If you were appointed the new Marketing and Communications Director

[Gooleboy]

On 09/08/2024 at 16:18, Martyn Sadler said:

If you were appointed RL Commercial's new Marketing and Communications Director, what is the most significant change you would make to that organisation's current marketing and communications strategy?

 

Have one.

[EastLondonMike]

Improve quality, consistency and standards within its current content output.

Add new and interesting regular content to engage further with fans - existing and potentially new fans

strengthen the games visual ID,  including tidying up the rules of the game and removing as many grey areas as possible, and also working with the clubs to make sure certain standards are achieved/maintained in how they are presented (kits, stadia, branding - everything) to the consumer.

identify key events in the calendar and build a strategy around growing each event year on year.

identify new markets and build a strategy for greater and consistent exposure in those markets.

I think that would be a good start.

[Griff]

17 hours ago, Mark S said:

I think I know what your last point is eluding to.
 

All pro-players should sign up to a social media code of conduct. 

They do already.

[ATLANTISMAN]

For the salary being offered there is no way it will be an experienced sales and marketing director.

Current min for this position and i know many would be at least 100K and for a half decent one 150K upwards to 300+

[Stanley30]

A lot of really cringey business bingo words being posted on here. 

 

[Dunbar]

7 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

For the salary being offered there is no way it will be an experienced sales and marketing director.

Current min for this position and i know many would be at least 100K and for a half decent one 150K upwards to 300+

What is the salary being offered?

[RigbyLuger]

Ask Warrington why they think Ant Middleton, a very minor celeb, is worth the publicity?

 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/ant-middletons-history-controversy-hes-23597512

 

[Tommygilf]

2 hours ago, RigbyLuger said:

Ask Warrington why they think Ant Middleton, a very minor celeb, is worth the publicity?

 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/ant-middletons-history-controversy-hes-23597512

 

Look at RLs target audience right now (I'd say working to lower middle class people, at that mainly males) and that is spot on the demographic he has a resonance with.

I'm not saying it's right, but he's clearly someone popular in that cultural setting. As indeed is Sam Burgess himself, from whom I assume is where the link has come about.

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Just do what the NRL dose to a degree.

 

First have sponsors on the feild (computer imaging) video ref board, get that sponsored, try zone have that sponsored, get a official airline company to sponsor of teams to France, have the actual website in English and French, have one kit supplier to supply all clubs (not bloody Oxen) have slight improvements of each club logo, all clubs must wear home kits at games unless if they class, have promotion and relegation,  mate I could go on all day!

[Billy King's Boots]

On 09/08/2024 at 17:54, Welshleaguelover said:

 

A large portion of the population will have a flick through their TV and see "rugby league" and just assume it's like rugby union. We're guilty by association. We need to do a better job at engaging and educating those people. 

 

I'd get an international agreement that Rugby League only gets played with a yellow ball - an immediate visual identifier would help RL distinguish itself from the other rugby-based sport to the casual/passing observer. The 'different' ball would become a key part of the game's visual identity.

[Billy King's Boots]

1 minute ago, Billy King's Boots said:

I'd get an international agreement that Rugby League only gets played with a yellow ball - an immediate visual identifier would help RL distinguish itself from the other rugby-based sport to the casual/passing observer. The 'different' ball would become a key part of the game's visual identity.

And...

I'd identify 6 or 8 key players with the intention of turning then into high-profile sporting 'celebrities' identifiable with RL. Make them available for everything from The One Show to Celebrity Bake-Off. That would take a lot of PR / media pushing (and probably an agent) - but it might just push a face or two into the public's consciousness.

[JF1]

1 hour ago, Billy King's Boots said:

I'd get an international agreement that Rugby League only gets played with a yellow ball - an immediate visual identifier would help RL distinguish itself from the other rugby-based sport to the casual/passing observer. The 'different' ball would become a key part of the game's visual identity.

Great idea. Fluorescent yellow at that. Make the video ref's job easier.

[tiffers]

There seems to be a lot of conflation between a Marketing & Comms Director role and everything else the game does.

 

Objective #1: Increase income - Commercial and non-commercial.

Objective #2: Increase awareness of RL & England (Or GB or whatever the hell you want to call your national side this week).

 

To be clear, this is not about club income and awareness. SL gate receipts (other than Magic) and driving their own brand awareness is squarely the club's responsibility. RLC and the RFL need to make that crystal clear.

If you get those two things moving in a positive direction you have started to turn the oil tanker. Professionalising the above is the difficult bit on a shoe-string budget.

[Liverpool Rover]

Sponsors. If you can sponsor it get a sponsor for it, everything from in goal areas, video ref decisions, try replays. Negotiate a deal with an airline for teams to travel to and from France.

More TV content, something like the NFL Hard Knocks series that follows a team throughout pre season, a show where all the games are broken down in detail like what Jon Wells did after a game and a Soccer AM type show, something that isn’t too RL focused so you don’t necessarily have to be into RL to be able to watch it.

Standardised website layouts for the main Super League and club websites all linked together, centralised merchandise and a deal for an exclusive supplier for team kits.

Push our star players into the media and get them on TV programmes.

Build up our finals and identify where in the country outside the heartlands where the game has interest and target those areas for more exposure.

