Australia prides itself as a sporting nation, but how does our advertising in sports rate? We asked creatives to judge brand partnerships with some of the nation’s biggest sporting events.
Apparent creative director Michelle Turchini
There’s nothing like a sporting event to bring crowds together in a moment and allow them to experience something out of themselves. There’s a huge emotional pull; the stories, the action, the heroes and falls; it doesn’t get more dramatic than a big arena. Brands that can leverage any of these things in a natural and synergistic way can create a feeling, and therefore allegiance, that can be incredibly valuable.
DDI art director Jenny Liu
Sports. Competitiveness. The primal desire to win. These emotions are what keep our adrenaline spiking. It’s an appreciation club for athletes, the people who push themselves to the max for a moment of glory, and for teams, competing and collaborating with dignity and pride. When brands leverage sports and athletes to tell their story, it confers another level of credibility. But it’s important to balance the selling messages and the context in which it is viewed.
BWM Dentsu creative director and head of art Jon Foye
Major sporting events are the perfect opportunity for big brands to shine. With such a captive audience, it seems like a no-brainer for the two to align. But, reality shows that it’s hard to stand out here, and it’s even harder to do outstanding work. For me, Uber Eats is the clear winner.
Vodafone
Creative agency: WPP bespoke agency Team Red
MT: Very interesting move by Vodafone. This would have been a hard sell, and the people involved must have believed it would be worthwhile. No doubt, this ad has people debating whether Steve Smith deserves a platform. How much it relates to Vodafone and the tagline ‘Gutsy is Calling’ is yet to be seen as more stories on this platform play out.
JL: Too soon. Everyone deserves a second chance. However, when the second chance presented itself Smith missed the mark. The connection between guts and bravery in admitting your mistake — while commendable, is overshadowed when you’re getting paid for the admission — not a good look. In many people’s eyes, donating the profit to the organisation program won’t go far enough.
JF: Brands like Nike excel at tackling controversy —from Kaepernick to Tiger Woods. Where Nike succeeds, Vodafone completely misses the mark. The message is confusing. What’s especially gutsy about admitting you did wrong? (the least Smith could do). This just feels insincere, tokenistic and even tone deaf. Doesn’t live up to its worthy aspirations.
Alinta Energy
Creative agency: Banjo
MT: Whilst it’s not new to claim ‘positive energy’ from a power company, there’s something about the awkward vibe of this ad that makes it stand out. From the stilted dialogue, to the perfect hair and extreme depth of field, it’s so oddly interesting, it might just be memorable.
JL: I believe the intention of the ad is to speak to the niche audience, the cricket fan, using in–jokes to create relatability. Yet, reading some of the commentary, it seems like even the sports fans themselves struggle to understand the joke. It’s a swing and miss.
JF: This spot relies on great performances from the players. Having worked with athletes before, it’s no easy task and a super–risky move. There was an attempt to bring in humour that ultimately fell flat. The execution lets this down — a well–trodden formula playing off a reaction that doesn’t match up with the reality.
Uber Eats
Creative agency: Special Group
Dinner violation, Nadal.
— Uber Australia (@Uber_Australia) January 16, 2019
Broadcast violation, Uber Eats. #AusOpen @RafaelNadal @UberEats pic.twitter.com/jZFsmIaXqp
MT: Everything about this is great. The integration with the actual coverage, the Tonight I’ll Be Eating platform, the subtle humour and the tennis champion’s endorsement ... fantastic. I can understand viewers’ irritation at being tricked into watching an ad. However, the variations are interesting, the spots are well–written and the thought and care for planning the campaign is awesome.
JL: It’s cleverly deceptive, a welcome stunt. The surprise element is what makes this series binge–worthy — what else do you have in store for me? What a creative way to leverage a major sporting event with relevant content. Combined with light–hearted Aussie humour, this ad turns into automatic entertainment.
JF: A clever idea well–executed. These spots were really fresh and smart, integrating the product into the occasion. They fooled tennis fans and got a wider audience talking about them afterwards. Hats off to the whole team. Imagine the logistics behind this one!
Kia
Creative agency: Innocean Australia
MT: This is a fun spot. It attracts attention and feels upbeat ... which is maybe not entirely aligned with the invitation to ‘Get Mean’. This doesn’t feel mean, it feels silly and fun. Inviting people to make the sound is a great concept and I wish this interactivity was supported by the TV ad. It does feel like the tennis partnership could have been further leveraged to really connect with the audience of fans.
JL: A holistic campaign, well–thought out on multiple touch points. It’s an interesting angle and a fun use of mobile technology. Maybe even better if the compilation of people could include more athletes to make it more sports driven? Perhaps the human–made engine sounds were a little too drawn out? I’d imagine if this played too frequently during the tennis, it might get yawn–worthy for the audience.
JF: It doesn’t take itself seriously, and it’s striking enough. However, I’m not clear on the strategy and Rafael Nadal has little to do — remove him and it’s ... another Kia ad. But, it’s another fun, bold Kia ad. Is it a great creative example of sponsorship? Maybe not. Will it shift units? Probably.
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