Ten days ahead of the 22 March kick-off of the new 2018 Toyota Premiership season, the Australian Football League (AFL) released a new brand platform called ‘Don’t Believe In Never’.
The campaign started with a trio of short films showcasing remarkable stories of passion, dedication, overcoming adversity and triumph within the AFL game.
One of the triumvirate focuses on Damien Hardwick’s leadership of the Richmond Tigers to the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership title (their first in Grand Final victory in 37 years),
the second stars Sydney Swan Aliir Aliir’s journey from Sudan, via a Kenyan refugee camp to immigrating to Brisbane, then Perth and then playing in the AFL,
while the third features Bankstown Bull Sharks (a multicultural team of teenage schoolgirls in Western Sydney) Muslim star Dema.
The films, created by the AFL in harness with creative agency Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, rolled out on channels Seven and Foxtel, as well as across the AFL website and its social media platforms – including Instagram
and Facebook.
All aim to bring to life the campaign title and tagline: ‘Don’t Believe In Never’.
The idea behind the initiative is that we hear the word ‘never’ too much in society today (from the media, to the workplace and in politics too), but that it is rarely every heard uttered in the AFL because the game is built on ‘possibility’.
This theme is explored through the first Sudanese refugee to play AFL, the rise of women at the elite level of the game, a team winning a flag from 7th on the ladder, and a practicing Muslim winning a Premiership medal.
But also through the suggestion that during the 2018 season, every single week, ‘never’ and ‘never’ will happen.
The campaign, hubbed around http://www.afl.com.au/seasonlaunch will grow through the whole 2018 season further ‘never’ stories will roll out – including those rovcused on speicifc rounds such as the Sir Doug Nicholls Round – the annual celebration of Indigenous culture.
While a parallel fan acquisition program called the ‘Neverbeens’ will try to drive new consumer groups and fresh audiences to matches in order to grow the game’s fan base.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan explained at the campaign launch that the initiative aims to act as an inspiration for all levels of Australian Football: from grassroots o both the elite men’s and women’s competitions.
“The common thread of these three stories is that at one point in their lives the subjects made a conscious decision that never was not an option and Australian Football has provided a vehicle for their personal successes,” said McLachlan.
“Whether it’s on a Saturday at a suburban footy ground, or at the MCG on Grand Final Day, these films show that this game can win over every heart and create opportunities no matter the level of play.”
AFL head of marketing and insights Julian Dunne adds that the new brand proposition offers the AFL a range of opportunities to tell game-led stories from grassroots to elite.
“There are so many stories across our game where people have achieved something remarkable against all odds,” said Dunne.
“These stories exist at the grassroots level right through to the elite game and when they are told in the right way they create emotion and broader interest in the game. Fans tell us that footy is more than just a spectacle, it’s a place to escape, be hopeful, connect, celebrate and commiserate, so we feel this is a strong new platform to communicate what is both unique and special about our game.”
Richard Williams and Ant Phillips, creative directors, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne added: “Our job was a relatively easy one in this instance. The game of AFL is blessed with more stories of people overcoming adversity and of the impossible becoming possible than we can deal with. We love the three stories we’ve chosen to launch with, but are most excited about the potential this long term platform has to grow, evolve and inspire a new generation of footy fans. The opportunities are endless.”
Comment:
This rights-holder new season brand platform is something of a change in approach from last year’s ‘The Bont’ kick-off campaign fronted by Hollywood superstar Chris Hemsworth (see case study).
Last year saw several major AFL sponsor activate around the new saeason through fully-formed, integrated campaigns: including Swisse Wellness (see case study) and Woolworths (see case study).
It’ll be interesting to see which partners leverage the kick-off this year.
Among the more interesting initiatives leveraging the new 2018 season is an AR app from Adelaide Football Club for its Crows Women’s Team members (see case study).
Links:
AFL
http://www.afl.com.au/seasonlaunch
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-12/afl-campaign-in-2018-dont-believe-in-never
https://www.instagram.com/afl/
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
http://clemengerbbdo.com.au/en
