State of Origin is back with new campaign from not bad ϟ pretty good and Monster Children
Australia’s greatest sporting rivalry returns in 2021, The Ampol State of Origin with a new campaign via not bad ϟ pretty good and Monster Children.
This year the campaign is celebrating one of the most talked about truths of Origin, how when players pull on the jersey it unleashes something extra in them. It makes the good great, and the great immortal.
Featuring Jai Arrow, Nathan Cleary, and Jonathan Thurston, along with real fans of the league, the film, directed by Monster Children Films Lincoln Caplice, shows that whether you’re a fan or a player, Origin isn’t motivated by victory, it’s powered by rivalry.
Says Taryn Tyler, marketing manager at National Rugby League: “The strength of the campaign idea was developed from an authentic insight around the power of the jersey and the incredible transformation it has on players and fans. It is something that the media and commentators talk to year after year and it is a very unique proposition of the State of Origin.”
Says Craig Brooks, partner, NB ϟ PG: “Origin is the pinnacle of rugby league. Every single person out there is playing for something bigger than victory, and that translates into them playing better than ever. You can’t underestimate the power and rivalry that flows once someone pulls on that blue or maroon jersey. We wanted to bring that power to life on screen and get people absolutely pumped for the series. We are really proud of how the entire team pulled together to bring that idea to life.”
Says Caplice: “From the initial briefing, this project has been a pleasure to be a part of. Craig and Joel have done bang-up job of coming up with an idea that captures the energy of rivalry, and it was such a good time working alongside them and the amazing team at the NRL to bring it to life.”
The campaign is now live, and will be airing across TV and digital channels, with the series kicking off Wednesday 9 June 9 2021.
Client: NRL – National Rugby League
Creative Partner: not bad ϟ pretty good
Film Production: Monster Children Films
Director – Lincoln Caplice
DOP – Andy Gough
Producer – Jam Hassan
1st AD: Jose Marquina
Production Manager – Sally Quade
Editor – Braden Trotter
VFX – Fin Design + Effects
Sound Post and Music Composition – Sonar Music
Colourist – Fergus Rotherham
1st AC – Sandy McLennan
2nd AC – Thomas Rolfe
Art Direction – Ben Feslet
Gaffer – Nick De Laine
Grip – Richie Brown
HMU – Nadine Monley
41 Comments
This is great, love powered by rivalry. Well done.
“Love powered by rivalry” is a nicer line and lead to more interesting work.
Channel 9 do it heaps better.
Very good lads. Go the blues!
Nice one lads
Although I had a big lol at MCC calling it a film – it’s a fucking promo, not everything is edgy indie film bro!!
Oooof. Nice stuff NB/PG.
More. Onwards.
As a massive NRL/Advertising fan it’s always disappointing to see the same Origin promo’s year after year bereft of any idea. It’s always just an exercise in editing existing footage with some form of blue/maroon After Effects plugin run over the top.
There are so many insights around rivalry you could weave into a storytelling piece but no. Stock Channel 9 footage with no colour grade interspersed with the same shots of players in a dark white-cyc studio and we call it a day.
Same as every other year.
Check out last years origin promo. It’s basically a shopping list of the things you mentioned.
https://vimeo.com/473624746
not good/pretty average.
Congrats to the person who found the symbol for a lightning bolt on their keyboard and managed to get it into the headline of this article.
Maybe not the creative problem, the client makes the same ad every year. Lots of agencies, nothing worth making.
No wonder the NRL is tanking with audiences.
While up front you talk of a creative direction on the jersey power, the look of it is just a normal pre origin promo reel. Nothing special here. Could have saved a buck and just let channel 9 make it for free.
Sure, in house you all talked of this jersey rivalry strategy, but to the normal fan or viewer this just looks like a channel 9 clip you see pre Origin. Sorry guys, but an average bit of work and wasted opportunity.
The NRL is tanking because it’s a terrible sport populated with drug fuelled sex offenders.
Congratulations on getting this out Craig and team.
The Origin/footy electricity thing has been DONE TO DEATH.
I don’t see any creativity here at all, just post production effects.
So they got paid to montage footage and put after effects lighting on the player’s jersey. Good pay day.
Nothing new here.
“done bang-up job of coming up with an idea” – where? over-sell all round.
What a load of bullshit.
1/ Why is it the agency always blames the client for lack of creativity?
Ha. Maybe its because they/the agency can’t do anything better.
2/ NRL tanking with audiences?
Ha. The standard of footy and ratings couldn’t be better buddy
Sorry this so lame. It’s frig’n STATE OF ORIGIN and you promote it with this piss week like promo.
Aim up – players give it 300% – so should the advertising.
My suggestion, give the project to Foxtel. They’ll smash it out.
I do like those pre game epics they do with old mate giving his long monologue. Foxtel actually isn’t a bad shout, the guys at fox sports know how to promo the NRL pretty damn well.
My fear here is that the NRL needed “creatives” not realising that creative people can be sport people too, not a half bowl cut from the inner west.
Nothing stands out about this at all. Lacks creativity all round.
Is this a reflection on the non-evolving NRL, or the stale work of the agencies who created it. It’s not bad, but def not pretty good.
Come on NRL, do better. Boring.
Love that half of you are banging on about how unoriginal the idea is when you all made the exact same gag about the company name. Y’all be original AF.
I know you are I said you are but what am I
What a hammering, maybe test the work on an audience pool first.
Ha.
The 2020 Origin series was most unwatched in modern history. Quote from Official TV ratings.
NRL audience down 20.4% in 2020. Footy Industry.
Actual attendance at games is down 15% since 2014.
So…
Trying to get good work made with the NRL is almost impossible. They mine you for ideas, drag you over the coals for months and then finally take it in-house and produce it…poorly. Biggest tight-arse of a client.
Yo Lincoln it’s not a film, chump.
It’s a promo at best.
Geezus.
Who woulda thought the corona drinking, surfing yups from Camperdown would know what a footy is !?
HaHaHa. Penrith sold out last weekend, Cowboys sold out last weekend. The ratings on NRL overall is up up up baby, so don’t believe everything you read. Time to get onboard!
This film is as bad as the Bulldogs.
Not good. Pretty bad.
Is this a campaign or piece of content?
‘Origin isn’t motivated by victory, it’s powered by rivalry’
It is, without a doubt, 1000% motivated by victory.
Seriously, do they have a clue?
The electricity is symbolic of the blockchain, because blockchain is cool, blockchain is in, therefore we’re hip and we’re cool.
Don’t you get it???
All for new companies trying but why would you PR this.
Just count the money and do not PR it. It’s a promo, mostly archive with some VFX. There might have been an idea at the start but it definitely did not come through