Hockey in New Zealand is enjoying a renewed interest in the mainstream media due to the recent successes of the national hockey team – the Black Sticks. To leverage this powerful media machine Hockey New Zealand set in motion a nationwide pilot participation programme named Small Sticks targeting 5 to 13 year old kids.
The brief called for a campaign idea to lead the design of the programme’s print collateral that would also translate to advertising and online media to attract future sponsorship.
The solution presented itself in the form of ‘Hockey Heroes’. Young, characterised versions of Black Stick players. The campaign combined fun with learning and aspiration to appeal to both children and parents. Content was presented with speed and clarity in mind as it was tasked to coaches and teachers throughout the country to put the Small Sticks programme rigorously through its paces.