A raunchy new ad campaign is being launched for rugby league in a
bid to build the game’s national appeal.
The cinema and outdoor campaign targets women, using the strapline
’You’ll Love it Super League Style’. The cinema ads, running in 14
cities nationally, feature women gazing at a man walking into an office.
One woman says, ’I like it hard and fast and straight up the middle,’
causing the man to spill his coffee. It transpires that the woman is
talking about Super League.
Super League Europe (SLE), the body responsible for marketing rugby
league in the UK, is behind this first national advertising campaign,
which kicks-off in early March.
The ads, through newly appointed Leeds-based agency Charles Walls,
coincides with the unveiling of a strategy to expand SLE beyond its
Yorkshire and Lancashire heartland.
SLE is also attempting to grow the sport nationally by encouraging teams
from Wales, the south of England and Edinburgh to take part from next
year. A new team, Gateshead Thunder, is joining the league this
year.
Ian Ruddoch, marketing manager of SLE, said: ’We have a policy of
expansion. If the league becomes truly national it will be far more
attractive for sponsors beyond the local level.’
The league is a year into a five-year broadcast deal worth pounds 45m
with BSkyB and is negotiating a highlights package with ITV
channels.
SLE’s main sponsor is JJB Sports, which has one year of its contract
remaining. It pulls in pounds 720,000 a year from sponsors, but has
failed to attract supplier sponsors in areas such as soft drinks,
confectionery and financial services, which could earn it up to pounds
500,000 a season.
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