AFL ad celebrates uniqueness of Aussie rules to kick off 2013 season
GPY&R Melbourne is behind a TV ad that celebrates the uniqueness of Aussie rules football to mark the beginning of the 2013 AFL season.
The ad, which airs tonight, shows the amazed expressions of people around the world who’ve never experienced the game before.
Ben Coulson, chief creative officer of Y&R Australia/New Zealand, said: “AFL is a unique product to advertise. It’s one of the country’s cultural icons and shiniest brands. It is passionately followed, discussed, debated and dissected by millions of Aussies and the media every day.”
“So it comes with a big challenge – make sure the ads live up to the product. It’s got to be big, exciting, surprising and show off the amazing skills of our game. It’s one of the jobs that makes working in the ad game an absolute thrill.”
Credits:
Client: AFL
Marketing Manager: Stephen Gray
Agency: GPY&R Melbourne
Executive Creative Director: Ben ‘Gazza’ Coulson
Senior Writer: Alex ‘Go Cats’ Wadelton
Senior Art Director: Paul ‘Free Kick Sampi’ Meates
Agency Executive Producer: Romanca ‘Meat Pie’ Jasinski
Group Account Director: Julian ‘Hit the Boundary’ Bell
Senior Account Director: Kirsten ‘Carn Hawks’ Darbyshire
Senior Account Manager: Rachel ‘Gimme Bartel’ Semmens
Production Company: Exit Films
Director: Steve ‘Carn West Coast’ Carroll
Producer: Tobias ‘Cats Man’ Webster
Cinematographer: Ryley ‘The Ambassador’ Brown
Sound: Alec ‘Footy Mad’ Mcloskey
Editing: Graeme ‘Plugger Pig’ Pereira, The Butchery
Online: Jon ‘Back Pocket’ Holmes / The Refinery
Music: ACDC “Long Way to the Top” (Alberts Music)
Music Supervision: Karl “No Collar, No Entry” Richter, Level Two Music
Sound Design: Paul “Shortbread” Le Couteur, Flagstaff Studios
Gotta say, that’s pretty darn good! Assume Jessica Mauboy was unavailable?
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I’m not a fan of AFL by any means. But they do advertising so much better than the NRL there isn’t even a competition on who’s ad wins.
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Made by someone who eats footies for breakfast and finishes every conversation with the word footy. Footy!
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I say this as a staunch Sydney born & bred NRL tragic – this is “leaps and bounds” ahead of the NRL spot. Great creative that highlights the differentiation in an entertaining way. Top stuff.
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Agency & client got some nice travel out of this one. That’s the only positive.
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Yeah, because the whole world loves a sport barely tolerated by half the country it’s played in. As usual, an AFL ad that panders to die hard fans, but does precisely nothing to convince non-fans to bother watching.
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haha – nothing like it – except that “international” game they play against ireland in leap years, where they use a round ball instead of wobbly red one.
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wow, what a list of credits!!!
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The song is too cliche. Doesn’t match the ad, imo.
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Yeah that’ll do nicely. Great ad.
Presume they cut the bits showing everyone laughing at the ridiculously over-animated umpires?
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“It’s a big ad, really big ad” – Not sure, I reckon the “Unbelievable” ad was brought up in the brief and to make something of that “we’re massive” nature… The heartland will love it and they’ll believe the hype but those outside of the heartland will be “yeah right, like anyone from any other country would give a flying….” (except a couple of Irish Provinces maybe..). Production values are great, Director, D.O.P, Audio Director and Art Director did a great job. Wasn’t sure about recycling Long Way to the Top on first listen but after 2 or 3 more I’m won over.
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Yep, that’s good.
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“but does precisely nothing to convince non-fans to bother watching.”
Self-evidently ridiculous. The whole premise is non-fans or newish fans being unable to drag their eyes away from the seemingly impossible athleticism of the Australian ball game.
Well done.
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Nice work, and seems to folow a similar strategy to the “I’d LIke To See That” campaign from years back.
And that’s not a bad thing, as it was one of the AFL’s best campaigns in my opinion…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqVk9qvyeoM
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a bloody rip-snorter
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I love the names in the credits written below
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Ironman proved that an ACDC track makes everything seem superhuman…..as long as Bon Scott is in charge. Indians and Americans staring in awe at AFL highlights…..left me a bit cold. Still, can’t wait for the season to start.
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Good insight and execution. Jingoism done smartly. As a football (not eggball) fan, this beats the A-League efforts and craps on the NRL dross.
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I’m not the biggest fan. But that ad hast me across the line. Love it. Smart execution of a simple idea. Still shows the obligatory sport bits in an exciting new way. Well done.
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Eh? But it’s not a global game. As if NFL players are streaming matches on their iPhones. There’s no insight beyond preaching to the converted.
How about the winner of the AFL plays off the winner of the MLB is a world series every year.
As a fan of the world game this shows me how concerned the AFL are of our beautiful round ball global code that will, understandably in a few years to come, overshadow this uniquely Australian but ultimately doomed awful jingoistic schlock.
At least they paid to licence an AC/DC track..
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Me gusta.
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Well executed, but the subtitles were cliche to say the least. They didn’t need to translate them to convey what they were thinking. If we’re trying to globalize the sport, then why say its our game? Basketball isn’t America’s game, it’s not Europe’s, it’s not ours…it is everyone’s game to play. Why can’t football be the same?
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great ad.
I’d bet a client lunch that the client got charged for copy writing on the credits. But then again who really pays for those lunches.
cheers
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“The World Game” was already taken Tricks 😉
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Brilliant execution and strategy. It says “look at all these other people who are also amazed by this fantastic sport. I am not alone!” It also reinforces allegiance to the code for existing fans – so its the best of both worlds. As for the tired old arguments about it not being a world game, who cares, it doesn’t need to be to flourish. Go Tigers!
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I’m assuming this commercial was inspired by this youtube video from the mid-2000s & the reader comments from around the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_hqosNvv5E
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Funny seeing the footy bogans love the ad coz its for them anyway. They think this stuff is real coz they know nothing else. Its preaching to the choir. Great seeing the AFL scared about real football (sokah to you bogans) and yes they are scared I work with some of the elements of the AFL so I know 🙂 Just you wait when Australia has the rights to host the World Cup (see that bogans AFL doesnt have anything like that) or the Asian Cup (u dont have that either) then you will see the racism come out again to defend their sport like they did last year.
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It says “look at all these other people who are also amazed by this fantastic sport.
Wrong
Actually they are superimposed clips of Football supporters supporting real Football not real fans watching a uniquely silly game that half of Australia just don’t like
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I think it’s a great ad, showing others one of the many things that is unique to our country. It’s great to see the way different people respond. As a nation we are known to be fanatical about our football, no matter what code. I don’t think it’s necessary to bag or brand AFL fans as ” Boguns”. Just as we shouldn’t be bagging football ( soccer) fans as houligans. A clever ad that has caught much attention, which is what it’s supposed to do!
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3rd of March ‘Anonymous’. Wrong in your opinion, doesn’t make you right. And like I said, who cares if its unique and therefore not a world game? Not the millions of people who enjoy it and make it per capita an amazing following and the most loved sport in this country.
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