Who: Golf Town, with Union for creative and Genuine Media for media.
What: “Come out and play,” a new integrated campaign urging Canadians to return to the course (and, by extension, Golf Town).
When & Where: The campaign debuted on Monday and is running across TV and online. In addition to a 60-second anchor spot, there are also 30- and 15-second cutdowns.
Why: It’s about encouraging participation in the sport following what the golfing retailer describes as an “extremely challenging” year. Early in the pandemic, many golf clubs were closed. At the end of May last year, rounds played were down 25.9% from the year before. But Canadians’ enthusiasm for the game emerged stronger than ever once they were allowed to tee it up, with the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada saying that the number of rounds played from April-October 2020 increased by 18.9% over the previous year.
How: The 60-second anchor spot opens on a series of shots of young people playing, while a voiceover asks “When did we stop playing?” It then transitions into a series of shots that indirectly reference the pandemic, before we see people removing their headphones or closing their computer and emerging from their home ready to participate in outdoor activities, while the voiceover states that “The best stories always start when we get outside and play.”
Alongside corresponding visuals like hitting into the sand or the water, celebrating a tournament win, and playing on a picturesque oceanside course, the voiceover also talks about how the sport tests, connects and takes players on adventures. Canadian golf greats Brooke Henderson and Mike Weir (both Golf Town ambassadors) also make cameo appearances in the ad.
“We wanted to make a piece that really speaks to the reality of the game,” said Union’s chief creative officer, Lance Martin. “It’s about the connections we make out on the course, and the adventures golf takes us on. But it’s also about embracing those frustrating, hair-pulling moments that go into pursuing that one perfect shot—because it’s all part of what makes golf so special.”
And we quote: “What’s so great about golf is how it has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking to make new connections, strengthen old ones, teach your kids how to play, or just spend a few hours outside in nature, there are so many reasons to come out and play.” — Frederick Lecoq, chief marketing officer, Golf Town
