, from Furphy and Thinkerbell

Furphy Refreshing Ale has launched its first ever TV campaign via agency Thinkerbell in what it hopes will bring a bit of lighthearted relief to beer and footy-lovers at home during this time of social distancing. The Unbelievable platform will celebrate the great Australian pastime of telling a tall tale over a beer.

Furphy [fur-fee] Noun. Australian. A rumour or tall tale, often exaggerated and shared… also a refreshing beer.

While having a beer and a yarn in the pub with mates is not possible at the moment, there is nothing to stop people from enjoying a Furphy Refreshing Ale in the comfort of their own home and connecting socially through digital means.

The spot, directed by Good Oil’s Adam Stevens, celebrates the silver-tongued and supposed golden-booted in a tale of trial and triumph – one which we can all enjoy in this trying time. The Unbelievable campaign aired on Sunday across general programming and online/social media.

Says Malcolm Eadie, Brand Director Craft and Premium at Lion: “If you had told us three months ago that we would be launching our first-ever television campaign for the beer born in Geelong in the midst of a global pandemic, we would have called it a furphy,” Eadie said.

“However, we hope this campaign serves as a reminder to everyone that this is only temporary – and we will be back enjoying a Furphy and a tall tale with mates again before we know it.”

Says Serge Costi, Marketing Manager Furphy at Lion: “This is the first chapter in Furphy’s Unbelievable platform, and the brand’s first work with creative agency Thinkerbell, and while we are all doing our bit by staying at home and social distancing right now, we hope this campaign launch will be the catalyst for many more tall tales to be told over virtual beers.”

Adds Ben Couzens, Chief Creative Tinker at Thinkerbell: “There are certain stories you tell again and again, they’re not yours but as you tell them, change them and add to them, they become more and more your own. Whether the unbelievable kick happened the way we’ve told it, we’ll never know. But for now, this is definitely, exactly, pretty much how I remember it. And we are sure these times will create many more tales for this Unbelievable series.”

The platform will roll out nationally across TV, digital, radio, out of home, social, and other bits and pieces, so that unbelievable furphies will be shared over unbelievable Furphys.

Creative Agency: Thinkerbell
Thinker: Rosie Burke
Lead Thinker: Nikia Shepherd
Head Creative Tinker: Tom Wenborn
Chief Creative Tinker: Ben Couzens
Tinker: Cale Berry
Production Tinker: Di Nash
Design Tinker: Marcus Byrne
Tinker: Will Fox
Chief Thinker: Adam Ferrier

Production: Good Oil
Director: Adam Stevens
Producer: Channa McLallen
Executive Producer: Simon Thomas
DOP: Germain McMicking
Music: Sonar Music
Sound: Risk Sound
Photography: Tom Franks

Editing Company: The Editors
Editor: Jack Hutchings

Media: UM
Senior Client Director: Amelia Grant
Strategy Director: Michaela Drewe
Connections Design Director: Jonny Day
Senior Partnerships Manager: Brianna Wells

Lion:
Brand Director, Craft & Premium: Mal Eadie
Marketing Manager, Furphy: Serge Costi
Head of Creative Strategy: Kyle Hugall
Assistant Brand Manager, Furphy: Kayla Dryden