Insider info – not good to use for stockmarket transactions, essential for great ads. Cummins&Partners knows what makes the AFL tick.

The AFL, otherwise known as The Footy, is about to set off on its 2015 journey. And Cummins&Partners knows that there are two teams of AFL players – the blokes on the field and the army that supports them. Being a footy fan gets handed down from generation to generation. Barracking for a team your dad doesn’t is definitely the road less travelled. Marrying outside your club? Convert or keep the faith is an agonising dilemma.

So the agency made its 2015 AFL campaign stand out by giving loyal fans the recognition that rewards them and new fans FOMO. For the 2015 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, that’s a win-win.

And it did so by building its ad around four generations of real Richmond fans, from 89 year old Joan to great-grand daughter, Zoe. In fact, everyone in the cast is a real fan. Crowd-sourcing is very cool, but this crowd-sourcing is integral to the ad’s idea. “You Make The Game is a celebration of the most important element of the game, the people,” Cummins&Partners notes.

AFL general manager of people, culture and community, Ms Dorothy Hisgrove commented, “The AFL has made important decisions this year, listening and acting on issues the fans care about. This ad celebrates the fact that our game doesn’t exist without the passion and support of fans, and we celebrate them and their stories of passion.”

Jim Ingram, executive creative director at Cummins&Partners added, “This campaign is for supporters of the game at all levels, those who make our game extraordinary. In fact, every person cast in this commercial is an AFL fan, with most of them recruited through club fan squads. Go Dons.”

The AFL season begins on April 2nd when the Tigers take on the mighty Blues.

Creative credits:

Agency: Cummins&Partners

Executive creative directors: Jim Ingram (Bombers) and Ben Couzens (Swannies)

Senior art director: Frank Trobbanni (Hawks)

Senior copywriter: Michael Davey (Blues)

Group account director: Rod Mooseek (Blues)

Account director: Andrew Stone (Dees)

Chief strategy officer: Adam Ferrier (Eagles, Dockers and Swans)

Head of Broadcast Production: Jess Thompson (Go Tiges!)

Production company: Finch

Director: Alex Roberts (Swans)

Executive producer: Corey Essey (Bulldogs)

Producer: Camilla Dehnert (Blues)

DoP: Tim Tregoning (Swans)

Audio production: Risk Sound

Post production: Method Studios Melbourne