Talk rugby like a pro, literally, thanks to APN’s latest campaign via Whybin\TBWA Auckland

Rugby enthusiasts, armchair commentators and wannabe stats junkies are being given the ultimate sporting gift this Super Rugby season with the launch of The New Zealand Herald’s ‘Talk Rugby Like a Pro’ campaign which kicked off today.

The campaign, developed by Whybin\TBWA Auckland, who recently started working with APN, aims to show that with expert knowledge you can turn everyday commentary into banter to rival that of even the most seasoned rugby technician.

“Talk Rugby Like a Pro” is bought to life via a series of creative executions across print, social media, radio and online which take statements made by average, everyday rugby fans and juxtaposes them against what could be said with extra ‘rugby intel’.

The source of this expert knowledge and the technology behind the campaign is OPTA – a rugby analytics tool that, until now, has only been accessible to the game’s biggest names including Super Rugby coaches and Steve Hansen.

Through The Herald’s newly launched rugby offering, the OPTA data is now available to all New Zealand Herald readers as part of the media outlet’s comprehensive online rugby offering which also includes extensive coverage of all the Super Rugby games and expert commentary from experts such as Justin Marshall, Sean Fitzpatrick and Wynne Gray.

Whybin\TBWA Auckland creative director, Lisa Fedysyzn, says that the campaign speaks to the masses of rugby fans by tapping into their desire to sound informed, up-to-date and knowledgeable about all things rugby.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re an everyday rugby fan or crazy about it, everyone wants to be able to talk with a bit of authority. With the Herald’s suite of rugby tools and information we have been able to show creatively what a huge difference insight can make to your rugby cred,” says Fedyszyn.

APN’s general manager of Brand and Communications Sarah Kenny says that the ‘Talk Rugby Like a Pro’ campaign is fresh, innovative and just what was needed to cement the New Zealand Herald as the ultimate destination for all things rugby.

“Kiwis have an insatiable appetite for rugby; it’s what binds us as a nation and everybody has an opinion on players’ performances, coaching staff, man of the match and more. We’ve put together a world-class online offering with OPTA, our extensive coverage and the quality and depth of our rugby columnists,” says Kenny.

“The team at TBWA has come up with a campaign that conveys what our offering is and, more importantly, what a difference it can make for fans, in a simple and compelling manner. The campaign’s simplicity makes it clever and we’re excited to see more and more Kiwis talking like rugby pros,” adds Kenny.

Agency: Whybin\TBWA Auckland

Account Executive: Lucy Ochoa-Petit