Foster's Brings Back 'Good Call' With Puppet Kangaroos and a Dodgy Bali Tattoo
Updated: 6 days ago
Foster's has revived its long-dormant 'Good Call' platform for a new Publicis London campaign, 'The Amber Nectar', leaning into Aussie cliche with puppet kangaroos and a joke about a dodgy 'Bali' tattoo.
An old favourite gets dusted off
Foster's has reached back two decades for its latest campaign, reviving the 'Good Call' platform that defined the brand in the 2000s. The new work, 'The Amber Nectar', comes via Publicis London and leans unapologetically into every Australian cliche in the book.
The 20-second hero film, directed by Carl Sundemo, is set on a sun-soaked, Australian-looking beach, complete with surfing, puppet kangaroos and a gag about a questionable 'Bali' tattoo. It builds on the brand's 'Love You Cans' work launched earlier in 2026.
Why brands keep raiding their own archives
Reviving a dormant platform is low-risk and high-recognition. 'Good Call' already lives in the memory of a generation of UK drinkers, so Foster's isn't building awareness from scratch — it is reactivating associations it spent years and millions establishing.
In an era obsessed with the new, there is real value in distinctive assets that have proven staying power. Publicis London CCO Noel Bunting put it neatly: 'Simple is rarely simple to do.' A confident, familiar idea executed well often beats a clever new one nobody remembers.
The 'comfortable in its own skin' advantage
Heineken UK marketing director Rajeev Sathyeshesh said 'there are very few brands as comfortable in their own skin as Foster's.' That comfort is the strategic point. Foster's knows exactly what it is — unpretentious, funny, Australian-by-way-of-the-pub — and refuses to overthink it.
For marketers, the lesson is about brand codes. Foster's owns beach, banter and broad Aussie humour. By returning to them rather than chasing trends, it reinforces a territory rivals can't easily occupy.
What businesses should take from it
Before you commission something entirely new, audit what you already own. A tagline, a character, a joke or a visual device your audience still half-remembers can be worth more than a blank-page rebrand.
Marketing Minute's take: nostalgia works best when it's played with confidence, not apology. Foster's isn't hiding that 'Good Call' is old — it's betting that old and familiar is exactly the point.
Quick FAQ
What is Foster's 'The Amber Nectar' campaign?
A new Publicis London campaign that revives the brand's Noughties 'Good Call' platform, with a 20-second beach film featuring puppet kangaroos and tongue-in-cheek Aussie humour.
Who created the Foster's campaign?
Publicis London, with the hero film directed by Carl Sundemo. It builds on the brand's earlier 2026 'Love You Cans' work.
When did the original 'Good Call' campaign run?
'Good Call', featuring Aussie beachgoers Brad and Dan, ran for several years in the 2000s before being revived now.
Reviving 'Good Call' is a smart, low-risk move — the recognition is already banked. The trick Foster's gets right is playing it with total confidence. Nostalgia dies the moment it apologises for itself; here it's delivered with a wink, and that's why it works. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
The best new idea is sometimes an old one you never should have retired.
What distinctive asset has your brand retired that your customers still remember?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Campaign, B&T, MarComm News.
Related reading
Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
