Strategy Creative announced this week that they had won the Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU) account after a competitive pitch process.
CRFU, the governing body for rugby union in Canterbury, tasked the agency with developing a grassroots recruitment drive for clubs around the region. Strategy Creative’s response was to shake up the recruitment process with a county-wide programme called The Draft.
With a media ecosystem running across press, OOH, radio, digital and social assets, The Draft transforms the player recruitment and registration process into an anticipated part of the annual rugby calendar. While its primary focus is on generating first-time sign ups – children of five and six years old – the CRFU hopes The Draft will encourage players of all levels to register for the season ahead.
The Draft is the first iteration of a much larger repositioning devised by Strategy Creative for the CRFU, ‘Your Club. Your Canterbury’. This aims to strengthen people’s pride in their local club, both on and off the pitch.
Strategy Creative Christchurch managing partner Nick Harvey says it’s exciting for the team to help build on the legacy of Canterbury rugby.
“With The Draft, the CRFU have shown real courage by allowing us to present the union in a new light, in an exciting way, attracting others to experience all that rugby has to offer by getting more people into the game, promoting more growth towards the future.”
CRGU chief executive Tony Smail says the new campaign reflects the way the clubs work tirelessly to recruit and retain players.
“It’s important we support our clubs with a really cohesive and innovative approach and we’re confident this partnership will achieve that.
