SportNZ celebrates Football Ferns ahead of FIFA Women’s World Cup in new work via EightyOne

New Zealanders don’t quite understand how celebrated Aotearoa’s Football Ferns are overseas, and the iconic clubs they play for. In a new campaign via EightyOne, SportNZ shines a light on these athletes and showcases how successful they are internationally ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup starting on July the 20th at Eden Park.

 

Says Megan Compain, director of EightyOnerX: “These incredible athletes have a once in a lifetime chance to play a World Cup on home soil, when they normally have to ply their trade playing professional football off-shore. We’re doing everything we can to get as much home support behind them as possible. EightyOne working with production agency Oneighty was a (football) match made in heaven. We cant wait for the World Cup to kick off.”

Says Kate Thirkell from SportNZ: “Three women’s world cups in Aotearoa New Zealand, within 18 months, presented an unmissable opportunity for Sport NZ to grow awareness of, and support for, our incredible female athletes. The ‘It’s Time’ campaign was launched ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup and now, as we embark on the FIFA Women’s World Cup, it encourages all of us to get to know the names and faces of our Football Ferns, and to get behind them on home soil.”

Oneighty is a UK production agency run by former professional footballers, and they met up with 8 of our Football Ferns at their local clubs in the London, Glasgow, Finland, LA, Wellington and  Melbourne to create this beautiful piece of storytelling showcasing how much these athletes mean to their local fans.

Client: Sport New Zealand
Group Manager, Communications and Marketing – Sheryl Nicols
Manager, Group Brand and Marketing – Kate Thirkell
Campaign Manager – Jane Lawrence

Agency: EightyOne
Director of 81X: Megan Compain
ECD: Chris Bleackley
Creative: Joe Stuart
Account Director: Caroline Wethey-Te Whetu

Production: Oneighty