New NRL Ad

[Mark from Brisbane]

From a marketing point of view, the advertisement did its job - everyone's talking about it.

As someone who has admittedly baited with contrarian political opinions on here before I'll leave you with this until the next time I'm under the influence and need to put one of you boomers in your place... save your bitching about politics for the next time we get shafted by the NRL.

Apparently I’m now a “ triggered boomer” , well as far as social media is concerned .

****ed if I know what it means but it sounds impressive.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I don’t think the NRL are preaching to the rusted on fans because they are rusted on and, let’s be honest, rusting. Their competition for bums and eyeballs are all entertainment, including Netflix, and all other sports. All AFL clubs are ****ting all over them when it comes to membership and the AFL has a much more (undeserved in my opinion) inclusive reputation.
It’s a different world now and I don’t envy them trying to tackle it. It think the idea of the ad was good but the execution and choices were extremely poor. They could have got the message across by building the excitement with the momentum of the ad including an exciting try by - and how often have we seen this? - scored by an indigenous player with a huge grin wearing the aboriginal mouth guard. A big hit from the women’s game followed by the kiss. Etc.
if I were still teaching I would have had this ad in front of my media students as an example of good intentions gone bad.
Now onto the footy. Can’t wait!

It’s call subliminal messaging and it’s much better than in your face stuff.

 

[Woodsie]

Apparently I’m now a “ triggered boomer” , well as far as social media is concerned .

****ed if I know what it means but it sounds impressive.

Maybe, rather than have an opinion and use some judgement ... you should adopt the carefree, nothing matters intellectual inertia of the moderns ....

But don't expect a quick response .... they are all out hunting for toilet paper or teaching check out chicks how to correctly pack a shopping bag ... you know ... the big issues ..

 

[Budgie]

or teaching check out chicks how to correctly pack a shopping bag ... you know ... the big issues ..

You still have checkout chicks? Look out- the machines are coming to get ya!!!

 

[BOZO]

From a marketing point of view, the advertisement did its job - everyone's talking about it.

As someone who has admittedly baited with contrarian political opinions on here before I'll leave you with this until the next time I'm under the influence and need to put one of you boomers in your place... save your bitching about politics for the next time we get shafted by the NRL.

From a marketing point of view everyone was talking about Izzy but what good did that do ?

As far as politics goes ......

Politics is the art of looking for trouble
Finding it everywhere
Diagnosing it incorrectly
and applying it incorrectly and that is something that the NRL has been known to do

Have a great day Oliver and thank you for your point of view

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

OK after a pause to digest all the initial shock & outrage, I just took a second look at the ad and here's an alternate take on a couple of points.

One: the NRL didn't introduce politics into sport. The politics was already there, smack bang in everyone's face.

Two: yes there is a political message underpinning the marketing strategy evident in this ad. But equally a political message underpins the alternative marketing strategy some would prefer. The question is not shall we have a marketing strategy, rather, which marketing strategy? Similarly, it is not a case of will we have a political position, but rather, what is our political position?

Blind Freddy can see the big issues that have surfaced in recent times. Against an international backdrop of 'Me too' we've seen the game drawn into serious criminal allegations against the likes of Hayne, Debelin and Sinclair and numerous other alleged female victims of Walker, May, Bolton, Fainu, Barba, Sivo, etc. The culture of disrespecting females has had a bright light shone upon it and the game has had little choice but to acknowledge (belatedly) that yes there might be a problem.

The anthem? This goes well beyond league and beyond sport. Greenberg and the NRL didn't make this issue up. And it is not only the unpopular Mitchell and Cody Walker, but also the highly popular Addo-Carr too. It is very much a wider community issue that has been made a rugby league issue by some of the biggest stars in the game. DCE spoke about it on NRL just a couple of days ago.

As for the gay issue, a certain ex-Storm ex-Bronco and current ESL player has sparked a debate transcending any single code of footy, and on both sides of the world. Greenberg and the NRL did not make that one up either.

If the NRL had taken the alternative approach and made no reference to those hot topics, don’t be mistaken into thinking that would be apolitical, because it would not. It would actively reflect a political position that says 'all is fine in the world and our rugby league world: everything is in its natural order, we have great tries and big hits but nothing else is going on here folks, certainly no social unrest affecting our game. And especially no challenge to decades of culture widely perceived (outside the game and but also increasingly acknowledged within the game) to incorporate aspects of misogyny, racism and homophobia.

It seems the NRL has chosen not to ignore the social issues causing such angst but instead to take a clear position, namely: rugby league won't condone anti-women attitudes and behaviour, and won't tolerate racism or gay bashing. To me that implies an acknowledgement that there are cultural issues in the game, but they are no longer to be swept under the matt, because the game commits to be a positive and safe place for boys and girls going forward, both as fans and participants.

