Australian racecourse The Valley has launched a new campaign promoting the 2018 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Carnival called ‘Legendary’ which aims to focus attention on what the Spring Carnival is really all about – the racing itself.
The Valley teamed up with agency Magnum Opus Partners (MOP) to create a unique positioning for the Cox Plate Carnival through a campaign created to make the viewer feel some of the energy and excitement felt by race goers.
Indeed, the ‘Legendary’ campaign aims to mark it out as different from the other main Spring Racing events with messaging based around that distinct idea that the Cox Plate is considered by many as the best WFA race in the world.
The event’s positioning has been helped in recent years by the success of super star horse Winx – who has won a remarkable three times and is returning to attempt an unprecedented fourth WS Cox Plate triumph.
The campaign spans television, OOH, radio, digital and social, plus sub-campaigns promoting a series of smaller events happening during the days leading up to the meeting itself.
It is spearheaded by a high energy television commercial introducing the ‘Legendary’ campaign line and aiming to distil just what this Carnival is all about.
The campaign’s strategy and creative was developed by Magnum Opus Partners and the television work was produced by Hase Productions.
The campaign is supported by additional Valley promotional initiatives ranging from competitions,
2018 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Retweet Sweep
RETWEET TO WIN: Follow @CoxPlate and RT this post to win PLUS own No.4 in the Ladbrokes @CoxPlate field for a chance to win $1,000 cash. pic.twitter.com/HEVkt27PcX
— Cox Plate Carnival (@CoxPlate) October 17, 2018
to behind-the-scenes preparations content
Water goes onto the track as preparations continue for the Ladbrokes @CoxPlate Carnival #Legendary pic.twitter.com/h8r9AW7uwe
— TheValley Racecourse (@TheValley) October 17, 2018
and interviews with the key players.
: "She's never gone any better… she is as good as she has ever been" – @cwallerracing. pic.twitter.com/RDSFBncC00
— TheValley Racecourse (@TheValley) October 16, 2018
The campaign was created for The Valley’s Cox Plate Carnival meeting for marketing manager Daniela Cole and brand manager Troy Ratcliffe, by a an MOP agency team led by ECD Mike Allen, CD Pat Langton, art director Johnathan Akiki, copywriter Pat Langton, account director Jasmine Kha, account manager Alicia Yeoh, with production by Hase Productions and sound design by Paul McCosh of Viva Sound.
“Being part of a history-making moment like this is genuinely thrilling and rewarding. Our strategy for this year was determined very early – ‘Legendary’ is a genuine campaign and we don’t want to keep chopping and changing it every year, just for the sake of it, and especially when it is so right for what’s actually going on right now – and we think that this conscious campaign discipline shows in the work,” commented MOP creative director Pat Langton.
“In general, too, we’re at a tipping point for night racing, which is rapidly becoming locked in as a “must attend” part of Melbourne’s Friday nights, and the huge buzz created around Manikato Stakes night this year will hopefully spill over for the rest of the racing season.”
Daniela Cole, marketing manager at The Valley, added: “We’ve worked very hard to create a two-day carnival that is unique to Melbourne. We need a point of difference in a crowded market and this campaign achieves just that. We’re expecting record crowds across both events and with Winx coming back it will undoubtedly be a W.S. Cox Plate to remember!”
Comment:
The ‘Legendary’ campaign is just one of a wave of Spring Carnival marketing initiatives running across Australia this autumn.
Others range from initiatives from other tracks such as VRCS’ ‘The World Can Wait’ (see case study), to bookie campaign’s like SportBet’s ‘BS Responsibly’ (see case study) and BetEasy’s ‘Raise Your Game’ (see case study).
This 24-hour non-stop Melbourne racing carnival is actually two back-to-back race days: starting with the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes under lights on the Friday night and culminating on Saturday afternoons with the showpiece Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
The 2017 meeting notched up record attendances and this campaign is a core part of the Valley’s objective of attracting even more race goers in 2018.
Links:
The Valley
https://www.facebook.com/MooneeValley
https://www.instagram.com/thevalleyracecourse/
https://www.youtube.com/user/MooneeValleyRacing
https://www.linkedin.com/company/moonee-valley-racing-club
Magnum Opus Partners
