Samsung Australia’s 360-Degree Australian Netball 'Train like a Diamond' VR Experience

Samsung activates its partnership with Australian Netball by launching an emotional ‘Train Like a Diamond’ virtual reality experience enabling fans to sees just what it is like to train with the national team.

Samsung, a major sponsor of the Australian Diamonds national squad, aims to give netball lovers a close-up, in-person team training experience.

It immerses fans in amongst the team and challenges them to keep up with the training programme: offering viewers a chance to take some time to look every player around them moving at a fraction of their normal speed.

Running under the umbrella ‘Rethink Role Models’ campaign which Samsung launched earlier this year to activate its sponsorship of Netball Australia, the ‘Train Like a Diamond’ VR experience was first launched at the ’Future Diamonds Studio’ set up at the Diamond’s 68-56 9 October Constellation Cup win over rival New Zealand Silver Ferns.

A successful piece of sports casting sees the VR content star Diamonds player Caitlin Bassett (whose 100% 47-goal haul inspired the win over NZ), alongside teammates Laura Geitz and Sharni Layton.

While a Samsung Electronics Australia 360-degree video, which marks the first time national Australian team female athletes appear in a VR initiative, amplifies the on-site headset initiative across the digital and social space.

The content can be viewed on Samsung Galaxy smartphones compatible with Samsung Gear VR and can also be viewed on YouTube.

The campaign, created in partnership with agency iris Sydney and Rapid VR, also includes a non-VR TV spot.

The initiative, which aims to use VR and 360-degree technologies to use training sessions to bring netball fans closer to the game and to showcase Samsung’s marketing leading technology, was also socially.

It's game day & I'm @SamsungAu marquee ready to meet all the @AussieDiamonds fans! Come & say hi ^LG #ConstellationCup pic.twitter.com/mRhZiHb3kE

— Samsung Australia (@SamsungAU) October 9, 2016

Engaging in virtual reality at the @SamsungAU tent, seeing what it's like to train like a Diamond! #ConstellationCup pic.twitter.com/jGG2UrRQPI

— Australian Diamonds (@AussieDiamonds) October 9, 2016

This ‘Train like a Diamond’ VR experience will also be available on-site to the wider public at several other Australian netball events including the Samsung Primary Schools Cup (15 and 16 October in Ipswich, Queensland) and at the International Fast Five tournament (29 and 30 October in Hisense Arena, Melbourne).

‘Fans of netball will now get to experience how our best female athletes train,’ trumpets Samsung Australia Corporate VP and CMO Philip Newton.

‘We are thrilled to work with the players on offering a first of its kind to the sport, connecting fans with their role models.’

Samsung athlete endorser and Diamond’s star Sharni Layton believes the VR, 360-degree experience is an exciting new way to interact with fans.

‘The game of netball is so fast-paced, dynamic and exciting,’ trumpets Layton.

‘We’re thrilled to work with Samsung and their innovative technology to give fans behind the scenes access to what our training sessions are like.’

The client, Samsung Electronics Australia, worked with agency iris Sydney and production company Rapid VR on the project, while media was run by Starcom MediaVest and public relations by Edelman Public Relations.

The film was directed by Craig Rasmus, the executive producer was Susannah Phillips, the producer was Rita Gagliardi, the director of technology was Dan White and the editor was Bek Hawkey – with VFX by Cutting Edge.

The initiative, titled ‘Train like a Diamond’, is part of Samsung’s ‘Rethink Role Models’ campaign which was launched in May this year to activate its status as the official sponsor and the exclusive electronics partner of netball in Australia and to leverage its team partnerships with not just the national Australian Netball Diamonds, but also with the Queensland Firebirds and the New South Wales Swifts.

This ‘Rethink Role Models’ campaign focuses on Samsung’s five flagship netball ambassadors: Laura Geitz, Sharni Layton, Kim Ravaillion, Caitlin Bassett and Paige Hadley.

The Train like a Diamond initiative is part of Samsung’s Rethink Role Models campaign which was launched in May this year with a campaign spanning TV and YouTube film (the ‘Samsung – Rethink Role Models: The Australian Netball Diamonds ‘ launch spot racked up more than 1.3m YouTube views),

and was supported by digital, social on on-site work too.

Tune in tomorrow! Our ambassador @LauraFirebirds, is taking over @SamsungAu Twitter & going behind the scenes at #ConstellationCup! pic.twitter.com/ZMI1quRd8A

— Samsung Australia (@SamsungAU) October 8, 2016

The ‘Rethink Role Models’ mini-series highlights personal battles of injury, losing a family member, self-confidence and sacrifice. The series champions what the athletes stand for, as well as the broader qualities they represent.

You can watch all the videos here and some of the standout spots include #InnerStrength,

and #ProveThemWrong

Explaining the strategy behind the sponsorship, Samsung’s Newton says: ‘When we reviewed our sponsorship portfolio, we identified a number of opportunities with netball that were aligned to our business’.

‘There are more than 1.2 million participants in netball in Australia, presenting a community that Samsung can engage with as well as support to help grow the sport and champion its athletes.’

‘The campaign is thought leadership in nature and speaks to Samsung’s commitment to being more than just a typical sponsor,’ adds Samsung Australia’s head of corporate brand Holly Adams.

‘The sport of netball and our ambassadors have proven to be exemplary advocates who will inspire the next generation of Australians.’

Comment

The last 18 months has seen an avalanche of leading edge, virtual reality sponsorship activation initiatives, but this is one of the few that activates a women’s sports partnership.

It also forms part of a major women’s sports autumn push around the world that was boosted by ‘Women In Sport Week’ and which saw a ‘Red Roses identity refresh for the England Women’s Rugby Team ahead of next year’s World Cup (see case study), the global launch of the ICC’s ‘Who Rules The World’ Women’s Cricket World Cup campaign (see case study) and WNBA sponsors, like Gatorade, run new campaigns around the playoffs (see case study).

VR technology continues to offer a unique way to help fans see behind-the-scenes, get onto the pitch and to train with their favourite sports stars.

But, there have been so many of these VR campaigns that the innovation of the technology alone isn’t cutting through like it did when the technology first arrived as more and more fans have already experienced 3D reactive headset experiences.

As the tactic and the tech becomes ever more common, it is increasingly important to ensure VR sponsor initiatives have an authentic story behind them, a synergy between the technology and the partnership and a reason why the experience is being launched at any particular time.

Links

Samsung Australia YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/Samsungtvaustralia

Samsung Australia Twitter:

https://twitter.com/samsungau

Samsung Australia Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/samsungau/

Samsung Australia Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SamsungAustralia

Samsung Australia Web:

http://www.samsung.com/au/home/

Iris Sydney