Vegemite
To celebrate Vegemite’s 100th birthday, the campaign brought the original Happy Little Vegemites commercial together with a new generation of Vegemite kids in a joyful tribute to an Australian icon.
An Australian icon turns 100
To mark 100 years of Vegemite, Thinkerbell created a campaign that brought one of Australia’s best-known commercials into the present day. The idea combined footage from the original Happy Little Vegemites ad with a new cast, a modern remix of the famous jingle and the return of original Vegemite kid Trish, 64 years later.
Making old and new feel like one film
The production needed to honour a commercial generations of Australians know and love, without becoming stuck in the past. Every new shot had to work seamlessly alongside the original footage, matching its movement, framing and charm while introducing a more contemporary energy.
With children at the centre of the campaign, the production also needed to capture natural, joyful performances while managing the precision required for match cuts, animation and visual transitions.
Built around the details
Following a nationwide casting call facilitated by Studio P that attracted more than 10,000 applications, we assembled a cast with the personality and energy to become the next generation of Happy Little Vegemites.
Director Olivia Altavilla worked closely with the production, design, wardrobe, camera, animation and post-production teams to connect the two eras. The original kitchen was carefully recreated, shots were designed to mirror the movement and framing of the archival footage, and animated illustrations helped the old and new worlds flow together.
The production brought together logistics, storyboarding, casting, shooting, production design, wardrobe, photography, editing, animation, colour and sound.
The next generation of Happy Little Vegemites
The modern world gradually makes its way into the original commercial. The old jar becomes the new, black and white gives way to colour and familiar moments are reimagined with a new cast of Vegemite kids.
The transition is completed when young Trish becomes present-day Trish, now seated at the recreated kitchen table with a new generation beside her. It is a simple, joyful reminder that while Australia has changed, some rituals have stayed with us.
A celebration made for every generation
100 Mitey Years gave an iconic piece of Australian advertising a new chapter, preserving the nostalgia of the original while creating something energetic, inclusive and unmistakably current.
The campaign received two 2024 Communicator Awards of Excellence for Editing and Use of Graphics and was selected as a 2024 AIVA Team Pick.
Awards and recognition
Excellence in Craft Categories - Editing
Excellence in Craft Categories - Use of Graphics
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