Where they were.
Following the success of Phase 1, NSW Rugby Union faced a new pipeline problem. Player registrations had grown — but the coaches, referees, administrators, and volunteers needed to sustain that growth weren't keeping pace. These are unpaid positions that don't advertise like jobs, and the people who'd be perfect for them often don't know the opportunity exists. NSWRU recommissioned DCC to reach them through a different approach entirely: organic owned channels.
What we did.
We built a role-specific content campaign rooted in a simple truth — the people rugby needs are already living nearby. They're at the office, on a construction site, catching the morning commute, standing at the bus stop. We developed a "dual world" creative device: each piece places an everyday person in their familiar environment, with a portal window revealing them already in role. Become an Administrator. Become a Coach. Become a Referee. Become a Volunteer. Five distinct conversations, each aimed at a different audience, all anchored to the NSW Rugby Union "You Belong Here" platform. No paid amplification. Distributed entirely through NSWRU's owned organic channels.
What it delivered.
The campaign reached over 350,000 people across NSW metro and regional areas through organic distribution alone — no paid amplification. Grassroots clubs returned strong NPS scores in response to the creative, with the dual-world device generating positive audience sentiment well beyond the immediate rugby community. Role-specific targeting proved effective at reaching people who hadn't previously engaged with NSWRU's owned channels — validating the community storytelling approach DCC established in Phase 1 and reinforcing the case for organic-first content as a long-term strategy for the sport.
