Picture this: a sport where the ball is oval, men and women wear no protective gear and, yet, fierce tackles are thrown, and the crowd’s roars can be heard for miles. Welcome to the world of Australian football! This unique game, also known as footy or Aussie rules, is a sensation down under. 

Now, zoom in on a special place called Geelong. Close your eyes and imagine a coastal city nestled in the state of Victoria, Australia. Geelong is more than just a city; it’s a hotbed of footy fever! Picture passionate fans painted in their team colours, waving flags, and chanting songs with unbridled enthusiasm. And there is one team that matters more than all — the Geelong Football Club.

The 164-year-old club, called the Cats, is not just a sports team. Like the local newspaper Geelong Advertiser, the club is an institution. And like any good masthead that understands its audience, the Geelong Addy knew when the Cats made the grand final in a bid to win their 10th premiership after an 11-year drought, it called for a momentous celebration.

We decided to publish a one-off Sunday souvenir edition in the case of a Cats win. The 56-page grand final souvenir edition, published on September 25, 2022, exemplified bold and innovative thinking, resonating with print readers and yielding remarkable results.

There were significant challenges in producing a one-off Sunday edition, having not published such an edition in over a decade. One primary concern was resource allocation, considering the limited resources available in a regional newsroom.

The team tackled this obstacle by preparing copy and pages in advance, ensuring content could be repurposed in the event of a game loss or produced with minimal effort while maintaining high-quality standards. Moreover, coordinating efforts across various departments across different states required effective communication and collaboration. 

To enhance the readers’ grand final experience, the Geelong Advertiser incorporated several additional print elements throughout the three-week grand final campaign. These elements included regular print wraps before and after the game, a glossy Cats poster in the September 23 edition, a team poster in the Sunday edition, a masthead change to “Joelong Advertiser” in the September 29 edition to honour retiring captain Joel Selwood, a broadsheet Joel Selwood poster in the September 30 edition, and a bumper sticker promotion in the same edition. Additionally, more than 500 Cats flags were distributed at 12 newsagents, resulting in increased revenue and sales.

Impressive results 

The grand final souvenir edition generated a significant uplift in sales, advertising revenue, and overall revenue for the Geelong Advertiser. September’s paid print sales exceeded expectations, surpassing the budget by 20% and making it the top-performing regional News Corp newspaper.

Print advertising also performed exceptionally well, exceeding the budget by 10% and contributing to a 9% increase in revenue. These remarkable outcomes underscore the power and impact of creative print journalism. Furthermore, this success strengthened the Geelong Advertiser’s brand and solidified it as the leading source for news, sport, and entertainment in the wider region.

Clicking with digital

In addition to the print achievements, the Geelong Advertiser’s digital campaign achieved remarkable results. Our all-platform strategy resulted in social dominance, boasting high click-through rates on Facebook. Grand final content drove significant engagement and new subscribers online. Leveraging personal social media platforms, Geelong Advertiser journalists shared captivating video content to direct traffic to our digital executions.

Our grand final souvenir edition was a triumph that reflected the spirit and passion of the Geelong community. Despite the challenges we faced, our newspaper successfully celebrated our Cats’ historic victory through innovative and engaging print journalism.

We demonstrated the power and impact that print media can have when used creatively. The Geelong Advertiser is proud to have delivered this special edition and played a pivotal role in capturing the magic of our Cats.

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