DoorDash recruits Australia’s favourite commentators to prove footy’s better with a feed in new NRL campaign via Howatson+Company

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DoorDash has kicked off the 2023 NRL season with fresh creative featuring fan favourites Peter ‘Sterlo’ Sterling and Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin’ to launch its new campaign platform, ‘Footy’s better with a feed’, developed by Howatson+Company.

 

DoorDash has tapped into Australia’s nostalgic love of footy, luring two icons of the game out of retirement to reunite over a love of all things food.

After 30 years of talking during every game, ‘Sterlo’ just recently retired. So DoorDash came to the rescue – giving him the chance to finally enjoy a glorious footy feed.

In the second tv spot, they even reunite ‘Sterlo’ with his old co-worker ‘Fatty’.


With stoic Sterlo finally enjoying a game in peace and quiet, and ever-talkative Fatty proving old habits die hard (even in the commentary world), fans are reminded of how much better their favourite game is when accompanied by a feed (or a snack, or a beer…the list goes on!).

These almost completely silent ads stand out amongst a sea of other NRL spots featuring yelling fans and aggressive players.

The two 30 second master spots will run the length of the season, alternating in rotation with a bevy of 15 second retail spots, designed to do the heavy lifting in telling the broad category and selection story of what’s available on DoorDash.

Says Natasha Aaron, head of ANZ marketing at DoorDash: “We’ve been delivering for NRL fans for the past two seasons and what we’ve learned is this: footy fans love their game, they love their food, and they love Fatty & Sterlo. We’re thrilled to launch a campaign that we know will delight this audience by tapping into that nostalgic Footy Show culture throughout the season, as we deliver the best of Australia’s neighbourhoods to the front door of fans nationwide.

“The breadth of the DoorDash offering is enormous and constantly expanding, with merchants on the platform spanning restaurant, grocery, alcohol, convenience, retail and pharmacy verticals. We’re also proud to be a market leader across metrics like value for money, wait time and customer satisfaction; the product is strong, the selection is excellent and when it comes to game time – we have everything NRL fans are looking for.”

Says Scott Zuliani and Jared Wicker, creative directors at Howatson+Company: “To prove footy’s better with a feed, we worked with a man who hasn’t been able to eat during a game for over thirty years. He chose to break his drought with a delicious laksa.”

Says Shivani Maharaj, chief content and partnerships officer at Wavemaker: “DoorDash have built incredible equity within the NRL ecosystem after just three years in market and two seasons as Official Delivery Partner of the NRL. This campaign is a clever next step in their journey to Australia’s most-loved delivery brand and the destination for hungry NRL fans, on game day or otherwise.

“Wavemaker has secured partnerships with the NRL, Nine, Foxtel and Kayo giving this fun & cheeky creative a platform to connect with passionate NRL fans across Australia, ensuring footy fans know DoorDash as the on-demand delivery platform of choice.”

The campaign is running across TV, BVOD and social for the duration of the NRL season.

Client: DoorDash Australia
Senior Partner Marketing Manager: Madison Westall
Senior Manager: Janna Ferraro
Manager, Brand: Sarah Hamilton Schwab

Agency: Howatson+Company
CEO/Founder: Chris Howatson
Executive Creative Director: Gavin Chimes
Creative Directors: Jared Wicker + Scott Zuliani
Senior Art Director: Dan Smith
Senior Copywriter: Ernie Ciaschetti
Planning Director: Georgia Pritchard
Junior Designer: Eleanor Donley
Producer: Caitlin Perz
Production Assistant: Charlotte Breene
Managing Partner: Kristie Thistlethwaite
Business Director: Georgia Price
Senior Business Manager: Dede Stewart

Production: The Sweetshop
Director: Max Barden
Senior Producer: Jane Smith
EP: Greg Fyson

Post Production: The Editors

Audio: Rumble Studios

Media Agency: Wavemaker
Client Lead: Fiona Williams
Account Director: Gill Banks
Media Analyst: Anna Pellegrino
Chief Content & Partnerships Officer: Shivani Maharaj
Director Content & Partnerships: Emily Lopilato
Manager Content & Partnerships: Jayden Harris
Executive Content & Partnerships: Shehara Bastianpillai