MANY locals who were enjoying a crate of Stella and staring blankly at the TV screen following the Grand National last weekend, were shaken from their sullen contemplation of just how much money they threw away on the gee-gees by a brand new advert for Foster’s lager which name checks old mother Abergavenny.
The advert in question features Aussie ‘agony uncles’ Brad and Dan offering their uniquely upbeat spin on life from a sun-soaked beach on the other side of the world.
Here’s the rub. In the 30 second ad, the gentleman asking for the pair’s advice is a guy called “Harry from Abergavenny.”
Harry’s particular problem is what to serve his “fancy pants” brother-in-law at the barbecue.
Making a playful dig at the rise of craft beer, Brad and Dan advice the hapless Harry to pour the Amber Nectar into an old jam car, call it something obscure, and the old brother-in-law will no doubt guzzle it like there’s no tomorrow.
As the philanthropic pair explain, “If he wants a la-di-da, give him a la-di-dager.”
Semi-professional long-distance runner Johnny Turnip thought he was hallucinating when he first saw the ad but soon realised it was Bona Fide.
“Strewth! Was my first thought,” explained Turnip. “What new nonsense is this and then I realised it was a commercial for pale ales. I’m not a Foster’s man myself. I’ve always seen it as a rather feminine drink. To me, it doesn’t make the same sort of statement at a public gathering as when you crack open a can of the old distinctive red and white (Stella Artois). But each to their own. It’s nice to see Abergavenny finally getting a little bit of recognition as a town full of lager drinkers.”
The Chronicle got in touch with former Abergavenny lad Lee Jenkins who has been living in picturesque Perth for nigh on 20 years, to get his lowdown on that most famous of Aussie brands name-checking his old patch.
Lee explained, “It’s great to see the old town going international. I haven’t seen the ad but plenty of people back home have filled me in. It appears to be causing quite the commotion.
“The funny thing is I don’t drink Foster’s myself. In my experience not many people in Oz do. I’ll tell you this though, one of the things I miss most about Wales is a nice cool Strongbow on a summer’s evening. It’s hard to get a decent pint of cider down under mate.”
The Chronicle contacted Foster’s for a statement as to why they felt Abergavenny was the perfect vehicle to advertise their product.
Spokesperson Joanna Dring said, "From Australia to Abergavenny - Melbourne to Monmouthshire....the similarities know no bounds! Harry is a man of the people who has a common conundrum which our Antipodean agony uncles, Brad and Dan, are only too pleased to help with. And as the gateway to Wales, we felt Abergavenny also symbolised the gateway to a good call - a refreshing pint of Foster’s!"