melbourne heart

When it comes to challenges, there aren't many bigger than introducing an A-League football team to AFL mad Melbourne. A task made even more difficult by the feeling that the city already had a soccer team and didn't need another one.

Recognising that the strongest emotional link between fans and a sporting club is the team's jumper, Sphere created a campaign highlighting Heart's traditional looking strip and encouraging Melbournians to adopt the Heart with the message "Join us as we earn our stripes". This represented the club's humble beginnings and grass roots approach and invited people to join the club on its journey from the very outset.

This message was spread across Melbourne via outdoor, radio and even a calendar that portrayed the team as a true part of the Melbourne landscape. Within 4 weeks, the campaign had delivered 188% more members than the objective for the year and had clearly differentiated the club from other A-league teams. In many ways, it was Melbourne Heart's first big win.