Supermarket group Metcash has warned it may drop all ad spend with the National Rugby League (NRL) after stadium ads for alcohol brand Cellarbrations were pulled from tonight's State of Origin game without warning.
Boundary fence advertising for Metcash was pulled by the NRL yesterday, with no warning given.
Industry sources told AdNews that Metcash will take future ad spend to rival footy code the Australian Football League (AFL), as Metcash management believes the AFL are more transparent and professional.
"That's it for us, we're not giving [the NRL] any more sponsorship money,” Fergus Collins, chief executive of Metcash's liquor division ALM, told The Australian. “We advertise at Suncorp Stadium with the Broncos and we sponsor the Cowboys."
While Collins is suspicious that the last-minute change is connected with Origin team sponsorship deals with rival brewers Lion and Carlton United Brewery, an ARL Commission spokesperson told The Australian that the error lay with out-of-home group OAMM.
“Our signage supplier booked advertising without our approval or knowledge,” the ARL spokesperson said. “It has nothing to do with beer market wars.”
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