Chemistry

Client: TAB
Product: Steinlager Series - All Blacks vs Ireland
Title: Consider the Odds
Media: OOH
Country: New Zealand
Date Of Campaign: July 2022

Background: With all the shiny new online betting agencies out there, New Zealand’s 70-year-old bookie, TAB NZ, was increasingly being seen as old-school among young Kiwis. They were looking to shake the cobwebs off their brand and do something new and unexpected, to give them more relevance among 18-34 year-olds.The All Blacks v Ireland rugby series was the perfect opportunity to do just that, and TAB NZ couldn’t resist giving the Irish rugby team a cheeky reminder of the challenge that lay ahead.It’s no secret that the All Blacks are notoriously hard to beat on their home turf, and it’s near impossible at Eden Park – where they haven’t lost since the TV show Friends began its glittering 10-season run. A fact that’s sure to intimidate any rival team staring down the barrel of the daunting task of beating our national team on their home turf, let alone the underdogs, the Irish.Those are some favourable odds pointing towards an All Blacks win – even before the first ball is kicked.

Idea: With our offshore competitors focusing on online marketing, we decided to own the physical environment around each match.We turned ad space into a tool to psyche the Irish out, asking them to simply… consider the odds. From the moment the Irish touched down in New Zealand, to the moment they left, TAB was there with a bit of cheeky banter to remind the team of the challenge that lay ahead. Our headline-driven approach was strategic – let’s have a laugh with the Irish, while at the same time indirectly targeting New Zealanders to get them thinking about odds too. We showed up around the match venues in three different cities, at the airport, en-route to their hotel and outside their training grounds. A roving billboard on wheels ensured TAB was never far away, driving the conversation at every opportunity. We even went as far as flying a plane with a banner over their training sessions – nowhere was safe. Not only that, but we showed up around key moments in the tour with quick-as-lightening responsive headlines for social. We had every match outcome locked and loaded across each of the three test matches, so as soon as the game ended – the messaging changed to reflect the result. And so, our month-long responsive campaign took over New Zealand. Wherever the Irish were, so was TAB.

Results: Our billboard messaging quickly became the focus for media and PR pick-up. And while our headlines were getting shared around the world, TAB NZ was seeing record-breaking results.The campaign shifted the perception of TAB NZ among younger Kiwis, with a 45% uplift in consideration with 18-34 year-olds, and a 30% uplift in overall consideration with non-bettors. This resulted in a 72% increase in the number of sports fans who placed a bet on the three All Blacks games and a 50% increase in sign ups. Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all.