AFL 'You Make The Game' Aims For League-Wide Reboot

The new ‘You Make The Game’ campaign is the centrepiece of the AFL’s attempt to win back fan support and trust after two seasons overshadowed by scandal.

After the Essendon/ASADA debacle, declining attendances and a sense of supporter disenchantment, the league’s latest marketing initiative aims to bring the fan-focused, feel-good factor back to the game.

The campaign launching the new 2015 Toyota AFL Premiership Season aims to be is a celebration of the most important element of the game – the fans.

Developed in tandem with agency Cummins & Partners, family-values, community and fans themselves lie at the heart of the approach.

The imagery is dominated by local footy matches played in front of packed crowds are mixed with shots of marriages across club lines and babies being tempted by parents with rival team jerseys.

The spearhead TV spot is set to a soundtrack that blends the Blues Brothers and the opening organ notes of Steve Winwood’s ‘Gimme Some Lovin’.

In fact, everyone in the cast is a ‘real fan’ – crowd-casting you might call it.

Indeed, fans were at the core of all aspects of the multi-channel initiative, included 500 of them at the season launch event.

#youmakethegame pic.twitter.com/jDJLPmE4oa

— AFL (@AFL) March 24, 2015

The Captains and over 500 community and school teams are gathering for an epic footy group photo #youmakethegame pic.twitter.com/de5bI6Hx0F

— AFL (@AFL) March 24, 2015

‘This campaign is for supporters of the game at all levels, those who make our game extraordinary,’ explains Cummins & partners ECD Jim Ingram.

‘In fact, every person cast in this commercial is an AFL fan, with most of them recruited through club fan squads. Go Dons.’

‘The AFL has made important decisions this year, listening and acting on issues the fans care about,’ explains The AFL’s general manager of people, culture and community Dorothy Hisgrove.

‘This ad celebrates the fact that our game doesn’t exist without the passion and support of fans, and we celebrate them and their stories of passion.’

While AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan backs up the campaign with a promise to make the game more accessible to fans.

Indeed, the marketing campaign is just one of a co-ordinated set of fresh set of fan-friendly initiatives ranging from cheaper food at venues, a simpler ticketing and pricing system, a more fan friendly fixture, kids go free on Sundays in Melbourne, and kick-to-kick on Sunday’s at the MCG.

It’s the year of the fan. Read Gillon McLachlan’s #AFLSeasonLaunch speech: http://t.co/WrLA7HCMG9 pic.twitter.com/uRONxmZMVP

— AFL (@AFL) March 25, 2015

Comment

This might not be fully-fledged disaster recovery, but it is something of an attempted re-position and re-boot.

It certainly checks some of the key strategic tick boxes.

It is ‘local’ and ‘community-led’, it is ‘fan-focused’, ‘gendder balanced’ and ‘cross-generational’, it even includes ‘babies’ and ‘pets’.

There’s even a touch of star power (with an appearance by actor Eric Bana).

Links

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