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Australia Sam Kekovich has transitioned from an accomplished AFL footballer to a widely recognized media personality and cultural commentator, known for his unique blend of humor and insights.
Sam Kekovich was the face of the long-running 'We Love Our Lamb' campaign which aimed to promote lamb meat consumption in Australia, particularly around Australia Day. His satirical 'rants' became a defining feature of these campaigns. He credited various creative agencies, including Wonderful and The Monkeys, for bringing the campaigns to life. The partnership began in 2005 and lasted until 2014, with his involvement continuing into the 2020s.
Sam Kekovich has appeared in commercials for Telstra, promoting Australian-based telemarketers.
Kekovich has performed his characteristic 'rants' in commercials for Dan Murphy's bottle shops.
Sam Kekovich was born on March 11, 1950, in Manjimup, Western Australia, to Yugoslav immigrant parents. He began his senior football career with Myrtleford in the Ovens & Murray Football League, where he kicked 55 goals in 1967. His talent led him to the Victorian Football League (VFL), joining North Melbourne in 1968. In 1969, Kekovich earned the club’s best and fairest award and was North Melbourne’s leading goalkicker with 56 goals. A pivotal figure in North Melbourne’s first premiership win in 1975, he played 124 VFL games for the Kangaroos between 1968 and 1976. Kekovich’s career also saw a brief stint with Collingwood in 1977, playing four games before moving to the Victorian Football Association to play for the Prahran Football Club, where he contributed to their 1978 VFA Premiership. He later coached the VFA club Camberwell for three seasons, from 1987 to 1989. Kekovich is a distinguished member of the North Melbourne Team of the Century.
Following his football career, Kekovich transitioned into media, becoming well-known for his distinctive ‘rants’ on television and radio. His media presence includes regular appearances on the ABC show ‘The Fat,’ a breakfast show on Melbourne radio station 3AK, and as a radio presenter on SEN 1116. He was also involved in pre-match AFL coverage on Triple M and featured on PTI Australia on ESPN. His talent for satirical monologues gained significant recognition, leading to the release of a spoken word album, ‘You Know it Makes Sense,’ which was nominated for the ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release in 2002. This unique style also landed him commercial roles for North Melbourne Football Club membership drives and Dan Murphy’s bottle shops.
From 2005 to 2014, Kekovich became the iconic ‘Lambassador’ for Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), spearheading annual Australia Day advertising campaigns that encouraged lamb consumption. These campaigns, delivered in his signature deadpan style, often included satirically outlandish statements that sparked both laughter and controversy, particularly his early comments regarding vegetarians. Despite numerous complaints to the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau, his ads were consistently ruled as satirical and permitted to remain on air. He continued in the ‘Lambassador’ role into the early 2020s, participating in campaigns promoting lamb consumption and appeared as an executive producer on the 2013 Australian film ‘Blinder’.
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