The Marketing Group’s Channelzero appointed by Rugby AU to lead women’s world cup bid
RYVL Channelzero, part of the rebadged global agency network The Marketing Group, has been appointed by Rugby Australia to promote its bid for the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
The agency won a competitive pitch for Rugby Australia’s government-backed bid with the concept “We’re Ready”.
The Marketing Group came to prominence in Australia with its 2016 bid to acquire Brisbane-based Khemistry, and Sydney firms Mark Edward Agency and McCorkell & Associates to join Channelzero and The Lead Generation Company which it had purchased earlier in the year.
In June this year, the group put The Lead Generation company into liquidation, while Khemistry was ultimately snapped up by Trimantium GrowthOps along with AJF Partnership and Voodoo Creative.
The Marketing Group has had a rocky history since listing on the Swedish First North stock exchange in June 2016 and renamed itself to RYVL this year, promising “to disrupt the legacy ad agency model with an agile technology-centric approach”.
Since listing at €1, the company’s shares have traded up to €9 before collapsing to their current value of €0.16. Last year, the Swedish-listed group was sanctioned by the NASDAQ exchange for insufficient market disclosures.
In winning the 2021 Women’s World Cup marketing bid, Belinda Wearne, GM of RYVL Channelzero said: “Channelzero, is all about challenging outmoded ways of thinking, so when we got the chance to support Australia’s bid for the Women’s XVs World Cup, it was a match made in heaven.
“We are proud to help raise the profile of women’s XVs, which in turn will elevate the profile of women’s sport and inspire young players yet to be discovered. We are looking forward to working shoulder-to-shoulder with the team at Rugby AU and going after the bid with all the challenger spirit the Wallaroos are famous for.”
Chief commercial officer for Rugby Australia, Cameron Murray added: “Channelzero combined well with the Rugby Australia bid committee and the wider Australian Rugby community to capture the view of our community – we’re ready and we want to host the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
“The team’s energy and creativity shone through in their work and we’re proud to have worked on this project with the Channelzero team.”
Rugby Australia’s bid, which is being supported by the NSW and Federal governments, would see the Newcastle and Hunter region host the event.
The sports body has also created an Impact Beyond program, to ensure a lasting legacy for the Women’s Rugby World Cup should the bid be successful.
Rugby Australia chief executive, Raelene Castle, said: “The Women’s Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle event in Women’s XVs Rugby and we will show the world once again that Australia is unrivalled when it comes to delivering major sporting events.
“I’d like to acknowledge and thank the NSW Government for their unwavering support of the bid and in backing our quest to bring the World Cup to Australian shores for the first time.”
England, France and New Zealand have also expressed interest in hosting the tournament. The successful applicant will be announced in November.
