Rugby calls on Regional Australia for 2007 Advert Campaign

[Darren]

Australian Rugby Union
Wednesday December 6, 2006

Australian Rugby has wrapped up shooting of its 2007 advertising campaign, following two days of filming and photos at Allora in South-East Queensland.

The Australian Rugby Union and the four Australian Super 14 teams joined forces to shoot the television and print advertisements, which will run for the next two years during the Investec Super 14 and Wallabies seasons.

After an extensive search for possible locations, Allora, a town of less than 1,000 in regional Queensland, was chosen for its quintessential Australian characteristics and the eagerness of the local community to be involved.

“It’s a very picturesque and photogenic town with a more than friendly vibe about it, and the community and all of the businesses were very positive about the campaign being shot here,” said ARU Marketing Manager Lainey Franks.

Allora is also the birthplace of Wallabies and Queensland Reds prop Greg Holmes, who stars in the campaign alongside 75 extras from the Allora, Warwick and Toowoomba communities.

“It was a huge surprise to be asked to go home to Allora for an advertising shoot of all things and it’s been really enjoyable catching up with my parents and friends and being able to bring all the other guys back for the locals to meet.” Holmes said.

“Allora’s a sport-filled little town and they jump at the chance to support anything sport-related that’s going on.

“The entire community really got behind this – there are heaps of people who’ve volunteered as extras and the town blocked off the main street for the commercial and gave us the school oval for the photos – it’s been really exciting for this area and everyone’s been very supportive.”

As well as Holmes, the ad campaign features another 10 Wallabies including NSW Waratahs Phil Waugh, Rocky Elsom and Lote Tuqiri, Queensland Red Rodney Blake, Brumbies Stirling Mortlock, Jeremy Paul, Mark Gerrard and Adam Ashley-Cooper, the Western Force’s Scott Fava and Cameron Shepherd plus Super 14 stars Peter Hewat (NSW) and Cameron Treloar (QLD).

The campaign itself will be revealed in mid-January 2007, when it goes to air on television and in print, and ARU Managing Director & CEO Gary Flowers says it will mark the start of a packed and exciting year for Australian Rugby.

“Without giving too much away, this campaign is aimed at getting the nation behind rugby in what will be a massive year for our game,” he said.

“In 2007, there’s back-to-back rugby in Australia from February to October including six professional rugby competitions that culminate in the Rugby World Cup and we hope the entire Australian community will get behind all of our teams on the road to France for the World Cup.”

This latest advertising campaign for Australian Rugby was developed by leading Sydney advertising agency George Patterson Y&R, directed (TVC) by Tony Davison of CIF Productions and shot (photos) by Gary Shepard.

[Sagerian]

Cool, I really hope it's a good ad (I.E. Not 14 people in a laundromat....) and that it does get a lot of exposure on free to air.

[.X.]

Just a quick question - since when was Peter Hewat a star?

[O'Regan]

Just a quick question - since when was Peter Hewat a star?

Never rated Hewat, he has a nice boot, but his attacking style is not the way i like a Fullback/wing to play there Rugby. Keep him on the wing, or keep him off the field. I think he has been unlucky though not to be selected over some players in the Australia A outfit.

[Gort Trantor]

Being a local of the small town of Allora, I witnessed the filming of this.
It has just started airing on TV here. I do not appear in this commercial, but I know most of the people who do appear in the finished advert.