M.J. Bale is a relatively new, high-end Australian men’s fashion brand. We aimed to create awareness of the brand and for its sponsorship of the Australian Cricket Team, as the team’s Official Tailors.

As the team’s smallest sponsor, who couldn’t be on the team’s mainstream communications, the uniforms or even the pitch, there was very low awareness of both the sponsorship, and the brand generally. Our relatively tiny sponsorship budget also meant there was no paid-for media at launch. All PR needed to be generated from the strength of the idea.We needed to excite both our target (Australian men who love sport and want to look sharp) and potential stockists (national department store chains).To do this, we found the oval where the Australian Cricket Team had its most victories, the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). We took grass from there, replanted it on a Merino Sheep farm, fed it to our sheep and handcrafted suits from their wool, now infused with victory, for the Australian Cricket Team.

The story within the suits gave Australia’s most recognised sports stars, commentators, cricket fans and anyone wearing our ‘Grazed on Greatness’ suits a unique PR story to tell. The content seeded by the team and journalists received mainstream national coverage. Earning 8.5m media impressions (broadcast TV, news, press, editorial, PR, social media) valued at AUS$3.2m.M.J. Bale achieved the largest share of voice at campaign peak. Out-shining the team’s biggest (and biggest spending) sponsors.

The campaign’s objective was to increase awareness of the M.J. Bale brand and its sponsorship of the Australian Cricket Team. We knew we had a high-quality range of men’s suits, with far above average customer conversion in store. Awareness was our key to new customers and getting stocked in more retail outlets.

The goal was then to magnify M.J. Bale’s share of voice, in relation to bigger spending sponsors, and establish awareness and desire. Our relatively tiny sponsorship budget meant there was no paid media at launch, PR had to be generated from the strength of the idea.

Infusing our suits with victory had created a product desired by sports stars and their fans. It was the first time a sponsor of the Australian Cricket Team had ever changed its product to support the team, and the Australian media loved this unique approach.During an International Cricket Test Match, we launched the ‘Grazed on Greatness’ film. With the nation’s full media attention already on the team, they and other prominent Australians seeded it. Ties made from the wool were sent to journalists and opinion leaders along with broadcast quality assets, to share the campaign for us.On day one of the launch, the film appeared on national, prime time news in a segment running for almost 2 minutes.The story within the suits meant Australia’s most recognised sports stars; commentators and anyone wearing our suits became our advocates. Whether they were paid or not, they became our PR.

The PR Campaign was hugely successful, achieving all its objectives.There was no paid for media at launch, yet the campaign achieved national awareness earning media coverage (broadcast TV, news, press, editorial, PR, social media) valued at over AUS$3.2m (US$3.3 Million).The PR groundswell facilitated M.J. Bale to expanded its national distribution into Australia’s largest and most prestigious retail chain, with 38 additional new outlets, nationwide.In-store traffic and sales spiked to an all-time high and there was a 520% increase in tailored suit orders.A phenomenal 1,400% return on investment. ($14 for every $1 spent).Unprompted, the Cricket Australia website, with over 500,000 visitors daily, promoted the campaign.The Australian Government formally recognised M.J. Bale’s efforts: the Australian Wool Board committed funding for further wool innovation.M.J. Bale had achieved the largest share of voice at the campaign’s peak.

All from the team’s smallest sponsorship.

Our campaign strategy was to leverage the smallest sponsorship of Australian cricket team, the Official Tailors to the team, and then revolutionise how we make our range, infusing the suits with Australian victory. We documented the entire process and created a 3-minute film ‘Grazed on Greatness,’ starring cricket superstar and Australian Team Vice Captain, Shane Watson.

Shane Watson and Michael Slater (cricket commentator), 2 highly publicized national figures, were appointed as official spokespeople. This appointment promoted and cemented the sponsorship in the minds of the media, the public and the cricketing fans.The video was seeded prior to the media launch by the team to gain ‘grassroots’ awareness. Media outlets, journalists, opinion leaders and the team themselves were also provided with broadcast quality assets needed to spread the campaign for us.

Additionally, the story within these suits meant that anyone wearing our suits became our PR storytellers.

In Australia, the major sponsors of the Australian Cricket Team are the nation’s biggest brands, meaning there was very low awareness for M.J. Bale, the team’s smallest sponsor. Additionally, we couldn’t be on the team’s uniforms, mainstream communications or even the pitch. As the Official Tailors to the team, M.J. Bale’s sponsorship was essentially invisible to the Australian public.

We needed a PR generating campaign to create awareness and desire for the brand: an idea that captured the nation’s imagination, excited stockists and actively expanded M.J. Bale’s retail footprint.