92 replies to this topic

[Dave T]

Maybe a bit harsh, Dave but i still stand by the rest of my post.
I spent nearly 30 years in marketing with a £M+ budget and it is not spent on a whim.
We do not know the objectives. Research may show that people attend for two seasons and lose interest or reach a certain age and stop going.
There people may be the target of the ads.

Posters just saying "it should be shown in London" are ill informed because its easy to say but they don't know what the campaign is trying to achieve.

I actually agree with the rest of your post, it was just the first line which I thought was harsh.

I agree with your post above, my issue was more of a political nature - how do we insist to sponsors that we are a national sport when we limit our advertising to the M62 route?

Financially i'm sure it makes sense, but politically they could have extended this campaign to include London for a pretty reasonable price - not necessarily in the same form as the 'Northern' ads, but something could have been done.

As you say we don't know the main objective, although it was stated at the back end of last season that major focus would be on raising brand awareness, which fits in with the TV ads.

[Futtocks]

Financially i'm sure it makes sense, but politically they could have extended this campaign to include London for a pretty reasonable price - not necessarily in the same form as the 'Northern' ads, but something could have been done.

The two regions who are carrying the ads are cheaper put together than London on its own. That's probably why they made the decision. National broadcasting would be much much more.

National ads in newspapers, magazines etc. will be cheaper, and the RFL should definitely be using those platforms across the country.

Edited by Futtocks, 22 January 2013 - 02:00 PM.

[Dave T]

The two regions who are carrying the ads are cheaper put together than London on its own. That's probably why they made the decision. National broadcasting would be much much more.

National ads in newspapers, magazines etc. will be cheaper, and the RFL should definitely be using those platforms across the country.

You could buy a most basic London package (shorter ads for example) and make it fit financially for political reasons. Don't forget, the reason London is more expensive is due to the audience you will hit with it.

I suspect it is only me who is concerned about the message that this kind of things sends out though, so happy to let it drop.

[hindle xiii]

And I think I read the ad would be 60 seconds long, that's a big ol' advert. What, about 25% of the break? Perhaps we're being sponsored by John Lewis, they like a good long telly advert.

[Futtocks]

You could buy a most basic London package (shorter ads for example) and make it fit financially for political reasons. Don't forget, the reason London is more expensive is due to the audience you will hit with it.

I suspect it is only me who is concerned about the message that this kind of things sends out though, so happy to let it drop.

No, I understand your point, and it'd be nice to switch on my TV and see n advert for TGG (thus increasing the sport's presence on ITV by approximately 100%). But they probably put the cost up against the possible reward and took the conservative approach.

[Amber Avenger]

You could buy a most basic London package (shorter ads for example) and make it fit financially for political reasons. Don't forget, the reason London is more expensive is due to the audience you will hit with it.

Still a big risk for not much reward though. If it's a success at this level, then I'd say it's entirely likely they'd look at London in future campaigns, otherwise it's just a waste of money. Plus you I bet you can reach London in other - cheaper - ways, than TV adverts.

[Dave T]

Still a big risk for not much reward though. If it's a success at this level, then I'd say it's entirely likely they'd look at London in future campaigns, otherwise it's just a waste of money. Plus you I bet you can reach London in other - cheaper - ways, than TV adverts.

Certainly more of a gamble, however if the objective of this campaign is brand awareness (they stated this last year with extraordinaryrugby) then it isn't that much of a gamble to be fair, as you aren't necessarily linking the ads to direct sales.

Being efficient isn't always the best way in marketing, although it is naturally what most would lean towards.

You can also reach the Granada and Yorkshire regions for cheaper than TV too.

We complain when the BBC refuse to show the SL Show nationally - on what grounds do we complain about this? It seems to me that we agree with them that we are a Yorkshire and Granada region sport.

[Futtocks]

Still a big risk for not much reward though. If it's a success at this level, then I'd say it's entirely likely they'd look at London in future campaigns, otherwise it's just a waste of money. Plus you I bet you can reach London in other - cheaper - ways, than TV adverts.

The freebie press, for a start. Public transport commuters in London can pick up two free daily papers (Metro in the morning and the Standard in the evening), plus magazines like Time Out, Shortlist and Sport.

And that without counting a host of other giveaway publications that aren't as widely distributed, like Southern Cross, City A.M. etc.

[Amber Avenger]

Certainly more of a gamble, however if the objective of this campaign is brand awareness (they stated this last year with extraordinaryrugby) then it isn't that much of a gamble to be fair, as you aren't necessarily linking the ads to direct sales.

