Forget everything you know about horse racing. That’s the message from Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) in a new campaign by The Royals, which aims to challenge punters’ understanding of what racing is.

“It’s just not racing”, as the campaign is titled, highlights the unexpected and awesome things racegoers can expect at the 2016 BMW Caulfield Cup Carnival (8 – 15 October), including epicurean food and drink by some of Australia’s best chefs, live music, a fashion precinct and out-of-the-ordinary experiences.

A 30-second TVC broke yesterday (Sunday 11 September), with outdoor, press and digital also part of the campaign.

“It’s just not racing” communicates the MRC’s renewed focus on amplifying the appeal of its Spring racing carnival by offering not just elite horse racing but also tier 1 Melbourne dining, fashion firsts at the new David Jones Fashion Stable and all-day entertainment on the Crown Lager Live Stage.

MRC executive director marketing and membership Jason Shugg said: “We are revolutionising what a day at the races means at Caulfield, in every respect – from Melbourne’s best restaurants, including Mamasita, Estelle by Scott Pickett, Mr Miyagi and so much more, right through to Australia’s finest live bands and DJs on the Crown Lager Live Stage, all set to the backdrop of world-class Group 1 racing. The Royals have captured this completely new and unexpected approach to the 2016 BMW Caulfield Cup Carnival with a ground-breaking campaign that perfectly sets the tone for the experience people will have this year at Caulfield.”

The Royals ECD Nick Cummins added: “Racing as a category hasn’t changed in decades, so it was important for the campaign to express everything the Melbourne Racing Club is doing differently and convince more people to forget everything they think they know about racing. It’s a deliberately fun and unconventional campaign, much like the experience racegoers can expect at the Caulfield Cup Carnival.”

Client: Melbourne Racing Club
Executive Director, Marketing & Membership: Jason Shugg
Brand Communications Manager: Michelle Lang
Marketing Coordinator: Rachel Kimber

Agency: The Royals
Executive Creative Director: Nick Cummins
Managing Partner: Andrew Siwka
Strategy Director: Michaela Futcher
Account Director: Rosie Dawes
Account Manager: Dominica Chodorowski
Senior Art Director: Tim Holmes
Copywriter: Lee Spencer
Art Director: Andrew Grinter
Designer: Dominic Meehan
Agency Producer: Chelsea Nieper

Music: Electric Dreams
Photographer: Jay Hynes

Motion graphics: Flutter
Animation Director: Dom Bartolo
Artist/Illustration: Jess Cruickshank
Designers: Dom Bartolo, Stephen Elliget
2d Animation: Marta Tesoro, Stephen Elliget
3d Animation: Stephen Elliget
Compositing: Stephen Elliget
Animation Producer: SuMei Chia
Integrated Producer: Samantha Raphael

Production: //13&CO
Director: Pete Moore
Producer: Tracy Proposch
Executive Producer: Roy De Giorgio