The last day of May saw title sponsor Toyota (Australia) celebrate the 11 June return of the AFL with a spot called ‘We Bounce Back’ which sets out to offer optimism for the future that the worst of the pandemic might be behind us and to leverage anticipation and excitement around the game’s return.
Developed in alliance with sports and entertainment agency Gemba, the campaign is spearheaded by a hero spot which seeks to capture the spirit and resilience around the return of Australia’s biggest winter sport through an edited series of introspective moments shared across the football community.
The film features players, umpires, fans and families and shows them re-emerge from lockdown as they physically and mentally prepare for the league’s resumption with scenes spanning training drills and honing skills, cleaning shirts and supporter apparel set to a clock countdown to the start of the first game back.
As the 90-second ad says: “These past few months have been testing, but now, we’re bouncing back. It’s a moment for players, fans and the whole community to come together for the love of the game.”
The campaign, which runs across both Toyota and AFL social and digital channels in the lead up to and beyond the game’s return on 11 June 2020, moved from concept approval, through production to going live in just two weeks
“The second AFL returns to our screens and into our lives will be a milestone moment for the national game,” commented Toyota Australia Senior Marketing Manager Tim Stuckey. “The return of footy will mean much more to fans than just watching their team play again. It will be a welcome distraction from the day to day challenges they are facing, and a sign that maybe the worst is now behind us.”
Gemba Executive Creative Director Boyd Hicklin added: “Building brand trust by demonstrating we are here to support for the long haul, ‘We Bounce Back’ is designed to celebrate the resilience of the footy community. It’s a positive reinforcement of the impact that sport has on our lives, and how we can help Australians navigate uncertainty by inspiring confidence in themselves and their community.”
The activation was created for Toyota Senior Manager (Marketing Integration) Tim Stuckey, Manager (Events, Sponsorship and Promotions) Lisa Randle, Senior Sponsorship Coordinator Sahitian Rajendran and Events and Promotions Coordinator Kelly Galvez by Gemba.
The team at the sports and entertainment agency Gemba included Executive Creative Director Boyd Hicklin, Senior Creative Nathan Davoli, Agency Producer Alexandra Longbottom, Graphic Designer Honey Terrill, Senior Account Director Bridget O’Sullivan, Account Manager Tim Marshall and Senior Marketing Consultant Laura Wrigley.
Production was by FINCH with Executive Producer Corey Esse, Director Chris Nelius, Producer AnnaTara Clark-Sneddon and Director of Photography Max Walter.
While post production was by Atticus Studio, sound by Final Sound, media was handled by The Media Store and social was via Red Havas.
Comment:
The new season restart work follows on from Toyota’s lockdown activation approach which saw the automotive naming rights partner and agency Gemba bring back one of its more memorable sponsorship campaigns from the past – ‘Toyota Legendary Moments’.
Celebrating some of the great moments in AFL history in comic style, the fresh series of social spots starring Steve Curry and Dave Lawson along with a famous football faces from the past sought to bring a smile to the faces of footy-starved fans.
The 2020 version of the campaign runs across broadcast, AFL and Toyota owned channels and linked to a user generated content extension incentivizes fans to recreate their own Legendary Moment in order to enter a draw to win prizes.
The league’s restart follows on from the AFL’s original 2020 season kick-off campaign ‘Believe In 2020’ (see case study).
Links:
Toyota Australia
https://www.facebook.com/toyota.aus/
https://twitter.com/Toyota_Aus
https://www.youtube.com/user/ToyotaAust
https://www.instagram.com/toyota_aus/
Gemba
AFL
https://www.afl.com.au/seasonlaunch
https://www.instagram.com/AFL/
https://www.youtube.com/user/BigPondAFL
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