With the countdown to the 2014 Toyota AFL Final Series well under way, the AFL in conjunction with Facebook Australia and agency tkm9 have created a digital campaign which invites fans to don their team’s colours and show their support.
The Face the Finals digital campaign allows fans to paint their team’s colours automatically on their face and insert themselves alongside their team’s star players before sharing across Facebook. Once the virtual paint has dried the fan becomes the hero in the AFL’s Don’t Go Quietly campaign.
“This season’s whole campaign is about celebrating the fans of our game and the role they play in supporting their teams and making our game what it is,” said Julian Dunne, AFL Head of Brand and Market Insights.
“We have incredibly loyal and passionate fans and we wanted to engage them in our campaign and have a bit of fun at the same time.
“There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get at the finals and people are proud to be part of that and want to get behind their team and show their colours. This is an innovative way of engaging fans.”
The Face the Finals campaign will be executed over several touch points in the lead up to the finals. The first is a Facebook app and mobile site where fans simply upload a photo to get their virtual team face paint.
“Facebook is the largest digital stadium in the world with 1.6 billion connections between people and sports entities,” said Karren Rogers, Facebook Public Content Partnerships - Australia, New Zealand.
“As AFL club memberships hit a record high in 2014, we are excited to be the exclusive partner with the AFL for Face the Finals, allowing fans to cheer on their favourite teams in a unique way across Australia.
“Through this initiative we can surface connections at scale and can integrate the face and voices of fans and players into every screen – online, on-air and at the ground.”
On game night Face the Finals will take over the MCG in Melbourne and ANZ Stadium in Sydney with fans projected across the seven story high facades. The colossal projections will use a mix of real fans, players and sound to bring to life the passion and intensity synonymous with AFL fans.
Peter Campbell, General Manager of AFL Media believes this social media extension with Facebook will continue to showcase the AFL’s continued approach to providing supporters with fun ways to engage with and be a part of the excitement and interest in Australian football.
“The Face The Finals initiative is a terrific collaboration between the AFL and Facebook to further amplify our fans’ involvement in our game in a particularly visual execution,” Mr Campbell said.
“It is a great extension for our supporters who already are and continue to be deeply engaged with www.afl.com.au and the AFL Official Live App.”
Tanya Michaelides, tkm9 Group Managing Partner – Creative, said: “The Don’t Go Quietly campaign is all about celebrating what the fans bring to the finals.
“Face the Finals gives fans ownership of their role. Using simple creative and smart technology, Face the Finals offers footy fans an innovative way to express their passion for the game and their team.”
