‘Lambassador’ Sam Kekovich is back for his most important job of the year – delivering us the brand new Australian Lamb ad, just in time for summer barbies and chops for dinner, every night.
There are a few things that make an Aussie summer really feel like an Aussie summer. A mango eaten over the sink. Salt crusted on your skin after a swim. Accidentally branding yourself on the molten metal part of a seatbelt.
And, of course, the Australian Lamb ad. Which is officially back for 2026.
This unofficial national treasure has been a summer-season fixture for nearly two decades, popping up right on cue to remind us who we are, what we stand for, and why lamb somehow fixes everything. It’s the ad we argue about, quote endlessly, and secretly look forward to every year – even if we pretend we don’t.
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Whether it was 2024’s meaty masterpiece that used lamb chops to bridge generational divides, or last year’s gleeful takedown of keyboard warriors, the campaign has never shied away from a cultural moment.
The Aussie lamb ad is always a little bit ridiculous, and just sincere enough to get away with it. But no matter what it’s poking fun at, the solution is usually the same: fire up the barbie. And this year is no different.
The fresh 2026 Australian Lamb ad sets its sights on an issue of national significance: the alarming fact that Australia has, for the first time, slipped out of the world’s top 10 happiest countries. A crisis, frankly.
But fear not – because if there’s one thing this country has taught us, it’s that happiness can be restored with a shared meal and a bit of perspective. The ad’s mission? To help us reclaim our joy.
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Beautiful coastlines! Platypusses! Free public barbecues in parks to use! All reminders that we’ve actually got it pretty good.
And what lamb-tastic dishes will we be cooking this summer, we hear you ask? Start with a very Aussie lamb and mango salad – green and gold in all the right ways, and basically Australiana on a plate. Feeling a little fancier? Matt Moran’s herb-rolled lamb shoulder with lemony kipfler potatoes has “long lunch” written all over it. Or, if speed is the priority (and let’s be honest, it often is), these 5-minute Lebanese lamb mince wraps are your new midweek hero.
Plenty to be happy about there.
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