The 2011 season for the Brumbies was not good. Off field, there were significant personnel issues and the team’s on field performance was not the best. Sadly, Canberrans were turning off the team and moral was pretty low in the camp.
Working with my colleagues at Zoo, I crafted a strategy based on honesty and devised a plan to use the 2012 season as ‘year of apology’. The resulting ads were built around heartfelt admissions from the players and coach and a promise of a better year.
The expected decline in memberships and attendance didn’t materialise and the club received a lot of feedback from fans that the honesty resonated with them and they decided to give the team one more chance.
And the team rewarded the loyalty with a cracking year, falling just one game short of the grand final.
The 2013 campaign strategy was to build on the honesty theme, with the players and coach sharing the highs and lows of the year with the core message that the players had “tasted what winning was like” and the call to action of “Don’t Miss Out”.
The 2013 season was marked by increases in membership and attendance and a surge in morale across the club. It also brought a grand final appearance and the Brumbies re-established as a team Canberrans could be proud of.
