Once upon a time, there was an Australian town called Wattleford where no one had ever kicked a ball, swung a bat or cheered from the sidelines. It’s fiction of course. But a brilliant Aussie story. Australia feels pretty dull without its favourite pastime. And there is a happy ever after. Sport appears, and all it has to do is ask, “Wanna play?”

The story, Town Without Sport, is a commercial for Rebel, dreamed up by independent agency, The General Store, moving forward the brand’s Sport is Calling platform from a rallying cry to a very interesting reflection of how sport lives in every corner of Australian life.

It stands out for this, and for its very different appeal. There are no sporting heroes, no evocative sporting moments, no call to try, reach, be better in this campaign. Instead, there’s the absence of sport and the audience is invited to feel its loss.

The campaign is running nationally in Australia across TV, BVOD, social and OOH.

Credits:
Client: Rebel
General Manager Marketing & eCommerce: Rosemary Martin
Head of Brand Experience: Adam Lee
Head of Marketing: Brock Coleman
Senior Marketing Manager Brand & Retail: Georgia Wilson
Creative Lead: Paige Lawless
Photographer: Tony Berlangieri

Creative Agency: The General Store
Partner & CEO: Matt Newell
Partner: Danny Lattouf
Managing Director: Sophie Lander
Strategy Planner: Craig McLeod
ECD: Sharon Edmondston
Creative Team: Hannah Lawson & Jess Beal
Account Director: Pat de Silva

Production Company: Rabbit
Director: Al Morrow
DOP: James Brown
Executive Producers & Partners: Alex Hay & Lucas Jenner
General Manager & Producer: Katrina Maw
Producer: Fiona Pakes
Stylist: Janai Anselmi & Jo Ayling

Post Production: The Editors
Executive Producer: Rita Gagliardi

Sound: Mosaic
Composer: Adam Moses
Producer: Bill Doig