So, is it a genuine commitment, or just a marketing ploy? That to me is the real question, rather than whether they should have dared to express that idea!

 

[MuzztheEagle]

So, is it a genuine commitment, or just a marketing ploy? That to me is the real question, rather than whether they should have dared to express that idea!

I'd say both. I have no doubt that there are plenty within the NRL that want to make that commitment and a real and positive change to the communities that follow and support the NRL. That said I have no doubt that there were plenty at the top who simply saw it as a great marketing opportunity - and that is probably the reason it was so poorly executed.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I'd say both. I have no doubt that there are plenty within the NRL that want to make that commitment and a real and positive change to the communities that follow and support the NRL. That said I have no doubt that there were plenty at the top who simply saw it as a great marketing opportunity - and that is probably the reason it was so poorly executed.

Probably so. And incidentally, I think the game historically has had some wonderful values and many wonderful people involved. So to admit there are problems is not to deny that. The problems are not simple fixes either, in the game or the wider community, but I think the reputation of the game - aside from in our rusted on but dwindling circles - has been suffering big-time.

 

[MuzztheEagle]

Probably so. And incidentally, I think the game historically has had some wonderful values and many wonderful people involved. So to admit there are problems is not to deny that. The problems are not simple fixes either, in the game or the wider community, but I think the reputation of the game - aside from in our rusted on but dwindling circles - has been suffering big-time.

I'm not a psychologist but I would suggest that what we are seeing is something like this:
Many people (myself included) see rugby league as part of their identity. When the NRL tries to change the way it looks like people will feel that they are being forced to change part of their identity with it. This can have great outcomes if people get on board and the goals are for the better, but do too much to quickly or in a very amateurish fashion and there will be a backfire effect as people attempt to reclaim the part of their identity they feel is being stolen from them.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

In honour of being called a “ triggered boomer” ( perhaps one of you millenials can tell me what that actually means ) I’m no longer “ living the dream “.

Interesting views on here I’ve just read @SeaEagleRock8 ‘a view and he’s probably right but I still reckon a straight out “ how good are our players “ with wingers scoring in the corner whilst in the air and stuff like that with Tina starting and the little girl finishing would still have been better.

I bet the AFL does just that ( different song).

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I probably would have enjoyed it more too! In truth one of the main reasons I follow footy and the mighty Sea Eagles is so I don't have to think about all the junk occurring in the real world.
But life keeps popping up in the game, only natural I suppose. Also I can understand people resenting the intrusion on their entertainment time, but I guess the game's 'leaders' took the view that for now at least, other things had gone too far to ignore?

 

[BOZO]

The moral of the story ....

In the original Godfather Quayle Greatest NRL football add
every one was talking about just the football

With this cheap imitation add every one is talking about other things and have people divided
'Butchered, terrible': Singo's barrage over NRL ad revealed
The NRL’s new commercial has prompted Sydney’s iconic adman John Singleton to say “Rugby League Central should be run by the Anti-Discrimination Board”.

 

[BOZO]

Another masterstroke by the Colonel Klink Greenberg
He sure know how to piss off people
I must say he has had the experience as he has been pissing off people for a while now

 

[BOZO]

This is the hip new age of inspirational Greenberg NRL adds that will inspire people to go and watch the footy
Great innovation Todd !!!
Lets turn our footy hills into an orgy shall we

 

[Budgie]

Blind Freddy can see the big issues that have surfaced in recent times.

And of course the biggest issue they have on their plate is the increasing understanding of CTE. Hard to market a sport using big hits when there’s a growing knowledge of the brain damage that results.

 

[BOZO]

When footy fans go to the footy
They dont go to talk about politics
or watch people kissing
They go to watch the footy with no distractions

The best way to promote our game as this is what footy fans fill the grounds to see

 

[BOZO]

A message to the Colonel
Sport mixed with politics is a recipe for disaster

 

[BOZO]

POLITICS ......

 

[lsz]

The moral of the story ....

In the original Godfather Quayle Greatest NRL football add
every one was talking about just the football

With this cheap imitation add every one is talking about other things and have people divided
'Butchered, terrible': Singo's barrage over NRL ad revealed
The NRL’s new commercial has prompted Sydney’s iconic adman John Singleton to say “Rugby League Central should be run by the Anti-Discrimination Board”.

Ha singo....when do we get Max K's view on it?

 

[manlyfan76]

Have a look at Harley Davidson,
Once the biggest name in motorcycles,
Rusted on consumers, passionate, loyal and Harley know what they like and make a product to suit, but a thinning market as the average age of consumers goes up by 9 years evry decade ie kids dont buy Harley's they but scooters and electric bikes.
Harley need to either change (which they are) or die.

A fair parallel to NRL i reckon.