Western Australian AFL team Fremantle Football Club teamed up with creative agency Marketforce and media giant OMD on a new season marketing campaign called ‘The Best Things In Life Are Freo’ to solidify its community links, build buzz ahead of kickoff and promote ticket sales.
Objective
The brief was to mark the club’s 30th anniversary, celebrate the team’s ties to its local community, boost excitement and hype support ahead of the start of the new AFL season, champion members as well as players and drive ticket sales.
Activation
The campaign emerged after the joint club and agency marketing group undertook a wave of qualitative and quantitative research into the core drivers of fan attendance. This work discovered that while the footy itself is, of course, the main vehicle to get fans into the stadium, there are numerous other minor moments with fellow fans, friends and families that also get people to the game which collectively have a major impact on and benefit to people deciding to attend atches in person.
This led to a phase that saw multiple creative propositions tested: all of which had the idea of ‘connection moments’ positioned as a key factor in going to the game.
The concept that emerged leveraging the club’s shortened nickname ‘Freo’ through a play on words with ‘free’ which became the anchor for Fremantle FC’s 2024 season integrated brand campaign.
The marketing burst set out to celebrate the small, but important moments that real fans and true believers know and love around the game-day experience. A multifaceted campaign highlights real footy fans and their relationship to the club and the game.
The creative highlights the shared excitement of the pre-game meal, the bustling ride to the stadium and hanging out with friends (new and old) on the Matagarup Bridge before kickoff to bring to life its belief that ‘every Freo game has a special feeling for fans, its own spicy blend of anticipatory excitement and getting lost in the purple haze’.
The creative team collaborated with a wide variety of some of WA’s best talent and Marketforce and OMD created a wide-ranging campaign rollout spanning film, digital, social, radio and outdoor, plus PR support timed to leverage the AFL’s opening round which began on 7 March with Freemantle own first match on 17 March.
The hero film, helmed by Director Luke Hackett for Rhythm Films and with sound design from Cue Sound focused on iconic imagery of fan experiences, while radio ads from Soundbyte mirrored these in audio.
“Being the 30th year in the AFL, we really wanted to capture and put a spotlight on the true heroes of our Club…our members. There are so many things to love at a Freo game that don’t get talked about. So we really wanted to give these things the attention they deserve and remind people that a day at the footy is about more than just footy.”
Fremantle Football Club Head of Marketing and Membership Sarah Sawdon
The campaign was commissioned and created for Freemantle FC’s own marketing team which included Head of Marketing and Membership Sarah Sawdon, Brand and Marketing Team Leader Meghan Maxwell, plus Graphic Designers Bailey Gatland and Anna Palma.
It was conceived, crafted and executed by a group at agency Marketforce which included Chief Executive Office Adam Marshall, Chief Growth Officer Dixie Marshall, General Manager Craig Sadler, Account Director/Producer Joslyn Davies, Associate Creative Director Luke Williams, Heads of Creative Rikki Burns and Josh Edge, Art Director Mike Dann, Copywriter Henry Malkovic and Senior Finished Artist Ben Mills.
OMD handled media with Head of OMD Brannon Heath, Digital Director James Porteous, Account Director Emma Bennett and Senior Performance Manager Sarabjit Singh.
The production company was Rhythm Films with Director Luke Hackett, Executive Producer Candice Shields, Production Coordinator Adam Keogh, DOP Tim Fitzgerald, 1st AC Brianna Trinidad, Gaffer Nick Valentini, Art Departtment Head Clare Ryan, HMUA Kate Farmer, HMU Assist Khacee Leevers and Editor Cal McLean.
Sound design was by Nick Gallagher of Cue Sound, vehicles were supplied by Carco Midland, other gear through Raz Rentals, the photographer was Luke Carter Wilton with Assistant Dan McBride, while radio production was run by Brad Habib of Soundbyte.
The locations were organized through Perth Transport Authority and Willing Café.
Comment
Alongside this central pre-season / new season kickoff campaign, other notable elements of the club’s pre-season marketing and activity programme included a ‘Get ready, Freo Football Is Back’ sizzle reel, a ‘Smoking Ceremony’ indigenous ritual and its ‘Bankwest Buddies’ youth programme.
Alongside this central pre-season / new season kickoff campaign, other notable elements of the club’s pre-season marketing and activity programme included a ‘Get ready, Freo Football Is Back’ sizzle reel, a ‘Smoking Ceremony’ indigenous ritual and its ‘Bankwest Buddies’ youth programme.