Mitchell & Ness bag up AFL history, via 2045

2045 worked with Mitchell & Ness on a campaign that leverages AI to turn AFL history into literal baggage.

The announcement:

Mitchell & Ness has teamed up with creative agency 2045 to launch “Emotional Baggage,” a campaign that uses AI to turn 128 years of AFL triumph and tragedy into literal baggage. The Emotional Baggage Index ingests every premiership, drought, wooden spoon and grand final loss since 1897 and translates the data into 18 handcrafted bags that reflect the emotional load carried by each club’s fans. St Kilda emerged as the most burdened, Brisbane the lightest, instantly igniting debate across talkback and social.

SEN called it “a first-of-its-kind algorithm that transforms 128 years of sporting droughts, heartbreaks, unexpected victories and dynasties into unbiased numbers,” while Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne noted on SEN Sportsday that “it reframes what fandom actually feels like, not just what the ladder says.” While Perth station 6PR unpacked the ladder live on air, as callers weighed in on whether the algorithm got their club right.

“Using AI to turn more than a century of blood, sweat and tears into a range of literal luggage has driven the most brand engagement since Mitchell & Ness launched in Australia,” said Aaron Kilner, head of brand & marketing at Mitchell & Ness. “And yes, Saints fans – your Emotional Bagge will require a crane to transport.”

Talkback and socials have already turned the ladder into sport within the sport, with fans arguing whether Sydney deserved their suit bag, or if Collingwood’s boxing bag was fair. “Footy fandom isn’t rational – it’s a generational narrative,” said Christopher McKee, executive creative director at 2045.

“We built an index that weights droughts, gut-punch losses and rare highs, then expressed it as an artisanal baggage carousel you actually want to stand around.” Tim Evans, founder of 2045, added: “Our job was to distil 128 seasons of joy, misery and everything between into one number – then get people to debate. Special shout out to the redditors who unironically applied Jungian theory to the Index.”

The collection appeared during Footy Fest at the MCG, and the collection will finally be auctioned off to raise funds for children’s cancer charity, My Room during the annual Footy Show Telethon.

Source: 2045