Colgate reveals a true ‘game face’ in new spot for 2024 AFL season
As the ‘official smile of the AFL’, Colgate has launched a campaign for the 2024 season, showing how a pearly white smile is the best ‘Game Face’ there is, via VML and Wavemaker.
While a traditional game face features a scowl, furrowed eyebrows or a general toughness about it, and while research has found that smiling can instantly improve someone’s mood, helping athletes feel more relaxed and confident, Colgate wanted to change those perceptions.
The campaign features star AFL players Isaac Heeney and Christian Petracca, along with other athletes across swimming, basketball, running and archery.
“Our new campaign is designed to encourage everyone to liberate the power of their smile. We are excited to launch ‘Game Face’ for the 2024 AFL season – and working with Isaac Heeney from the Sydney Swans and
Christian Petracca from the Melbourne Demons really made the idea a reality with exceptional success,” Anthony Crewes, senior marketing director at Colgate South Pacific, said.
“The aim is to change the perception of what a ‘game face’ should be – moving away from intimidation to empowerment.”
By challenging the traditions, and promoting the power of a smile, the new work – developed by VML – hopes to help individuals, athletes or not, empower themselves through the simple, yet profound act.
Paul Nagy, chief creative at VML APAC, said: “Sport is meant to be about a game… joyful competition of the human spirit. But these days it’s very disconnected from that. It’s more a business than a leisure activity… even at the most junior level.
“Colgate understands we can’t change that, but what we can do is connect people to a simple truth they’ve probably forgotten – enjoying the game makes you better at it. That’s not wishful thinking: it’s a fact. This campaign marks the beginning of our mission to connect people to one of the simplest, and most uplifting, ways to improve performance… to smile.”
Colgate has been a partner of the AFL since 2020, with the partnership marking a category-first, brokered by Wavemaker.
Having signed on amid Covid lockdowns, Colgate’s support of the sport was described as a “great boost” at the time by Kylie Rogers, AFL’s executive general manager of customer and commercial.
Wavemaker ANZ’s group director, content and partnerships, Alexia Antonis, added: “It’s such a privilege to bring the newcampaign to life through media channels that complement the spirit of the game, and connect with AFL fans in ways that make them smile.
“Seven’s AFL broadcast has been a strong launch pad for Colgates’ Game Face film, reaching large audiences and delivering impactful integrated and contextually relevant placements that strengthen the campaign message – putting smiles on more fans’ faces.”
The TVC is supported across OOH, digital, in-stadium, and social executions.
Credits:
Client: Colgate-Palmolive
Creative: VML
Media: Wavemaker ANZ
Production: Collider
Audio & Music Composition: Sonar
Voice Over: Tasman Keith
Casting: Citizen Jane
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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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