NRL dumps celebrity for social in 2016 season launch as campaign refocuses on sport
The NRL has launched its 2016 season push with an ad devoid of celebrity as the code abandons rock star-driven marketing in favour of a campaign giving ownership to the players and fans, with the line: ‘Be there when history happens’.
The work is the first to come from Sydney agency Archibald Williams, which was handed season-launch creative duties after more than a decade with MJW – which as Hertz Walpole created the first Tina Turner campaign for the code in 1989 setting the NRL on a path of marketing reliant on big songs and bigger stars.
Over the years the NRL launch has been supported by Jon Bon Jovi, Jimmy Barnes, Jessica Mauboy, the Hoodoo Gurus, Tom Jones, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Chumbawumba, Robbie Williams and one highly-criticised effort featuring author Tom Keneally.
However, NRL director of commercial Andrew Abdo told Mumbrella the time had come for the code to take a different direction and engage the fans more – even though some might be disappointed the season is not kicking off with a huge anthem.
This is great advertising. Well done guys!
Simply the best…. Well for a long time anyway
Hi
1. Your “campaigns biggest challenge”??? Your campaign is there to serve your game not be a destination in its own right
2. Sorry but it feels Exactly the same as all the other nrl campaigns of the past. Big and boom.
3. We don’t care if a big star fronts it or not. Hardly noticed
4. The ad just looks like a highlights real – the same highlight reel that gets played by the network
We love NRL and it’s had a tough year or so there is a real opportunity to guide the game into the 21st century. It needs careful guidance.
So you edited together a bunch of frantic highlights, coupled with a weak insight, and are hoping to achieve what?
This is poor work. If you’re going to dismiss decades of legacy advertising value, at least make it good.
I love it when ad folk try to cut promos – it’s harder than it looks isn’t it, (as demonstrated here).
This’ll work well.
PS. Mumbrella, you didn’t mention Tina Turner #sexistagenda #maybeageismtoo
Rawnocerous. Yeh they did, Second paragraph!
Fuck yeah. Shake up the old dinosaur with some rough and ready, insightful creative and raw emotion Nice work Archibald/Williams. Love yer work!