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With its public profile still dismal and competition from other footy codes increasing, Football Federation Australia needs to unleash a big marketing assault for season seven of the A-League.
The promotion of the A-League this season has been nothing short of woeful. The ‘Fan Made’ ad campaign has hardly got any traction, and other promotion of the competition has been virtually non-existent. Fox Sports do a good job promoting the A-League as host broadcaster, but considering its limited reach it can only do so much.
Though the FFA coffers may be running low, they must put more money into marketing before the next season begins. The clubs are calling out for it. Main media advertising is expensive, but it is the best way to engage the wider Australian population.
You only need to go back to the ad campaign of the debut season of the A-League. Created by the agency Lowe Hunt, the ‘Football but not as you know it’ was a brilliant concept – powerful with great music, great action and great execution. It was very effective and won several advertising awards.
We then had this ’90 Minutes 90 Emotions’ spot (see below), featuring the likes of Nicky Carle, David Carney and Matt McKay, with fans flying into the sky and evaporating into water in the stands (really, that’s no joke. I’ve watched football for 29 years and yet to see that happen at a game, but I digress). This wasn’t as good as the first campaign, but it was okay.
In season five we had this campaign, which on reflection wasn’t bad.
But the FFA needs to do much better. Its ad agency, BMF, has produced some great ads for other companies, like the Sam Kekovich Australia Day lamb campaigns. It can do better. The FFA needs to make sure the media buy is expansive enough so its new campaign is seen across both free-to-air and pay-TV, and has a significant online component.
Historically, sport makes great fodder for advertising campaigns. You only need to look back at the AFL’s ‘I’d like to see that’ campaign, NRL’s ‘Simply the Best’ or cricket’s ‘C’mon Aussie C’mon’ – all iconic advertising. Football is no different. Some of the best ads in the world are about football or for football brands. Anyone who saw Nike’s ‘Write the Future’ campaign during last year’s World Cup can attest to that.
So please FFA, pull your socks up on the marketing front and don’t disappoint next season.
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