Grill'd takes a jab at Macca's in latest work for Gather Round

Grill’d Healthy Burgers has launched a campaign for the second annual 'festival of footy,' AFL's Gather Round event in Adelaide, which will be broadcast this weekend on Fox Footy (available on Kayo Sports and Foxtel).

See also: Fox Footy and Seven are the key players as all media descend on Adelaide for Gather Round

The Grill'd campaign aims to celebrate the Aussie sport by highlighting its commitment to delicious, healthy food that makes athletes and Australian consumers alike love Grill’d, while also taking a cheeky dig at one of the event's major brand partners, McDonald's.

“We know that footballers and professional athletes absolutely love Grill’d, not only because out burgers are delicious, but because of our superior nutritional benefits,” said the restaurant chain's chief marketing officer, Julian Dunne.

"Delicious, healthy food is part of our DNA, and as an iconic Australian brand, we will continue to communicate and celebrate this."

The ads will be rolled out through targeted large-format out-of-home (OOH) media across the Adelaide CBD.

The Gather Round event has emerged as a major success in Australian sports, attracting significant attention from both media entities and brands. Major names like McDonald’s, Toyota, and Telstra stand out among those with the biggest presence this weekend.

McDonald’s, a partner of the AFL since 2014, is showcasing its Fry-Thru, created by Akcelo in 2023 for the Women’s World Cup. The Fry-Thru was joined by a large Golden Arches swing, while Macca’s tents handed out collectible player cards, attracting long queues of eager attendees.

Telstra's Footy Country Print Press lets fans personalise their guernseys with names or nicknames, building on The Monkeys' successful This is Footy Country campaign. CMO Brent Smart has since appointed the bespoke model +61, made up of TBWA, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, and OMD, to handle the country's biggest advertising account.

See also: On the ground at Gather Round: Macca’s, Telstra, and Toyota’s activations

Credits
Simon Crowe: CEO and founder
Julian Dunne: CMO
Lucy Fisher: Head of brand
Mark Peters:  Creative director
Harriet Blue: Channel Performance Manager