VB's latest Raise a Glass campaign will focus on the battle at Bloody Angle, where the 16th Battalion AIF sang as they charged, even as their mates fell beside them.
Carlton United Brewery have been running the Raise a Glass campaign since 2009, raising money for the RSL and Legacy, raising $7 million for the Legacy project.
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne has created an emotive ad featuring 338 men standing in front of the Shrine of Remembrance, whistling 'It's a Long Way to Tipperary'.
First-hand accounts of the battle talk about the men singing the song as they charged, even faced with treacherous conditions and overwhelming opposition.
As the ad progresses, the whistling becomes less and less as the young men start to drop their heads, signifying the loss of life at the battle.
“In 1915, the 16th Battalion made a charge over particularly challenging terrain. They were immediately met with heavy resistance and the casualties were high. But instead of retreating or hiding they charged on, singing It’s a long way to Tipperary,” Clemmenger BBDO Melbourne executive creative director Ant Keogh said.
The call to action is to 'keep their song alive' by raising a glass and donating to the RSL.
“Bringing a story like the fierce battle at Bloody Angle to life is a big part of this appeal; it reminds people to stop and remember the bravery and sacrifice all our servicemen and women make,” Victoria Bitter general manager Craig Maclean said.
While raising money for servicemen and women of all conflicts, the 2015 campaign specifically commemorate the centenary of the Gallipoli landings.
The campaign will run from this evening on TV and in cinemas.
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