Jameson Irish Whisky & Dan Gorringe have come together to launch the ‘Ultra Kicking Challenge’, a new campaign celebrating the kind of moments that matter most in footy culture, even if they’d never make an official record book.
Developed by creative agency 2045 and lead talent agency The Gifted Group, supported by Partner and Bolster as part of Jameson’s wider agency village, the ‘Ultra Kicking Challenge’ marks the beginning of a jam-packed calendar of in-season activity designed to bring fans closer to the action through interactive experiences, creator-led content and live audience involvement.
The event saw Dan Does Footy’s Dan Gorringe attempt to kick 1,000 consecutive goals across a continuous 48-hour livestream. Thousands of fans shaped the experience in real time through audience-triggered interruptions, surprise twists and interactive ‘Go Ultra’ voting mechanic.
The event delivered unprecedented fan engagement, generating more than 23.5 million views across channels, 1.2 million unique engagements and attracting 545,777 viewers to the live stream. Audiences spent over 42,000 hours watching the challenge unfold, with an average live watch time exceeding 10 minutes as Dan attempted more than 6,000 goals, ultimately kicking an incredible 5,343 goals and setting the first Jameson Ultra Record for the most AFL goals successfully kicked in 48 hours.
The ground-breaking campaign included creator-led social content, native YouTube participation mechanics and a custom challenge certification system documenting the inaugural attempt.
The Ultra Kicking Challenge is the first initiative under Jameson Ultra Records, a new platform celebrating ambitious, entertaining and culturally resonant fan moments across sport and entertainment.
Liam O’Connell, senior brand manager, Irish Whiskys at Pernod Ricard, said: “Jameson Ultra Records is all about backing people who throw themselves fully into the things they love.”
“Launching the Ultra Kicking Challenge in partnership with Dan Does Footy captures that spirit in a way that feels real, entertaining and built for the way audiences engage with culture today.”
Tim Evans, founder and managing director at 2045, said: “Sport is full of unofficial records. Everyone knows someone who claims they kicked the longest torp at training or ate the most half-time pies at a local grand final. Jameson Ultra Records was built to celebrate, scale and let fans participate in those mythic moments in real time.”
The next Jameson Ultra Record will see Dan Does Footy live at Margaret Court Arena on September 24th, attempting to set the record for the biggest live podcast in ANZ history.
Edward Deal, founder & director at The Gifted Group said: “Our mission with Dan Does Footy has always been to do things differently, do things first, set the pace and redefine the space. In partnership with the team at Jameson Whiskey, 2045 and Partner, we truly broke new ground with this project and continue to set the bar even higher in sports and entertainment media with plenty more to come.”
CREDITS
Client: Jameson / Pernod Ricard Pacific
Kristy Rutherford – Marketing Director Australia & New Zealand
Belinda Sanderson – Head of Marketing: Dark Spirits, RTD & Prestige
Liam O’Connell – Senior Brand Manager, Irish Whiskeys
Karlee Fancourt – Senior Partnership & Experiences Manager
Alia Jones – Assistant Brand Manager
Talent Agency: The Gifted Group
Edward Deal – Founder & Director
Gabrielle Cavalieri – Talent Coordinator
Eva Neville – Senior Talent Manager
Autumn Brown – Talent Manager
Creative Agency: 2045
Tim Evans – Founder
Christopher McKee – Executive Creative Director
Kyle Gradidge – Group Business Director
Mike Jones – Executive Design Director
Jen Pham – Executive Producer
Dani Evans – Events Director
Jon Nguyen – Senior Business Manager & Producer
Angel Aguilera – Art Director
Grace Busch – Copywriter
Matt Jones – Senior Designer
Freddie McHenry – Photographer / Videographer
Digital Production Agency: Partner
Sam Bonser – General Manager
Archie Harrison – Head of Production
Dylan Alexander – Stream Director
Bede Briscomb – Stream Operator
Jared Evans – Camera Operator
Trent Callen – Producer
Raine Fraser – Operations Manager
Social Agency: Bolster
Hannah Nickels – Head of Strategy and Operations
James Clarke – CEO
Talent – Dan Gorringe
