BWM wins joint Spring Racing Carnival account

Dust off your fascinators, polish those shoes and prep your suits as Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival is almost upon us with today’s launch of a new advertising campaign by newly appointed agency BWM.

This year’s ‘Get Back on Track’ campaign has brought together Racing Victoria (RV) and the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) for the first time.

BWM was appointed to joint-creative account in May following a competitive pitch process. BWM takes over the MRC account from Faith.

Carl Ratcliff, managing director of BWM Melbourne, said the work sets out to remind Victorians that Spring Racing is not just a sporting event but a tradition.

“We look forward to taking the brand into uncharted territory to achieve new things and get more Australians talking about horse racing.”

Andrew Catterall, who joined RV as executive general manager of strategy and development from the AFL earlier this year, said: “We’ve changed our strategy this year, pooling resources across creative development, media agencies and media buy, to achieve a better outcome for the industry and foster new and renewed engagement with the sport.

“Together with the Melbourne Racing Club we’ve developed a fresh and playful approach to encourage Victorians to get back on track and enjoy this iconic and unrivalled period on Australia’s sporting, social and fashion calendar.” Catterall joined RV in January after eight years general manager of strategy and marketing at the AFL.

MRC’s chief executive Brodie Arnhold encouraged other sporting organisations to follow suit and pool resources.

BWM’s Melbourne executive creative director, Murray White, lead the campaign which will include traditional media such as tactical press, TV, radio and online alongside guerrilla tactics. Those guerrilla tactics will unfold over the coming weeks with human billboards as well as digital and social elements.

“As Victorians, we’ve taken our hands off the reins. We spend our weekends at hardware superstores. We text over dinner. And we watch reality television shows. We don’t even know what a good time is anymore.”

“In this context, reminding people of the buzzing social scene, trackside glamour, unrivalled action and glory of the Spring Racing Carnival becomes a form of creative activation through sabotage.”

The campaign kicks off today with the launch of the Spring Racing Carnival website with other elements to be rolled out throughout September.

Credits: client Racing Victoria, executive general manager strategy and development Andrew Catterall, marketing manager Sarah Stewart, digital marketing manager Laura Scott, client Melbourne Racing Club, marketing and membership manager Michael Leake, creative agency BWM, MD Carl Ratcliff, ECD Murray White, client services director Belinda Murray, planner Susannah Stoney, art directors Mike Fritz, Gus Johnston, senior account manager Bryan Micallef, account manager Nick Bollard, writers Chris Hanrahan, Jake Mclennan, on screen Lucy Trengrove.

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