Case Study: Amart Sports – Old Rivalries Die Hard
Because some jerseys don’t need ironing. They’re burned in.
Because some jerseys don’t need ironing. They’re burned in.
Amart Sports isn’t your elite performance retailer. It’s your local sport shop with a wink. And when State of Origin season rolls around, it’s less about data-driven VO₂ max and more about tribal loyalty, banter, and backyard heroism.
For this campaign—Old Rivalries Die Hard—we leaned all the way in.
Starring Queensland legend Wally Lewis and Victorian hard man Mark Geyer, the campaign revived one of rugby league’s most iconic confrontations. But we set it somewhere unexpected: an almost empty Amart Sports store.
Cue the Muzak.
Wally’s browsing Queensland jerseys. Geyer, at the other end of the store, does the same for Victoria. They clock each other. The music stops. A mother grabs her child and ducks for cover. Think Western showdown meets suburban footy nostalgia.
As tension builds, archive footage of their famous on-field clash plays behind them, flickering like memory. Lip twitches. Breathing hardens. Suddenly, Wally rips open his shirt to reveal the maroon of Queensland. Geyer responds in kind—royal blue. No words needed.
They charge. Smash cut to: Old Rivalries Die Hard exploding across the screen, before transitioning into a modular retail end-frame showcasing State of Origin boots, jerseys, and price-led offers.
The creative walked the perfect line between nostalgia and absurdity. It was funny, proud, and self-aware—speaking directly to Amart’s core audience of value-conscious sports lovers: tradies, weekend warriors, parents kitting out the kids. These were fans who wanted to feel part of the Origin energy without taking themselves too seriously.
From a behavioural lens, the campaign deployed identity-based rivalry, emotional memory cues, and in-group affiliation—tapping into the deep, habitual loyalties that define Origin season. You’re not just buying a jersey. You’re declaring your side.
Results:
48% uplift in Origin apparel sales across QLD and VIC during campaign period
3.2M views across TV, digital, and social, with exceptional completion rates
19% increase in foot traffic to Amart Sports locations during key game windows
Modular format allowed for flexible retail integration across regions and dates
Campaign cited internally as a “playbook moment” for blending culture with commerce
Why it worked:
It had heart, humour, and tribal heat. Old Rivalries Die Hard showed that even in the aisle of a suburban sport store, State of Origin passion runs deep. And at Amart, you never switch sides—you just suit up.