Effies
Australia
Rebuilding Tooheys: Refreshing the brand’s meaning for the modern world
Agency
Thinkerbell
Client
Lion
Awards
Finalist
Long-Term Effects - Product
Case Study
Summary
Tooheys faced a category in structural decline and a NSW audience that had moved beyond the brand’s traditional image. Rather than abandon its heritage, Tooheys repositioned around a modern expression of team celebration, using sport and music to reconnect with contemporary culture while revitalising iconic brand assets. The strategy transformed performance, arresting decline against the category trend, reversing key brand health metrics including Salience, Brand Power and Affinity, and contributing to a threefold increase in brand value. Tooheys shifted from a declining legacy brand to one regaining relevance and momentum.
Case study
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Credits
| Adam Ferrier | Chief Strategy Officer | Thinkerbell |
| Jim Ingram | National Chief Creative Officer | Thinkerbell |
| Paul Swan | Chief Creative Officer | Thinkerbell |
| Phillippa Netolicky | General Manager | Thinkerbell |
| Margie Reid | CEO | Thinkerbell |
| Gerry Cyron Cyron | Executive Head of Strategy | Thinkerbell |
| Lachlan Reid | Strategy Director | Thinkerbell |
| Sesh Moodley | Executive Creative Director | Thinkerbell |
| Zac Goldberg | Creative Director | Thinkerbell |
| Craig Merrett | Creative Director | Thinkerbell |
| Kiely Decker | Client Lead | Thinkerbell |
| Jack Burton | Senior Creative | Thinkerbell |
| Laura Stevenson | Client Service Director | Thinkerbell |
| Natalie Robinson | Acting Client Service Director | Thinkerbell |
| Sophie Power | Senior Account Director | Thinkerbell |
| William Palmer Reeves | Senior Producer | Thinkerbell |
| Chris Allan | Marketing Director | Lion |
| Karen Sterling-Levis | Brand Director (Core Beer) | Lion |
| Tom Donald | Head of Creative Strategy | Lion |
| Aymin Diab | Marketing Manager (Tooheys) | Lion |
| Simon Rich | Creative Strategist | Lion |
| Carol Kearney | Media Manager | Lion |
| Andie Tickner | Cultural Collaborations Leader | Lion |
| Jess Dawes | Brand Manager (Tooheys) | Lion |
| Damon Thompson | Partnerships Manager | Lion |
| David Scheepers | Digital Strategist | Lion |
| Zach Workman-Brown | Brand Manager | Lion |
| Callum O’Brien | Client Managing Partner | Essence MediaCom |
| Dan Hitchcock | Group Account Director | We Are Social |
| Annabel Kulich | Group Account Director | VML |