Meat and Livestock Australia’s 2018 Summer Lamb campaign goes West Side Story and addresses the left and right divide in Australia.

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) puts a West Side Story spin to its annual Summer Lamb campaign, but instead of the Jets going against the Sharks, it features the Australian left and right ‘gangs’.

The singing and dancing campaign, ‘Lamb Side Story’ is by creative agency The Monkeys and features a satirical commentary as the two groups go head to head about current political and cultural issues – from terror to climate change and equality.

“If you’re right, you think equal rights are wrong – it’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,” sings the right. The left responds with “We’re all equal, no one left behind.” Also be sure to look out for a cameo by ‘Lambassador’ Sam Kekovich.

The ad expectedly ends with both groups agreeing to put aside their differences and enjoy a barbecue together.

MLA chief marketing and communications officer Lisa Sharp said in a statement that the 2018 summer campaign is built on the highly successful theme of unity, as per previous Lamb campaigns, and in doing so put Australian Lamb at the centre of our nation’s table this summer.

“Lamb as a brand stands for inclusivity and this latest campaign shines a light on what unites us rather than divides us,” Sharp said.

“In true Aussie spirit, we are celebrating freedom of choice, freedom of speech and our nation’s ability to put aside our differences and join together over a Lamb barbecue, the meat that brings everyone to the table.”

The integrated campaign, set to run across digital, social, television and cinema, comes off the bat of MLA’s ‘You Never Lamb Alone’ brand positioning which includes last year’s Australia Day Lamb campaign and its controversial and banned Spring Lamb ad which featured religious figures all sharing lamb.