TAB LAUNCHES NEW ‘LONG MAY WE PLAY’ BRAND PLATFORM VIA M&C SAATCHI, SYDNEY
M&C Saatchi has launched ‘Long May We Play’, an all-new brand platform for TAB.
Underpinned by an extensive strategic development process, including internal and external stakeholder interviews, ‘Long May We Play’ celebrates how racing and sport play on long before, and after, the horses run past the post or the siren sounds. The unique strategic positioning highlights what makes racing and sport special – it’s not the results on the field or at the track, but rather how it plays on in our lives.
Says Luke Waldren, EGM marketing and customer, TAB: “‘Long May We Play’ recognises the huge role racing and sport play in the lives of Australians and their ability to bring us together. TAB has been a ‘home ground’ of sorts for Aussies for decades, whether that be at the track or in one of our venues. This is an exciting new direction for TAB and we can’t wait to share this work and the exciting things we have planned through spring with the country.”
The platform began an unbranded roll-out on August 17, with TAB initially taking ownership of out-of-home, digital and press assets.
In the coming weeks, the brand will be brought to life, including a new look and feel, across further touchpoints including radio, TV, social and in-venue with campaign extensions that speak to specific sporting codes and events.
The work is the first for TAB following M&C Saatchi’s appointment to manage the business in January.
Says Cam Blackley, chief creative officer, M&C Saatchi: “We’ve been working hand-in-glove with TAB to deliver a brand platform with real substance that is worthy of one of Australia’s most iconic brands.
“‘Long May We Play’ is truly about the spirit of Australians; the deep connection we have with racing and sport in all its iterations and the value that only TAB can bring, well beyond a bet. As much as it leans on heritage, we think this brand platform is a jumping-off point for category-defining progressive thinking.”
TAB
Luke Waldren (EGM Marketing & Customer)
Kent Madders (Head of Brand & Marketing)
Jonathon Rhydderch (Senior Marketing Manager – Brand)
Luke Feddema (Senior Marketing Manager – Sport)
Ben Willis (Senior Marketing Manager – Racing)
Martin McEnery (Marketing Manager – Product)
Natasha Urukalo (Marketing Manager – Retail)
Will Evans (Marketing Manager – Sport)
David Marsh (Marketing Manager – Sport)
Matt Silk (Marketing Manager – Racing)
Brendan McGruther (Marketing Manager – Racing)
John Vellis (General Manager Media & Sponsorships)
M&C
Justin Graham – Chief Strategy Officer
Nick Jacobs – Senior Strategy Director
Cam Blackley – Chief Creative Officer
Guy Futcher – Creative Director
Chris Cheeseman – Head of Art
Michael Harris – Senior Copywriter
Neil Walshe – Senior Art Director
Roy Leibowitz – Senior Copywriter
Chris Wilson – Senior Art Director
Simone Cherry – Design Director
Russell Hopson – Group Managing Director
Jasmina Porter – Group Account Director
Will Woods – Senior Account Director
Joshua Johns – Senior Account Manager
Loren August – Head of Broadcast
Monique Pardavi – Senior TV Producer
Production Company – THE POOL COLLECTIVE
Ingvar Kenne – Director
Cameron Gray – Production Company Producer
Rohan Zerna (The Editors) – Editor
OMD
Daniel Clark – Business Director
Scott Crisp – Account Director
19 Comments
I feel like a disproportionately high number of press releases here are for gambling ads. When are agencies going to stop this madness and be responsible about what they choose to promote and associate themselves with? If any of them had any spine they could help reduce the glut of gambling ads by simply refusing the business. Oh wait, the ECD needs a new yacht, cool cool cool cool cool
So, what does one as holy as yourself work on? Can’t do alcohol. Or fast food. Or any FMCGs with plastic. Or meat & livestock. Cars are bad for the planet, so count those out. And any oil or petrol companies that fuel them. Can’t do government. Phone companies contribute massively to pollution. Banks and insurance companies screw people daily. Shit man, what to do? It’s like you’ve just realised we’re in the business of selling stuff. Hope you’re successful enough to choose what you work on.
wait till you check out what the holding companies of just about every ‘client’ at your agency get up to…
Lovely writing.
Love this
Dropped into a TAB lately..? From the counter clerk stirring his 2 Minute Noodles to the sorry dribblers staring at their addictions. The saddest-sack of a place to be, the TAB.
And the buffoonery, normalisation attempts, sponsored weather bulletins …kindly #&$% off.
It’s nice writing and good use of emotion.
I do associate it a little with people gambling for longer but then its always going to be hard to not connect it to the vice.
Also, agree with @gamblino. It’s laughable how many ad folk come out and slate others for working with gambling companies. Unless you work in-house at Patagonia, you’re all peddling some sort of injustice, no matter how many steps removed you are. So, either move to Tibet or quit throwing stones in glass houses
A nice change from the shouty ‘BET NOW’ and ‘SPECIAL PROMOS TODAY ONLY’ crap that beginning to take over.
Clearly a lot of M&C and TAB peeps on here self-praising this work………………………………….and I’m one of them! Long May We Play!!!!!! what what!!!
“an extensive strategic development process”. Cool. Nice planner manifesto. Can’t wait for them to start working on the creative.
This is good stuff. Legitimately different for the category. Saw the ads on TV and they don’t make me feel like a moron for enjoying punting.
Lets really think about this. You can choose what you work on. You can choose not to add profit to companies that are un ethical. You can choose to look for progressive avenues. You can influence, and be consultants. You can have a soul and work in an industry that is commercial. You just have to do it. Stop drinking the cool aid, stop thinking its about creativity and awards. It’s not, its about influence, creative people can inspire and influence, in the right ways, or they can choke on their egos. They can drink the poison of introspectiveness. Be ignorant or worse, not care. A lot of talented people, are fools with no sense of self. This industry gobbles them up. Take a long hard look in the mirror, and at this ad, do you really believe it? Or is it romanticism of manipulation. The idea of tragic loss, should not be romanticised. Its tragic we think this is ok. We are an evil industry when we justify it. I for one don’t take these briefs on. I just say no. I’m happily employed and doing well. Without feeling like a spineless, greedy piece of manipulative evilness…. Shameful stuff.
The irony of this beautifully written manifesto, is that if you remove the gambling, the piece still holds true.
So the agency is correct in one thing, we do love sport.
Just not the incessant live odds that intrudes on the innocent enjoyment of it.
Not when people are losing homes, marriages are breaking up due to gambling problem. Just not playing.
Sick to death of this stuff.
The agency shouldn’t promote this work. It will be in the bin with cigarette advertising in the next ten to twenty years as you actually become socially responsible humans through evolution. The creatives that worked on this need to look in the mirror and think about the lack of good they’re doing in the world. Should have stayed at art school sell our scum bags.
Ah the righteous crusader with an unwavering moral compass. So strong is their convictions that they hide behind the blanket of anonymity. And has the gall to call others shameless and gutless. Piece of shit.
Rubbish work. Amoral category. Perfectly aligned with M&C
So, “speaking of spineless”, are you able to appreciate the irony og you hiding behind a dumb pseudonym? Man up tough guy – who are YOU? In the inevitable absence oif you outing yourself, I reckon “piece of shit” is probably doing you a favour. Shut the fuck up.
Im surprised something as bad as this came from Mick, Neil, Wilson, and Roy.
All talented guys, were they forced to go in this direction?