On 17 November, days ahead of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup kick-off, Football Australia leveraged spiking soccer excitement to launch a fresh wave of its ‘Play Football’ participation programme designed to encourage everyone to find their place in football and to join their local team
The campaign, created in harness with agency Blood Utd and production company Visual Domain, rolled out at a time of heightened football awareness as the men’s national team – the Socceroos – prepare to play in Qatar 2022.
The initiative wad fronted by Subway Socceroos stars Awer Mabil and Andrew Redmayne (both of whom are in the Australian World Cup squad) and CommBank Matildas players Sam Kerr and Ellie Carpenter: marking the first-time national team stars have been involved in the initiative.
The creative champions the community-nature of the game by showing how joining a team leads to a sense of belonging and a sense of self. ‘Play Football’ drives home the message that everyone is welcome and everyone has the potential to grow up to play like their soccer idols.
The campaign spans mainstream TV, catch-up TV, digital channels and social platforms, plus out of home creative and other assets seeking to persuade even more Australians why they should Play Football and it is spearheaded by a hero 30-second spot.
Football Australia is excited to launch the new Play Football campaign for 2022/23! https://t.co/43AGBiJKqX
— Football Australia (@FootballAUS) November 17, 2022
At the campaign launch, Football Australia CEO James Johnson said: “Already acclaimed as the largest team-based participation sport in Australia, this particular Play Football campaign presents a unique opportunity to further ignite interest in football participation in Australia, as the Subway Socceroos embark on their quest at the FIFA Men’s World Cup, Qatar 2022 and the CommBank Matildas prepare for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 on home soil,” Johnson explained. Whether it’s as a player, coach, referee, or volunteer, football truly is a sport for all, and we look forward to seeing even more football fields and futsal courts across Australia full of people having fun and enjoying all the benefits of our great game.”
“Already acclaimed as the largest team-based participation sport in Australia, this particular Play Football campaign presents a unique opportunity to further ignite interest in football participation in Australia, as the Subway Socceroos embark on their quest at the FIFA Men’s World Cup Qatar 2022 in November and the CommBank Matildas prepare for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023TM on home soil in July,” outlinedFootball Australia Head Of Marketing, Communications and Corporate Affairs Peter Filopoulos. “We are confident that the aspirational tone of this campaign, featuring players Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Awer Mabil, and Andrew Redmayne, will inspire people of all ages, genders and abilities around the country to find their place in the football community and get involved. Whether it is as a player, coach, referee, or volunteer, football is for everyone – from our national team stars competing at FIFA World Cups, all the way down to the community and grassroots.”
Blood Utd Chief Creative Officer David Smith commented: “With two massive world cups coming up, and one on home shores, we wanted a campaign that focused on the universality of football. The world game has space for anyone and everyone. It is a game where young or old can all find a place to belong.”
Visual Domain Creative Director Adam Connolly added:“It was an honour to work with some of Australia’s biggest football names for this campaign, filming across great locations in NSW, QLD and VIC.”
“There’s nothing quite like the fun and freedom of playing football in a team with all your friends,” commented global women’s star Sam Kerr. “It’s such a special feeling, no matter where I’m playing around the world, the buzz I experience playing football with my teammates is always the same. Football has provided me with some of my best memories and friends, I would encourage everyone to find a club and experience this for themselves.”
Comment
‘Play Football’ is a participatory programme and a national governing body message to the country as the nation’s men’s and women’s teams embark on an exciting 12 months as the men’s team take on their fifth successive World Cup Finals in Qatar 2022 will be followed by the women’s team co-hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Despite its status in the media remaining somewhat overshadowed by Rugby League, Aussie Rules and even cricket, football lays claims to being the number one participation sport in Australia and to being most diverse and inclusive sport in the country with programs and competitions catering for everyone irrespective of ability, age, gender, race, and religion.
Indeed, according to Football Australia, more than 1.5m Australians play the game regularly and thus also enjoying the game’s ‘many benefits including camaraderie, community, friendship, and teamwork, not to mention improved physical and mental health’.
The campaign was created by a team at creative agency Blood Utd led by CCO David Smith, with production handled by Visual Domain where the group working on the project was led by CD Adam Connolly and featured national team talents Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Awer Mabil and Andrew Redmayne and players from several club and school teams including Mt Gravatt Hawks FC, Toowong FC, East Gosford FC, Endeavour Sporting Club, Barton United FC and Carrington Primary School.
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