Cummins&Partners is shaping as the agency of choice for the AFL-mad, with it coming up with an hour-long branded content piece for Channel Seven on the inner-workings at the Richmond Football Club.
The creative agency was approached by Tigers sponsor Jeep to create the show, which focuses on the club's pre-season campaign.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' director of marketing, Mark McCraith, said the piece was a great example of the brand leveraging its sponsorship of the Tigers.
“As co-major sponsor of the Tigers for the past five years, the Jeep ‘Don’t Hold Back’ mantra is perfectly aligned with the club’s values and it was particularly special to see it in action over the pre-season journey”, he said.
Agencies, both media and creative, are moving into the branded content space like never before.
Last week Caribbean Cruises teamed up with media agency Slingshot to come up with a primetime documentary special, while Tourism Australia recently lured David Attenborough to the Great Barrier Reef to create a documentary series.
Swans fan and Cummins&Partners co-executive creative director Ben Couzens said the documentary was a great example of its creative and media teams working together, while producer Nigel Cammilleri said it reflected an increasingly common brief.
“This week in the agency we are creating content that varies in length from six seconds to 45 minutes,” Cammilleri said.
“There is now obviously a constant and consistent need for content of all lengths and types.”
The special will be aired at 4.30pm this Sunday, going up against the Cricket World Cup Final, raising the prospect that very few people will watch it.
A spokesperson for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles told AdNews that it was not concerned that the showpiece event would draw away viewers.
“I think there are hardcore Tigers fans who will tune in...I think it's a bit of a generalisation to say that everybody will be watching the World Cup Final. There are still definitely hardcore AFL fans, especially in Melbourne, that will be tuning in,” they said.
They also pointed to extra content hosted on www.ontrack.tv as a lure for fans outside of the broadcast window.
Cummins&Partners also created the launch campaign for the AFL season.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.