Pencil kicks goal for WA Football Commission
The Sharper Pencil has completed the 2013 WAFL campaign for the WA Football Commission using TV, press and radio advertising amongst other supporting collateral.
The campaign revolves around repositioning the WAFL as family-friendly football. Unlike other State leagues in SA and Victoria that historically focus on the game’s player heroes, the 2013 WAFL campaign aligns itself with potential spectators. It juxtaposes the impediments to local attendance such as weekend chores, visiting relatives and friends, or work commitments against the low cost, local entertainment provided by local WAFL football.
WAFC Corporate Relations Manager, Graeme Dix, obtained approval for the campaign from the nine WAFL clubs, each of whom is expected to leverage family-friendly football into their local marketing efforts to recruit additional ground patronage and increase memberships.
“Some people may believe that because the WAFC holds the AFL licences for both the Dockers and the Eagles, it is only concerned about these clubs and the new stadium,” said Dix. “But nearly every cent we generate goes into supporting grass roots footy. That includes Auskick, junior football, school football, country, amateur and women’s football, indigenous and multicultural programs throughout the State. We also overseeumpire development, talent pathways, State teams and many other programs including FootyPlus, the WAFC’s unique social inclusion program. FootyPlus is now regarded as one of the most comprehensive community benefits programs in Australia. And of course, the Commission supports the WAFL, as well.”
“We’ve been working with The Sharper Pencil for more than five years now. They helped us brand FootyPlus,” said Dix. “We like that they bring a strong, strategic outlook to our communication projects. We like their pragmatism, their utter lack of pretentiousness and their ability to deliver exceptional value for money (VFM). All of the stakeholders in WA football, plus the Commission itself demand that we must be frugal,” he says. “Considering some 50 individual pieces in total were produced by The Sharper Pencil within a very limited budget and time frame, the latest WAFL family-friendly football campaign is a prime VFM example,” he said.