[Dunbar]

I'm really happy to share what I would do as the new RL Marketing and Communications Director.

Just so long as nobody asked me how I would do it.... cause I'm not a Marketing and Communications Director.

[Chris Taylor]

On 09/08/2024 at 16:18, Martyn Sadler said:

If you were appointed RL Commercial's new Marketing and Communications Director, what is the most significant change you would make to that organisation's current marketing and communications strategy?

 

Is there a change to be made?

Have you seen the strategy document?

[Dave T]

Some people have touched on this already, but it's really important that the Marketing Director is a key senior leadership role that has plenty sway on the product/package/proposition - because if they are just there to 'sell' whatever others decide is the product then they will be limited with what they can do. That isn't to say we can't do much better than we currently do, but you'll never get optimal returns without the best structures in place. 

In terms of what I think they should focus on, I think they need to work out what they want RL in the UK's identity to be. For years it's been largely around being cheap, and that's left us where we are, but Id look to play far more on three key points - community (things like RL family etc.), being modern/progressive (lean into PDRL, LDRL, get back to pushing boundaries on entertainment, tech etc), and the biggest thing I'd focus on is that it's fun. It's entertainment, you'll have a great time, you can get good food, good drink, meet your friends, family, take the kids, we'll put on entertainment for all. 

Each of those things overlap but I think these are the things that people are looking for for their money. 

In terms of tactics, we need to be identifying wider customer segments than we currently serve. The markets that our clubs operate in aren't just working class people looking to get as cheap entertainment as they can. I'd focus the vast majority of marketing activity in those spaces, and almost allow our free/cheap owned spaces to do their work. It isn't cheap or easy to bring in new fans, but that's where there are real rewards. 

And on the comms side, I think there is a big thing about transparency. We could shift our culture so that minutes from every meeting are online, we keep everyone updated, we don't be so po-faced and defensive. 

Obviously this question has an infinite number of responses, this is just some off the top of my head thoughts. 

Edited August 12 by Dave T

[Dave T]

4 hours ago, tiffers said:

There seems to be a lot of conflation between a Marketing & Comms Director role and everything else the game does.

 

Objective #1: Increase income - Commercial and non-commercial.

Objective #2: Increase awareness of RL & England (Or GB or whatever the hell you want to call your national side this week).

 

To be clear, this is not about club income and awareness. SL gate receipts (other than Magic) and driving their own brand awareness is squarely the club's responsibility. RLC and the RFL need to make that crystal clear.

If you get those two things moving in a positive direction you have started to turn the oil tanker. Professionalising the above is the difficult bit on a shoe-string budget.

I wouldn't expect the Marketing Director to own objective 1. It may ultimately be an outcome, but I'd expect the Commercial Director or sinilar to own that. 

[tiffers]

16 hours ago, Dave T said:

I wouldn't expect the Marketing Director to own objective 1. It may ultimately be an outcome, but I'd expect the Commercial Director or sinilar to own that. 

Didn't Rhodri Jones get moved to MD and so there isn't anyone "owning" revenue generation per se?

Edited August 13 by tiffers

[Dave T]

18 minutes ago, tiffers said:

Didn't Rhodri Jones get moved to MD and so there isn't anyone "owning" revenue generation per se?

They don't tend to be too open on their structures, so no idea really. LinkedIn tends to be a good place to find out who works for the RFL/RLCom and that's pretty random. 

[Worzel]

On 09/08/2024 at 16:49, gingerjon said:

I’d probably think about a league restructure and maybe rebranding the national team.

You've clearly seen the job spec. Although you missed off "every 2 years".

[Worzel]

39 minutes ago, tiffers said:

Didn't Rhodri Jones get moved to MD and so there isn't anyone "owning" revenue generation per se?

Yes he failed upwards, having not sold anything meaningful in a decade. 

They're clearly looking for his succession plan. Hire someone average and under-priced, for an incredibly hard sales and marketing challenge, watch them not achieve anything (because it's genuinely very hard, and needs a brilliant person), and then in a few more years - when Rhodri eventually gets paid £300k to leave like the others before him - you can promote them into the MD role "because they know and understand our sport, and the stakeholders in it"

It's a tale as old as time!!

 

[phiggins]

If I was given the job of Director of Marketing and Communications, the first thing I’d do would be a Google search of the phrase “What does a a director of marketing and communications do?”

Then no doubt, I would smash it out of the park. 

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, phiggins said:

If I was given the job of Director of Marketing and Communications, the first thing I’d do would be a Google search of the phrase “What does a a director of marketing and communications do?”

Then no doubt, I would smash it out of the park. 

TBH, you do sound qualified - you should throw your CV in.

[welshmagpie]

On 11/08/2024 at 20:12, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Just do what the NRL dose to a degree.

 

First have sponsors on the feild (computer imaging) video ref board, get that sponsored, try zone have that sponsored, get a official airline company to sponsor of teams to France, have the actual website in English and French, have one kit supplier to supply all clubs (not bloody Oxen) have slight improvements of each club logo, all clubs must wear home kits at games unless if they class, have promotion and relegation,  mate I could go on all day!

I don’t watch enough of it to know but do the NRL have a sole kit provider?