Beer and a banker feature in special State of Origin ads for Game I
Wednesday night’s State of Origin Game I saw new dedicated campaigns from key sponsors XXXX and Westpac.
XXXX
Thinkerbell launched a campaign for XXXX beer, showcasing ‘Queenslanders’ Pride in their Origin’.
For the second year in a row, XXXX has removed its logo from the Queensland jersey, and has instead replaced it with a postcode of the player’s choosing, in an effort to celebrate the contributions of the broader community and allow players to represent their ‘origin’.
Chris Allan, head of core beer marketing at Lion, said: “We know that it takes the support of many along a player’s journey from local junior to QLD Maroon. Players last year embraced the opportunity to celebrate the contributions of their communities by proudly displaying their postcodes on their jersey.
“This year, we’re giving local communities the opportunity to show their pride and support in a truly Queensland way. It was important to us to bring this initiative back bigger and better this year, and through an inclusive campaign where truly any Queenslander can have a special role in the conversation.”
The brand has unveiled a limited-edition XXXX can design and competition, and the regular logo has been swapped out for the new design across pubs, merchandise and the XXXX Brewery.
XXXX is celebrating ‘Queensland’s Pride in their Origin’ in the campaign
Tom Wenborn, executive creative director, Thinkerbell added: “There’s such a rich history between XXXX and the Maroons, you can’t really imagine one without the other, and that feeling of connection seems to run from the players on the field to communities all over Queensland. It’s been an absolute pleasure for our team to find a way to capture the passion and love of the fans and put it on display.”
The spot is supported with a 15″ version, as well as OOH, radio ads, regional print ads, and giant inflatable XXXX cans in Brisbane Pubs throughout the season. For Origin II, giant XXXX cans will replace standard OOH capsules across 11 locations in Queensland.
Westpac
The latest Westpac ad from DDB Sydney pokes fun at the notion that nobody likes NRL referees or bankers.
The spot shows the shared anguish between the referee and banker, who both find solace and strength through the partnership between Westpac and the NRL.
Westpac chief brand & marketing officer, Annabel Fribence, said: “At Westpac, we are extremely proud of our sponsorship of the NRL and NRL Women’s (NRLW) competitions. We know nobody really wants to think about banking during the footy, instead we wanted to be adding to the positive moments of the sport.
“So we set ourselves the impossible goal of being as entertaining as the game, at least for the length of an ad. There’s nothing more Australian than being able to take the mickey out of yourself. As Australia’s oldest bank, it just felt right.”
Westpac is ‘proudly bringing fans the footy’ in the campaign
DDB Sydney executive creative director, Matt Chandler, said: “An epic slice of musical theatre was really the only way to do justice to the coming together of Westpac and the NRL.
“The plight of these two characters was a joy to bring to life for all of us, so we’re very excited for their story to be told on one of the biggest nights of the rugby league calendar.”
The spot showcases Westpac’s tagline: “Proudly bringing fans the footy”.
XXXX Credits:
Client: Lion
Creative and earned agency: Thinkerbell
Media: UM
Digital: Affinity
Production: The Producers
Social: Tribe
Westpac Credits:
Client: Westpac
Agency: DDB Sydney
Production company: Revolver
Post-production: ARC Edit
Music composition/publishing: Soundtree Music Publishing Limited
Audio post: Rumble Studios
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Lauren McNamara is a journalist at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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That bank ad… lots of words, none suited for a public forum
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That bank ad….no words
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Excellent
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XXXX. Tick.
Westpac. Just read the outrage from origin fans. Should put the business up for pitch.
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