This year's NRL campaign teaser evokes nostalgia about the week leading up to last year's grand final with Paul Gallen having the last laugh.
Archibal/Williams has created a 30-second teaser film that borrows from the famous quote by legendary former Cronulla coach Jack Gibson, claiming that “waiting for Cronulla to win the grand final is like leaving a porch light on for Harold Holt”.
Recreating what actually happened in the week leading up to last year’s grand final, the spot depicts the suburbs of the Sutherland Shire turning their porch lights on, culminating in Paul Gallen himself smiling as he finally turns his porch light off. The spot ends with a simple question; who will make history this year?
Next week launch its major campaign for the NRL with the 2017 Telstra Premiership Season launch. Off the back of the agency’s successful ‘History Happens’ campaign last year, their new integrated campaign will launch on Thursday 23 February.
The thinking behind this year’s campaign again taps into the insight that in recent years the NRL has been anyone’s game. In the 13 years prior to 2009, five clubs dominated the NRL, however, in the years since, every club (including the Gold Coast Titans last year) has made the finals at least once.
In particular the last few years have delivered genuine fairy-tale results for teams including the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2014, the North Queensland Cowboys in 2015 and most recently the Cronulla Sharks – winning their first Premiership after 50 years of heartache in the 2016 Grand Final, proving that history truly does happen.
"Our campaign this year acknowledges the important role fans play in driving their team, and acts as a rallying cry for fans to show their support on game-day. ‘Let’s make history’ is about fans and players coming together, with the opportunity to help take the club all the way to the Grand Final. Importantly through this campaign we also want to showcase some of our emerging young stars, and also bring to life the role social media plays in galvanising fans, and players," says Peter Jarmain, general manager of marketing and brand at the NRL.
Agency Team
Bram Williams - Partner
Matt Gilmour - Executive Creative Director
Mary Perebzak - Head of Strategy
Jonny Browne - Creative Director
Nate Martin - Art Director
Mark Rosenberg - Copywriter
Jasmina Krnjetin - Group Account Director
Lauren McMahon - Account Manager
Amanda Cain - Senior Producer
Client Team:
General Manager, Marketing & Brand - Peter Jarmain
Senior Marketing Manager - Matt Baker
- Club, Premiership & Membership
Marketing Manager - Nicole Chesher
- Operations and Partnerships
Marketing Executive - Rita Khouri
Marketing Manager - Samantha Feyzeny
- Brand & NRL Events
Agency Partners
Production Co - Photoplay
Director - Scott Otto Anderson
Executive Producer - Oliver Lawrance
Producer - Emma Thompson
Editor - Simon Njoo
Post Production - Cutting Edge
Sound Design - Nylon Studios
