MJ Bale: Grazed on Greatness
Silver and Bronze - Consumer Products/Best Integrated Campaign led by Direct Marketing
Issue 24 | September 2012
Agency
Whybin\Tequila\TBWA Sydney
Creative Team
Executive Creative Directors: Dave Bowman and Matty Burton CD/Copywriter: John McKelvey CD/Art Director: Peter Galmes
Other Credits
CEO: Paul Bradbury Account Director: Bryony Marks Client: Matt Jensen
Background
M.J. Bale was a relatively new Australian men’s fashion brand. As the official tailors to the Australian cricket team, they wanted to make something of their sponsorship.
Idea
The idea was to create a new line of clothing made from cloth special to cricket.
Turf was taken from the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia had won more test matches than anywhere else. It was replanted on a Merino sheep farm in New South Wales, and allowed to propagate. The sheep that grazed on this grass were sheared. Their wool, infused with victory, was hand-crafted into suits for the Australian team and for the public.
Journalists were encouraged to tell the story by being mailed ties woven from the first-ever bale of this historic wool.
Important customers were sent real grass seeds from the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust seed bank to grow their own patch of victory. And invited to buy the range first.
Results
Targeting journalists, opinion leaders and players achieved national awareness, earning 8.5 million media impressions (broadcast TV, news, press, editorial, PR, social media) valued at A$3.2 million (£2m GBP).
In-store traffic and sales spiked to an all-time high. Tailored suit orders were up 520%.
M.J. Bale also acquired distribution through 38 new outlets with Australia’s largest and most prestigious retail chain, David Jones.
ROI was 1400% ($14 for every $1 spent). All from the Australia cricket team’s smallest sponsorship.