Lion Nathan’s latest campaign for Toohey’s New, ‘The Beer Economy’, has been met with accusations of intellectual property theft.

The Saatchi & Saatchi campaign employs insights into Australian’s use of beer as currency. Both the overarching campaign idea and executions have strong links to a similar Budweiser commercial (the TVCs can be compared below).

“The idea of a Beer Economy is nothing new – Aussies have been getting things done with beer for generations. Everyone has a hilarious story about something the’ve exchanged beer for,” said Steve Back, executive creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi Australia.

The Australian campaign, however, will include digital integration with a website offering beer aficionados guidelines on the beer value of a range of tasks. It will also include a ‘Beer Exchange Calculator’, allowing users to answer multiple choice questions to determine the number of beers they are deficit or credited. Toohey’s will also encourage users to download ‘Beer Invoices’ and ‘For The Love of beer I Will _____’ forms, stimulating the idea.