The lid has been lifted on horse racing’s premier event outside of the Spring Racing Carnival with an above-the-line campaign for the Festival of Racing.

The campaign is By All Means’ second for Racing Victoria since its July 2017 appointment, and continues the agency’s creative platform ‘The Races Are Calling’ running through digital, TV, social, print, radio, and outdoor.

Alongside a mystical teleporting picnic hamper, the campaign features up-and-coming stars of the sport, jockey Stephanie Thornton and trainer Archie Alexander.

The Festival of Racing is Victoria’s six-week summer and autumn showpiece that features elite racing action, first-class food, relaxed fashion, and family-friendly entertainment.

The festival takes in feature race meetings at Flemington, Caulfield, The Valley and across country Victoria, and offers over $30 million in prize money.

Marcia Allan, head of customer strategy and engagement at Racing Victoria, said the new campaign perfectly encapsulates the great sense of fun and excitement that the Festival of Racing brings.

“This is the second year we’ve taken this feature racing period to market under the umbrella of the Festival of Racing, and we’re thrilled to be working with By All Means to ensure the festival’s continued growth in both awareness and attendance,” she said.

By All Means co-creative director Toby Cummings said: “It’s good fun working the real stars of racing into each campaign we devise. It connects the work to the sport in a very real way, and gives us the low-down on which horses to keep an eye on during the season too.”

CREDITS

Client (Racing Victoria)

Chief commercial officer: Jane Ballantyne

Head of customer strategy and engagement: Marcia Allan

Marketing and events manager: Natasha Prendergast

Campaign manager: Rebecca Moffat

Digital services and innovation manager: Nik Shetty

Digital content coordinator: Jenna Gleeson

Agency (By All Means)

Co-creative directors: Ed Howley and Toby Cummings

Managing director: Mat Cummings

Planning director: Frank Bethel (Forward Scout)

Planner: Duncan Bell (Forward Scout)

Account manager: Harriet Bell

Copywriter: Aaron Pepper

Art director: Jacob Redding

Producer: Elise Trenorden

Artwork: Joanne Gerace

Content: Ash Koek and Carlo Zeccola

Production

Production company: The Otto Empire

Director: Tim Potter

Executive producer: Jo de Fina

Producers: Peter Kearney and Jess Langley

Director of production: Edward Goldner

Post: Marty Gilchrist (Puffin)

Post producer: Charlotte Wren (Puffin)

Colourist: Martin Greer

Sound design: Dylan Stevens (Risk Sound)

Casting agent: Highway Casting

Photography

Stills producer: Charlotte May

Photographer: Chris Budgeon

Stills stylist: Lana Wilkinson

Re-toucher: Nicholas Duell