New Brand Campaign for NBL

The National Basketball League (NBL) has unveiled a new national marketing campaign that aims to brings to life the unique elements of the sport of basketball.

Announced at this week's NBL season launch, the campaign centres on a television commercial which will launch in October, before the season commencement on 15th October, and will be supported by an underpinning targeted national advertising campaign.

Basketball Australia Chief Executive Larry Sengstock said the campaign focused on the unique advantages basketball has over other sports, explaining "unlike competing codes, the National Basketball League's appeal is that from the moment the game starts until the final siren - anything can happen anytime.

"There are no nil-all draws, no drawn-out penalty kicks, no waiting for a result - it is non-stop action for the whole family.

"The point of difference for the NBL is linked to a key part of the game structure - the 24-second shot clock. The constant action and urgency created by the ever reducing shot clock means that players are always on the edge - looking for the next quick pass, the next screen and the unexpected shot.

"The feeling of needing to beat the shot clock leads to the insight that for the players, that shot clock drives the demand that a great shot is put up before the clock ticks down. Every play has to have urgency. Every play has to count. Every play could change the game. Every play has explosive potential.

"The campaign will underline the NBLâs promise of being one of the most exciting spectator sports for fans at the game or watching on TV."

The key brand device that brings this to life is an explosive basketball. Using the image best remembered from cartoons and old Hollywood movies, the exploding ball device captures the feeling of impending action and extraordinary explosive action on court and off.

The campaign, which has been produced by strategic agency shift.101 and award-winning creative agency 12:20, has the full support of all nine NBL clubs, who have welcomed the idea as a fresh and exciting approach to the marketing of the NBL.

Basketball Australia has also announced that it has secured iiNet as Naming Rights Partner for the NBL for the next three years, and has also signed a major partnership for the NBL with Centrebet.

Under the terms of the deal, Centrebet will be the Official Sports Betting Partner of the NBL for the next two years.

Centrebet, who were first licensed as a sports bookmaker in 1992, already have in place partnerships with several major sporting codes including the AFL and NRL.

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