Wollongong actor Adam Demos is the new Solo Man, sent to wrangle a runaway barrel of the lemon stuff in a $4million advertising campaign that plays on the brand’s history.

The Dapto High School graduate was among 300 who auditioned to bring the stoic, colonial gentleman back to life after more than a decade out of the spotlight.

‘‘He’ s a pretty iconic Australian character. He hasn’t been on television for over 10 years and yet everybody knows him,’’ said Mr Demos, cousin of Wollongong Hawks guard Tyson Demos.

‘‘For me to be able to play him is huge.’’

The campaign has spawned billboards, life-sized cardboard cut-outs and a heavy social media presence, including a dedicated YouTube channel showing old and new Solo Man content.

For the new commercial, Mr Demos, 26, dons a moustache and brown suspenders to sprint after a barrel as a blokey folk tune builds to a crescendo.

It was shot in rural Victoria over three days in December and will be launched nationally tomorrow.

The role is the most lucrative won by Mr Demos, who has also secured parts in Home and Away, Rescue Special Ops and One Thumb Out - the only Australian play selected for the New York International Fringe Festival in 2010.

He began his working life at his father’s demolition company and was later a labourer at Port Kembla’s steelworks, but gave in to his ‘‘curiosity’’ about the acting world after a stint of travel.

‘‘I realised there’s so much out there,’’ he said.

‘‘I thought, why be scared of little things?’’

The 190cm former Dapto juniors rugby league forward said he jogged, swam and went to the gym to stay fit to the standard expected of a Solo Man, but said he never shared his cousin’s hoops ambitions.

‘‘I tried it when I was younger, but I think Tyson got all those skills,’’ he said.