Transport For NSW & NSWRL Blues Launch New ‘Knock On Effect: Decision Time’ Social Campaign

A 2023 iteration of ongoing ‘The Knock-On Effect’ road safety collaboration between Transport For NSW and the NSWRL Blues rolled out in August with a campaign titled ‘Decision Time’ fronted by Westpac NSW Blues players and coaches

 

The initiative core idea is that both on and off the field, rugby league players are faced with everyday decisions that impact their lives and the campaign itself put players’ decision-making skills to the test.

 

Created by agency Gemba, the long-running campaign has been key to raising attention around road safety and bringing the subject to the forefront of public discussion and debate.

 

The 2023 campaign launched to leverage ‘The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup’ and ran across TV and on NSW Rugby League’s social channels and website.

 

This creative featured National Rugby League stars James Tedesco, Josh Addo-Carr, Cameron Murray and legend Greg Alexander.

 

The ‘Decision Time’ marketing centred around players responding to a series of quick-fire ‘this or that’ questions on an interactive touch screen. These questions began with a fairly light-hearted tone in order to start to get to know player personalities: such as ‘sauna or ice bath?’, ‘cardio or weights?’ and ‘heavy metal or hip-hop?’ But they rapidly evolved into to more serious issues and road safety related topics:  including questions related to speeding, fatigue and drink driving.

 

While the first wave of questions aimed to provide a range of personal responses and preferences, when it came to decisions on the road there was only one correct answer.

 

As well as the anchor ‘Decision Time’ ad and supporting content, agency Gemba also rolled out in-stadia activations and signage, plus digital and social assets.

 

 

 

“Some decisions are all about you, some are much bigger than that,” said Greg Alexander commenting on the campaign.

 

The campaign was briefed in by a client group at Transport for NSW led by Director, Marketing & Sponsorship Paul Ibsen and Head of Sponsorships & Partnerships Laila Burazerovic and was created by a team at agency Gemba that included Executive Creative Director Boyd Hicklin, Creative Director John Weir, Head of Creative & Production Alexandra Longbottom, Creative Producer Ally Kirkwood, Graphic Designer  Honey Terrill, Senior Account Director Ross Gonsalves, Account Managemer Daniel Morris and Senior Marketing Consultant Branden Stobbs.

 

The director was Nicholas Snelling who worked with Executive Producer Luke Coulson (of Content and Commercial Productions), with Director of Photography David Guest. Post-production was handled by Mr Fox Post Production, Grade by Marty Greer and sound by Final Sound.

 

 

Comment

 

This is an anchor road safety initiative for Transport for New South Wales and follows in the footsteps of previous initiatives with the Blues such as 2019’s ‘Knock On Effect’.

 

The local transport authority also partners with specific sports teams for various PSA style initiatives such as its don’t use a mobile phone use while driving initiatives with the Sydney Swans like 202’s ‘Don’t Fly Blind’ and 2017’s ‘Distraction’.