Cricket Australia brings the Ashes to the streets with ‘Unmissable First Over’ campaign via Special, Initiative and oOh!media

Created by Special, with media strategy and planning by Initiative and delivered in partnership with oOh!media, a first-of-its-kind media takeover ensured all eyes were on the first over of all five Test Matches in the NRMA Insurance Ashes Series this summer.

 

Cricket Australia harnessed this national sporting ritual, transforming a total of 4,557 digital Out of Home sites across the nation into live broadcast sites, a first-of-its-kind media takeover with a cumulative reach of over 1.18 million Australian to ensure all eyes were on the first over of The Ashes. From city centres to suburban shopping centres, the ‘Unmissable First Over’ lit up Australia’s leading Out of Home network, marking a media milestone, showcasing how collaboration between Cricket Australia and oOh! can turn static spaces into living, breathing moments in culture.

The takeover of the Out of Home sites lasted almost 20 minutes for each of the five activations, with a two minute countdown and 15 minutes of live action, a cumulative total of 85 minutes of screentime for the campaign.

Teresa Basile, Cricket Australia head of marketing and brand said: “We were thrilled to work with Special, Initiative and oOh!media to bring the first ball of each Ashes Test Match to Australians all over the country. It was a fantastic Ashes Series with record crowds and millions engaged across broadcast and digital channels.  This initiative provided an opportunity to extend that reach by bringing the first ball to thousands of locations, including city centres and shopping centres, around the country.”

Says Adam Ferrie and Pete Cvetkovski, creative directors at Special: “By hijacking traditional media to broadcast the first overs of The Ashes, they became not only the overs that stopped a nation, but the overs that stopped Advertising in celebration and anticipation of an unmissable Ashes Series.”

Says Megan Davey, Initiative head of Melbourne: “We know that truly powerful media moments are those that break convention and meet audiences where they are. The Ashes is one of the most iconic rivalries in sport, and bringing its first over to life across the nation demanded a campaign as high-octane and unmissable as the moment itself. By transforming everyday environments into live broadcast touchpoints, we’ve not only connected passionate cricket fans to a moment they never want to miss, we have also opened the door for new fans to experience the energy, anticipation and cultural weight of The Ashes in real time.”

Says oOh!media’s chief product and marketing officer Bel Harper: “It’s the first time Out of Home has been used as a live broadcast channel at this scale. Together with Cricket Australia, we’ve shown how our national network can unite audience and hold their attention in real in real time, with the sporting moments that matter.”

Client: Cricket Australia
General Manager ‑ Digital, Marketing & Communications: Alex Lavelle:
Head of Brand & Marketing: Teresa Basile
Senior Marketing Manager – Participation & International: David Hutchinson
Marketing Specialist: Samantha Scott
Channel Strategy & Implementation Lead: Harrison Orchard
Senior Broadcast Manager: Sarah Lord
Senior Content Producer: Dan Allan

Creative Agency: Special
Partner/CEO: Lindsey Evans
Partners/CCO: Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber
Partner/CSO: Rebecca Stambanis
ECD: Ryan Fitzgerald
Creative Directors/Creatives: Peter Cvetkovski & Adam Ferrie
Team Lead/Director of Business Management: Ollie May
Senior Business Director: Ed Taylor
Integrated Producer: Katherine Muir
Planner: Ollie Immurs

Media Agency: Initiative
Client Partner: Aaron Farrelly
Chief Strategy Officer: Tom Dodd
Client Director: Ben Clarke
Strategy Director: Tate Nalen
Group Investment Director: Sam Bailey

Out of Home: oOh!media
Digital Delivery & Platforms director: Benjamin Robb
Agile Business Analyst: Beth Cresnik
Software Engineer: Luke Haillay
Technical Lead: Mark Passlow
Senior Product Owner: Surbhi Mishra
Head of Product Innovation and Delivery: Richard Moore
Integrated Producer: Arther Dunderdale
Victoria Sales Director: James Goodwin
Group Sales Leader: Nicole Athanassas

 

 

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