Australian meat ad labelled ‘best in history’ by viewers for tackling generation gap

The eagerly-anticipated advertisement has been released ahead of Australia Day to celebrate and promote people eating the meat

An Australian meat advertisement making fun of the population’s generational gap has gone viral and some viewers are calling it the “best ad in history.”

The advert titled “The Generation Gap” was released on Sunday (7 December) by “Australian Lamb”, which is operated by Meat and Livestock Australia.

Every year the firm releases ads ahead of Australia Day to celebrate and promote people eating the meat. This year’s ad features a series of physical land fissures separating each generation onto their own island and growing wider each time one picks on another.

The three-minute ad begins with a shot of an older man on a bike, throwing a newspaper on the ground, which reads, “Print media is booming in Boomertown. Newspapers still relevant.”

The camera then pans over to older woman strolling through “Boomertown” in activewear as she is greeted by neighbours who alert her to the fact her phone flashlight is on. The woman is then given a jet by a real estate agent standing beside a sign that reads: “Buy two homes get one free” as he says “Have a house”.

The newspaper reads: ‘Newspapers still relevant’. (Australian Lamb)

“Careful, watch out for the generation gap,” she says to a gardening neighbour before the ad widens to an aerial shot of the divided landscape.

“Ah bloody Gen Z’s. Just remember we’re the ones that invented your precious World Wide Web,” the neighbour cries out across the gap to a group hyper-exaggerated Gen Z’s, before the ground shakes and separates further.

“Ugh classic Boomers making the gap bigger, they’d understand if they’d just listen to us,” one of the Gen Z members says.

The older woman is handed a key to a new home (Australian Lamb)

Another Gen Z member is seen in the ad distracted by a tablet, with Airpods plugged into his ear. He removes the headphones and says: “it could be worse, we could be in our early 30s”.

The advert then moves onto a pair of Millennials passing the time by bouldering, who are questioning if they are still relevant and “cool”.

This Gen Z member seems to be distracted with his tablet (Australian Lamb)

In another shot, a Gen X couple are then shown relaxing in their backyard, with one person saying “I just feel like no one pays attention to Gen X.”

As the advert continues, the land divides further and arguments begin to break out between the different generations.

But there is a moment where they all pause and in the centre of the broken “Boomertown” stands a barbeque with lamb cooking away.

The barbeque stands alone at the centre while the groups argue (Australian Lamb)

“Well at least we can agree on something,” the Boomer woman exclaims before the land begins to shift back together, effectively closing the Generation Gap.

“I’m addicted to my phone as well,” the elderly woman says.

“Takeaway coffees could be hotter,” the Gen Z female adds.

The millennial woman then says: “It’s ok you spent $368 billion on submarines.”

“It was an impulse buy,” a Boomer man replies.

As the people of “Boomertown” reunite, the groups start to embrace and tuck into the BBQ and the advert ends with the message: “Share the lamb—100% Australian.”

The ground begins to come together again (Australian Lamb)

The advert has since picked up much attention around the world with many people across Australia applauding its comedic take, while others seem a bit more confused on what message the advert is trying to convey.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, one user wrote: “The 2024 Australia Day lamb ad is genuinely excellent. One of the best ads I’ve seen in years.”

“I guess Australia relishes lamb. Brilliant ad to convey its popularity: a literal portrayal of it bridging the generation gap,” another user wrote.

A third user wrote: “I love the Australian lamb ad has gone viral and Americans/Brits are confused.”

“A phenomenal critique of modern Australian society! Share the lamb,” commented another user.

“Congratulations, Oz. Their lamb industry—Australia’s equivalent of the American cattlemen’s association which defeated Oprah—has made the best ad in history, a task they’ve been building to for a while,” one more user added.