Lowe trick for A-League in Brisbane: The Great Christmas Gift Wrapping Swindle

Case study: In a bid to increase Boxing Day A-League football crowds, Lowe Sydney conjured a nasty prank on the people of Brisbane over Christmas. What appeared to be a free gift-wrapping service, and a gesture of goodwill, turned out to be a jab at the Brisbane Roar football team and their fans. Thousands of Brisvegans had their gifts wrapped with printed paper showing images of their players depicted as Christmas fairies and stuffed turkeys only to be told a few days later that they had been swindled, with all the blame being pointed at their neighbourhood rivals, Gold Coast United.

Being the local derby the two teams and their fans have an ongoingrivalry. The swindle was a fitting retaliation to an earlier Gold Coastteam mascot prank, also conceived by Lowe Sydney.

The story was quickly picked up by the local media stations, fuelling abitter online quarrel between fans before a history-making turnoutfiled into Skilled Stadium to see the Gold Coastians smash Brisbane,5-1.

Client: Football Federation Australia

Agency: Lowe Sydney

Creative Director: Simon Cox

Copywriter: Nathan Lennon

Art Director: Dave Gibson

Producer: Jake Heath

DoP:  Lee Mariano

Group Account Director: Nathan Quailey

Senior Account Manager: Guy Lovell

Client Lead: Pete Jarmain