For the 2023 Caulfield Cup Carnival.
The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) is inviting racegoers to grab the weekend tribe and experience a different kind of Spring Carnival via a campaign from creative collaborators East of Everything and TABOO.
'It's Time to Re-Wild' is an open invitation to break out of the collective post-Covid, post-Winter malaise and embrace a vibrant and unexpected world of food, fashion, fun and racing at Caulfield.
MRC chief customer officer, Jeremy Francis, said as a business and brand, it's dedicated to opening the sport up to more people through unexpected and immersive experiences.
"We knew to drive engagement and reach new audiences, our marketing and on course experience needed to challenge the old ways and be unashamedly future focused," he said.
The campaign breaks free from the typical stereotypes of the racing world, bringing to life MRC’s progressive spirit to change the world of racing to be more open and welcoming for everyone, not just racing’s initiated.
New York artist Spencer Gabor was the perfect choice to create a colourful world of entertainment, brought to life by Melbourne animators SOMA Studios with music by Squeak E Clean.
Grant Rutherford, ECD and co-founder of East of Everything, said there's no slow-motion horses, stock photography or grandiose music - this isn’t a typical Spring Racing campaign.
"Building on the brand strategy we were tasked to come up with something that felt different for the category," said Rutherford.
"Everyone came together to build this wild world - from TABOO, Spencer, Soma, Squeak E and the fabulous crew at the MRC."
The ‘It’s Time to Re-Wild’ creative platform is extended through to the race day experience with the launch of the brand new ‘Wilderland’ precinct, that invites racegoers to let down their hair and embrace their wild side.
MRC GM of marketing, Ashley Curnow, said the club is eager to push the boundaries with this year’s Caulfield Cup Carnival campaign, and approach not only the way it markets racing, but sport more broadly.
"Engaging an artist like Spencer Gabor was key and allowed us to employ a more modern lens on our campaign," said Curnow.
"His stunning, abstract work is the perfect creative to attract new audiences and reiterate MRC’s point of difference in the racing category.”
TABOO creative director, Melba Gounas, said in an era where local sporting events play on a global stage and are upping the ante with all-around experiences, MRC doesn't aim to simply join the crowd.
"Rather, our 'It's Time to Re-wild' campaign is inspired by the liberating spirit of festivals. We aim to engage audiences in new, positive ways – encouraging everyone to unleash their wild side, however they define it," said Gounas.
‘It's time to Re-Wild’ is a fully integrated campaign with TV, online video, social, large format OOH, impulse media, street posters, murals, print, radio, digital display, experiential and on-track activity rounding out the creative mix.
Credits:
EAST OF EVERYTHING
Strategy Director, Partner: Kat Kelly
Creative Director, Co-Founder: Grant Rutherford
TABOO
Managing Director: James Mackinnon
Creative Director: Melba Gounas
General Manager: Kate Prowse
Designer: Trent Bucknell
Group Account Director: Lauralee Cuzner
Account Manager: Emma Golding
Producer: Hannah Cleary
MRC
General Manager – Marketing: Ashley Curnow
Head of Marketing: Sarah Addis & Ellen Wilson
Creative Director: Nic Lehman
Marketing Campaign Specialist: Ebony Ross
Spencer Gabor - Artist Collaborator / Illustrator
Media: HALF DOME
Soma Studios - Animation Production
Oz Smith - Creative Direction/Animator
Charlotte Parsons - Producer
Jeric Ilagan - Animator
Shashank Mani - Animator
Gabriel Gareso - Animator
Squeak E. Clean Studios
Music Composition & Sound Post Production
Music Producer: Richie Buxton
Music Composer: Oliver Duke
Senior Producer : Laura Hesse
Sound Designer : Dee Gjedsted
