Foster's ad calls on all 't*ssers, b*llends and d**kheads

Heineken UK brand Foster’s is aiming to get under the skin of British men with a tongue in cheek campaign urging them to break the ice with their mates by sending them a “tinnie”, emboldened with the words “b*llend, d**khead, kn*bhead, t*sser or w*nker”, as a gesture of authentic and light-hearted bonding.

The campaign, which is first work by Publicis London for the lager brand, is likely to raise a few eyebrows but draws on new research which found that as British men get older, they are increasingly losing touch with their friends, with 61% of men surveyed admitting that reaching out to reconnect can feel awkward or uncomfortable.

The research also found that many men find it less awkward to express affection through light-hearted mock insults – 59% of British millennial men say calling their mates a crude nickname is how they show that they care, while almost half (48%) say these nicknames help them to break the ice with friends they have lost touch with.

People can gift one of the cans of Foster’s to a friend, branded with their chosen nickname, by visiting www.loveyoucans.com.

Teased across OOH fly-posters and social, the campaign launched nationwide this week, rolling out across digital out-of-home, social and influencer activity.

The DOOH and OOH fly-posters spotlight the playful nicknames of the campaign, with tactical placements in Cardiff, London, Manchester and Newcastle. Media planning and buying has been handled by Dentsu.

Additionally, social films by creators including Ryan Sullivan and Big John further encourage people to reach out to their mates by sending a “Love You Can”.

Consumer PR from Cow supports the campaign’s focus on connection, grounded in the insight that 69% of men say mates’ holidays are an important way to maintain friendships.

A national competition will offer friends looking to reconnect the chance to win an epic reunion trip across Australia to the country’s many and varied towns and outposts called ‘Knob’.

Heineken beer marketing director Veronica Sica said: “We know that when men lose touch with their mates, they can feel awkward to reach out again. With Foster’s ‘Love You Cans’ we want to champion and celebrate the authentic language of mateship and turn it into something meaningful, memorable and unmistakably Foster’s. By reframing the way men tease each other as an act of care, we’re giving a fresh twist to ‘Good Call’ by making reconnecting feel effortless, genuine and brilliantly Aussie, preferably with a Foster’s in hand.”

Publicis London chief creative officer Noël Bunting added: “When you combine such a gift of an insight with the brand personality of Foster’s, you know you have the chance to capture men’s attention like never before and have a meaningful impact on friendships nationwide. We’re extremely proud of this campaign, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of w**kers, b**lends and d**kheads to pull off the massive effort.”