Coopers and Lion have each launched initiatives to help keep pubs engaged with and entertaining their patrons stuck at home, pushing virtual pubs across the country.
Coopers Brewery presents its ‘Live, Loud & Local’ entertainment series, providing entertainment from some of Australia’s leading comedians, musicians, chefs and MCs, hosted by Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst.
Coopers is partnering with key hotels, which are ‘virtually’ opening their doors to host the events. They include the Coogee Bay Hotel in Sydney, the Storey Bridge Hotel in Brisbane, Leonard’s House of Love in Melbourne, Coopers Original Ale House in Adelaide, the Sandbar in Perth, and The Great Northern in Byron Bay.
The gigs will be interactive, with participants able to win prizes each night. Coopers will provide jugs of beer and meals at pubs, redeemable when they re-open, to drive return patronage.
Viewers will also be directed to the Facebook pages of their local pubs and encouraged to order meals from those offering takeaway and delivery services, in a show of support.
Live, Loud & Local kicks off this Friday night (24 April) at 8pm, the first instalment featuring celebrity chef Shannon Bennett, teaching audiences how to make pub meal favourites at home. The project will continue to showcase some of Australia’s A-list entertainers, and from next week will take place Friday and Saturday nights.
Coopers has a proud history of supporting the arts industry, and Cam Pearce, director of marketing and innovation, offers it is an opportunity for hotels to connect with their customers during the shutdown.
“From pubs pivoting to bottle-shops and takeaway restaurants, to comedians and musicians moving on-line, we wanted to create a platform where we could highlight and celebrate their tenacity to innovate and succeed.”
Live, Loud & Local is supported by Live Nation’s Entertainment & Events division.
Meanwhile, Lion brand Furphy has simultaneously announced its virtual pub experience, dubbed Furphy Fridays – Live & Unbelievable.
For an hour, starting 5:30pm every Friday night for the next six weeks, Furphy will host up to 1,000 people around a virtual wooden pub table. Participants will be able to share a beer and a furphy* with familiar faces.
The inaugural edition this Friday is to be hosted by actor, author, host and comedian Matt Okine, alongside Australian cricketer Aaron Finch. Each week will see a different celebrity bartender.
During the hour, a furphy* will be told by the host, one by an audience member, and one by a mystery guest. Viewers try to guess the guest’s identity first for prizes.
Furthering the pub tradition, each week one guest will win a meat tray, and a virtual tip jar will allow patrons to contribute to GIVIT’s COVID-19 relief fund – which Furphy is matching dollar-for-dollar – as rating of the host’s performance.
There will also be encouragement for audience members to order delivery or takeaway from pubs partnering with Furphy for the program.
“The virtual Furphy pub is here to remind us what awaits us all at the end of this long road,” offers Matt Crosthwaite, from Camperdown’s Lady Hampshire.
“In the meantime, we’ll be here with cold Furphy to enjoy from the comfort of home.”
Venues and participants can register HERE.
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*Furphy [fur-fee] Noun. Australian. A story that has truth to it but has likely been embellished for dramatic effect.
