Titled The Rules of the Wild, the campaign is built around the fantastic experience a match at the Gabba provides for fans and sports lovers alike. A Brisbane Lions match, like many great sporting events, provides a real release from the everyday, whether you’re with your family, out with mates, or have followed your AFL team for generations. It is your opportunity to Go Wild for the Lions!
Featuring a mix of senior players lead by Captain Jonathan Brown, and young rising stars like Daniel Rich, the core thread of the campaign is the commitment from the players to give 110% on field. Key defender Daniel Merrett invites you to “prepare to defend your territory” while young ruckman Mitch Clark makes it clear that “a ferocious leap will take down any opponent”.
Lions CEO Malcolm Holmes was thrilled to see to the team’s hunger to win brought to life in the campaign.
“To produce such a high quality retail campaign featuring our established and up-and-coming players is very exciting for the Lions," Holmes said.
“We have had a very busy off-season getting ready for 2011, and the hard work is evident throughout all parts of the Club. We have a few new initiatives for fans to unveil as the season builds that will make a match at the Gabba more entertaining than ever before. We really hope our fans will be with us at the Gabba to Go Wild for the Lions this year."
Captain Jonathan Brown can’t wait for the first bounce when the Lions take on Fremantle at the Gabba this Saturday night, 26th March.
“It’s been a pretty hard start to the year for many Queenslanders. The amazing resilience of people and the support of the thousands of volunteers during the floods and cyclones has been a real inspiration to the team," Brown said.
“Even though it was a new experience for most of the boys to be on a film shoot, it was easy because the messages are exactly how we feel about the year ahead. We’re committed to giving it our all. We’re committed to our community and the boys will be working hard on the field to give Queenslanders a few smiles this year."
The Rules of the Wild is also a new approach within the AFL, where a strong state-based campaign is leading the promotion of the code, rather than the national approach of past years.
The AFL's General Manager of Strategy and Marketing, Andrew Catterall said the campaign was a fantastic outcome of the time the Lions and League have spent planning for 2011.
"It's a great campaign. One of the best we have out there this year. We're really looking forward to a great year for the Lions, on and off the field," he said.
The Rules of the Wild campaign was produced with the team at George Patterson Y&R Brisbane and was filmed on site at The Gabba.
Watch the video at the top for a preview of the first instalment of The Rules of the Wild.