Being efficient isn't always the best way in marketing, although it is naturally what most would lean towards.

You can also reach the Granada and Yorkshire regions for cheaper than TV too.

We complain when the BBC refuse to show the SL Show nationally - on what grounds do we complain about this? It seems to me that we agree with them that we are a Yorkshire and Granada region sport.

It's hard to argue against that really. However until we know what the marketing team is planning as a follow up to keep awareness high after this campaign then it's hard to say what use running this ad in the rest of the country is/isn't to them. Being efficient may well not always be the best way to market a product, but in the case of the RFL I think they have made the right choice (at the moment anyway)

[Gav Wilson]

A small but not insignificant point that was brought to my attention...

Anybody who lives north of Nottingham right up in to Scotland who watch on ITV HD, get the Granada HD feed.

A lot more folk will see the ads than originally thought!

Lovely stuff...

[hindle xiii]

A small but not insignificant point that was brought to my attention...

Anybody who lives north of Nottingham right up in to Scotland who watch on ITV HD, get the Granada HD feed.

A lot more folk will see the ads than originally thought!

Lovely stuff...

Oh yeah, in between You've Been Framed I get all these stupid ads for rubbish in Lancashite I don't give a frig about.

[Dave T]

A small but not insignificant point that was brought to my attention...

Anybody who lives north of Nottingham right up in to Scotland who watch on ITV HD, get the Granada HD feed.

A lot more folk will see the ads than originally thought!

Lovely stuff...

Yep - despite my moaning, I'll be watching the Man City game on ITV HD.

On the Scotland thing though, you don't actually get ITV HD (or STV HD) as standard, you have to manually tune this in.

[John Rhino]

I actually agree with the rest of your post, it was just the first line which I thought was harsh.

I agree with your post above, my issue was more of a political nature - how do we insist to sponsors that we are a national sport when we limit our advertising to the M62 route?

Financially i'm sure it makes sense, but politically they could have extended this campaign to include London for a pretty reasonable price - not necessarily in the same form as the 'Northern' ads, but something could have been done.

As you say we don't know the main objective, although it was stated at the back end of last season that major focus would be on raising brand awareness, which fits in with the TV ads.

I agree but IMHO a completely different ad would be needed for London.
In the north most people have a basic awareness of the game and probably know where their nearest club is even if they have never been.

The reaction to the current ad in London would range from total indifference to "uh?". Nearly 50% of the population have no historical connection to rugby of any colour and i would wager the majority do not know they have an SL team. It would be a bit like showing the thrills and spills of ice hockey in Derbyshire!

I'm suggesting a more subtle approach is needed there. What, I don't know as I don't have the research.

[Dave T]

I agree but IMHO a completely different ad would be needed for London.
In the north most people have a basic awareness of the game and probably know where their nearest club is even if they have never been.

The reaction to the current ad in London would range from total indifference to "uh?". Nearly 50% of the population have no historical connection to rugby of any colour and i would wager the majority do not know they have an SL team. It would be a bit like showing the thrills and spills of ice hockey in Derbyshire!

I'm suggesting a more subtle approach is needed there. What, I don't know as I don't have the research.

I'm interested to see what call to action is on the TV ad - I saw one article which suggests that the ad will be adapted - it should naturally be mentioning the SL launch date which obviously the last one didn't.

[John Rhino]

I'm interested to see what call to action is on the TV ad - I saw one article which suggests that the ad will be adapted - it should naturally be mentioning the SL launch date which obviously the last one didn't.

Good point. I guess the fairground barker at the end could easily be re shot to do that.
(by the way is it Jarrod Sammut?) :-)

[Johnoco]

A small but not insignificant point that was brought to my attention...

Anybody who lives north of Nottingham right up in to Scotland who watch on ITV HD, get the Granada HD feed.

A lot more folk will see the ads than originally thought!

Lovely stuff...

A very good point. I watch ITV on digital and now know all manner of weird Lancastrian shops. That's quite a reach!!

[John Drake]

The posts about RL on TV in general have now been moved here to keep this thread on topic about the 'Extraordinary' SL ad campaign.

Thanks.

[hindle xiii]

At the moment the website is just a holding page, so not much to talk about there!

[Just Browny]

A very good point. I watch ITV on digital and now know all manner of weird Lancastrian shops. That's quite a reach!!

Almost by accident, this may be the phenomenon that brings Yorkshire into the 21st century.

[South Wakefield Sharks]

Almost by accident, this may be the phenomenon that brings Yorkshire into the 21st century.

We're quite happy where we are thank you very much.