R/GA and Bring Agency have teamed up to premiere the new track for the launch of the 2021/22 A-League season.
The new track, titled ‘Real Nice (H.C.T.F.),’ features the talent of electronic DJ/producer Young Franco, R&B lyricist and Aria Award winner Tkay Maidza (featured image), and Brisbane rapper Nerve.
The song is part of the A-League’s Here Come the Future brand platform to kick off the new era of football in Australia.
The music video for the tune was directed by Aria nominated Gabriel Gasparinatos and featured A-League stars like Melbourne City FC winger Marco Tilio, and Sydney FC and Matildas goalkeeper Jada Whyman.
This new anthem and brand platform is driven by A-Leagues commercial strategy of attracting a broader group of young Aussie football fans by interacting with pop culture authentically.
R/GA chief officer APAC, Seamus Higgins, is excited about the new brand saying: “Right from the start we set out to create a cultural movement centred around football – not just a campaign.
“Here Come the Future is a rallying cry to the collective of people who are not just shaping the future of the game, but the future of the country.
“A future that’s more diverse, creative, open and expressive. So of course to kick that off we couldn’t just create an ad campaign. We had to create a genuine piece of culture and entertainment.
“We are immensely proud of what we have created together with the incredible team at the A-Leagues,” said Higgins.
Executive creative director of Bring Agency, James Griffiths, added: “When we were approached by R/GA with their vision for the campaign we knew we could highlight the perfect artists for the campaign who would resonate with the target audience.
“We love an ambitious idea, we partnered with the agency and client on a collaborative journey through Universal Music’s unparalleled artist insights, developing a framework for Young Franco, TKay and Nerve to co-create the perfect song for the new brand.
“The track is already connecting with fans on and off the pitch,” said Griffiths.
A-League director of marketing and data, Rob Nolan, concluded: “We’ve stated our ambition to reimagine the football experience for fans in Australia and this collaboration, and broader campaign, are testament to the vision.
“Here Come the Future captures the essence of the future of Australian football and has the ability to reach millions of people.
“We already know that there is a significant crossover between football and music amongst our existing fans on social media, so this cultural collaboration was the perfect fit,” said Nolan.
‘Real Nice (H.C.T.F.)’ was released on Friday, November 19, 2021 and is available on all streaming services including Spotify, SoundCloud, Deezer, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube).
The music video premiered during Channel 10’s coverage of the Sydney FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers match on Saturday, November 20.
Credits
A-LEAGUES
Danny Townsend, Managing Director
Ant Hearne, CCO
Rob Nolan, Director, Marketing & Data
David Davutovic, Football Consultant
Angela Colless, Head of Fan Engagement
Nathan Sammut, Senior Marketing Manager
R/GA
Seamus Higgins, CCO APAC
Victoria Curro, Managing Director
Claire Waring, Exec Creative Director
Ben Newman, Assoc Creative Director
Ben Miles, Exec Creative Director, Brand, Design & Consulting
Justin Phang, Creative Director
Henry Cook, Design Director
Jane Duru, Verbal Design Director
Louis Johanson, Senior Designer
George Robertson, Group Director
Lauren Butterfield, Group Account Director
Chris Smyth, Exec Director
Kyle Belcher, Head of Content
Josh Agnew, Account Director
Jon Holloway Exec Strategy Director
Scott McKinnon, Senior Strategist
Callum James, Senior Social Strategist
Matt Vandenberg, Social Media Manager
BRING
Adam Ireland, General Manager, BRING
James Griffiths, Executive Creative Director
Chris Russell, Brand Partnerships Director
Alexia Tomshin, Producer
James Wilkinson, Creative
ENTROPICO
Gabriel Gasparinatos, Director
Erin Moy, Executive Producer
Jemma Cole, Producer
Tom Black, DOP (Sydney Unit)
1st AD: Annabel Mills
DOP: Caleb Ware (Brisbane Unit)
DOP: Madison McKamey (LA Unit)
Editors: Jodie Williams, Andrea Chen & Gabriel Gasparinatos
Editors: Jodie Williams & Andrea Chen
Photographer: Daphne Nguyen
OMD
Kate Sharkey, Business Director
Lewis Brown Account Director
