Commercial Feature – We all know what Aussies are like; they love their beers, the beach and they have a down-to-earth approach to everything. It’s the here-and-now which matters to the average Australian bloke and the latest Fosters advert is a perfect example of how that attitude is reaping rewards.

Known by industry insiders as the Good Call adverts, they are probably more likely to be described by most of us as the ones with those blokes who give out clever advice over the phone to hapless Brits.

Brad and Dan appear to be able to dish out advice while sitting on a comfy sofa, on a pure white beach, while supping Fosters beer. Clearly all it takes is a chilled lager and a relaxed attitude to see the perfect solution to life’s little annoyances and concerns.

We have all seen the ads: the guy who is worried his girlfriend might just turn out to look like her mum, who it has to be said, isn’t exactly a bunch of roses. Of course, Brad and Dan point out that if Neighbours’ Scott had had his concerns about Charlene turning out like Madge, he never voiced them. Although something tells me that Scott would never have dared to annoy the feisty Charlene, let alone her Mum!

That ad has been followed by the ‘space invader’. We all know one of them; the people who get right up under your nose when they speak to you. No matter how many steps back you take, they take an equal number forward. It turns out that Brad and Dan have had experience of this one and know that the best thing to do is to shout at the top of your lungs at them. It works!

Both ads end with the phrase ‘good call!’. As we all know from our sunny afternoons spent watching the cricket, the reference is often used by fans of the game when referring to whether the ref got it right. If the decision of the ref is described as a good call, then the fans are happy that the game can continue without any further delay. Perhaps another way of putting it in Australia might be to say ‘fair dues’, but this doesn’t help when the advert is about calling for advice!

So what is it about Aussie blokes, beer, sun, sea and babes in bikinis that helps to sell beer here in the UK? Do we aspire to the laid-back Aussie lifestyle? Or do we imagine that when we are sitting in a little pub in the middle of nowhere and the wind is howling outside, that we could be the same as Brad and Dan, if only we drank Fosters?

Well, even if all you want to do is pretend that you can be halfway as cool as Brad and Dan, there are plenty of ways of getting at least some of that action. The Fosters website provides you with the opportunity to watch the adverts over and over with your mates. They really do get funnier each time you watch them.

The interactive website also gives updates on the latest Fosters news, including the design of its new can and pint glass.

In addition to all this, there are the usual Facebook and Twitter pages to follow as well. You can be updated on any future campaigns and get all the insider views on what’s hot and what’s not in the world of Brad and Dan.

So why is it that Fosters beer is so popular here in the UK, when we have all our own brands to choose from? It has to be more than simply a catchy and funny ad campaign and the idyllic Aussie lifestyle.

With a headquarters in Melbourne and being an employer of more than 6,000 people, Fosters is Australia’s leading brewer and winemaker and is one of the world’s leading drinks producers. The brand also includes such favourites as Asahi, Corona, Stella Artois and Kronenbourg as well as cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks.

However, us Brits have a special relationship with the Fosters 4.9 per cent lager, which we all know and love. It has been imported into the UK since the early 70s and has been loved ever since.

The brand has never shied away from using advertisements to get its message across. We all remember ‘Fosters; get some Australian in you’, which featured the Backpacker and Deep Sea ads back in 2009. But it all started in the 70s with a cartoon series run by satirical magazine Private Eye. The adventures of Barry Mckenzie, an Aussie ex-pat, started the long tradition of highlighting the special connection between the UK and Australia. After all, Australians have UK heritage; whether they like the fact or not!

Funnily enough, despite being brewed in Australia, the Aussies are only just beginning to realise how tasty Fosters is. The beer’s largest market is here in the UK where beer drinking is a bit of a national past time. In Australia, Fosters focuses on its other brands, Carlton Draught and Victoria Bitter. Aussies must think that lager is for girls!

Chances are that Australians probably wouldn’t really appreciate the humour behind the latest ads anyway. The exaggerated accents and typical Australian imagery could be seen as taking the mick. But it certainly is all done in fun and only goes to highlight the fact that Brits see Australia as the ideal destination for the perfect holiday. Not only that, but we really want to be like those Aussie blokes. Not a care in the world and yet full of laddish camaraderie.

Even if you prefer to stick to a good stout, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy the Brad and Dan Good Call advertisements. They really work in this country, because when it comes down to it, we love Aussies and their infinite wisdom when it comes to life’s worries. As they might say: “No worries, mate”.