Cricket Australia launches new campaign for the Women’s Ashes series
With one month to go until the start of the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series, in Brisbane on 22 October, Cricket Australia has launched an advertising campaign via Zoo Group Melbourne, to help bring the series and the Australian Women’s Cricket team into the hearts and minds of the Australian public like never before.
Featuring members of the Australian Women’s Cricket team, the campaign’s TVC aims to get Australia behind our world number one ranked cricket team as they come up against arch enemy, England in the highly anticipated series.
The launch TV commercial features a young Aussie reciting verse inspired by the famous “Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, if Lillee don’t get you, Thommo must” refrain. The revised poem references members of the national team including all-rounder Ellyse Perry, spin bowler Jess Jonassen, speedster Megan Schutt, vice-captain Alex Blackwell, keeper Alyssa Healy, and newly named Australian captain, Rachael Haynes, in a passionate call to arms.
Cricket Australia’s general manager, events and leagues, Anthony Everard said the campaign has been designed to inspire all Australians to throw their support behind the team and enjoy the world-class cricket on offer.
Says Everard: “Our Australian Women’s Cricket team are the best in the world, featuring some of the most talented players to have ever played the game, and we are proud of this campaign that seeks to celebrate the team and encourage Australia to get behind our players ahead of the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series.
“The chant which has inspired our campaign immediately evokes memories of incredible past Ashes series, and the fierce rivalry between Australia and England ensures an Ashes series is always hard fought and highly entertaining. The upcoming Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series gives the Australian public a chance to see the skill, athleticism, and passion of the team for themselves and we hope as many people as possible will take up this opportunity.
“We’ve seen how the public are getting behind women’s sport in Australia, most recently with the amazing crowds who turned out to support the Matildas, which is fantastic for not just women’s sport but the Australian sporting landscape in general. We want to keep growing that support by connecting more fans to our Australian Women’s Cricket team through this new campaign.”
The campaign was created with Zoo Group Melbourne via strategy from The Lab, and production from The Directors Group.
Says Alex Wadelton, Zoo Group Melbourne: “It’s been a real joy to be involved in creating this campaign. The Australian Women’s Cricket team comprises some of Australia’s greatest athletes, and we hope this campaign encourages the Aussie public to attend in droves. Because there’s nothing better than beating England.”
The Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes, a multi-format, points-based series, is set to be played at boutique stadiums along the east coast of the country and will see Australia look to retain the Ashes won on English soil in 2015. The series will begin at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field on 22 October with a one-day international match, followed by two ODIs at Coffs International Stadium in Coffs Harbour on 26 and 29 October. An historic first ever Ashes day-night Test will be played at North Sydney Oval from 9-12 November, followed by a T20 International clash at the same venue on 17 November. The series will come to its conclusion at Manuka Oval in Canberra, with two T20 Internationals on 19 and 21 November.
The campaign will also feature OOH, print, direct mail, and digital executions.