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August 2008 - Strategy Magazine
Who

Rob Assimakopoloulos & the CFL: A league of our own

by Jonathan Paul
page 16

The Canadian Football League is 100% Canadian. It plays its 77 games a year on a field that's 110 yards long. Fast-paced, with only three downs per possession, its fan base is growing - the average broadcast audience for CFL games on TSN over the past three seasons has been 363,000 (nearly double TSN's average audience throughout the 1990s), and it's already up 13% over last year. In 2007 the CFL average attendance was 29,167 per game, marking the sixth straight year that league-wide attendance has exceeded two million. And it boasts more than 100 years of history that's rich with great Canadian moments.

Last August, Rob Assimakopoulos was brought in as senior VP marketing and commercial assets by CFL commissioner Mark Cohon, to sharpen the positioning of the brand. Given the tradition the league carries, well, "Let's say I approach the task with a lot of humility," says Assimakopoulos, who realized it's simply about communicating what's authentic and resonates about the CFL.

"It became a search for the truth about this brand and what it's become," he says. "Participatory, accessible and fast-paced are attributes that our fans play back as to why they like it." Cohon agrees with Assimakopoulos's tack, saying, "He helps clarify and articulate that it's about being community-driven, and the fabric of our nation."

Thus was born the "This is our league" brand video - a passionate piece produced by David Rosenberg and his team at Bensimon Byrne. It's subtly placed on the CFL's YouTube channel and other online assets, and also airs via the league's exclusive broadcast partner, TSN. The video communicates the essence of the league through clips of stirring CFL moments, complemented by an inspiring narrative and the song "Always" by Canadian band Neverending White Lights. "It really is to amplify the sense of belonging that people have with the league," says Assimakopoulos. The CFL is working closely with Bensimon Byrne on executions to be rolled out over conventional media, and with their activation agency TrojanOne to make sure that the message is spread effectively on the ground.

The challenge, of course, is how to utilize that insight to engage new fans. Assimakopoulos, who started at Ford 14 years ago, then worked at Proctor and Gamble and Molson Canada before moving to the CFL, feels that one of the things he's brought with him is disciplined thinking on the front end.

"When I talked about bringing process to the branding exercise, the first job was [finding] our most predisposed potential new fans," he says. Research showed that engagement for CFL fans starts young, in a family context. The exercise led Assimakopoulos and his team of 15 people across the marketing, events and licensing partnerships, as well as broadcast and digital assets departments to identify young families as the ones they need to talk to, and shared experiences as the itch they need to scratch.

"Our challenge, I should say our opportunity, is the next generation of fans," says Cohon. "People come to me and say, 'What can I do to support the league?' 'Bring your kid or grandkid to the game.' And that's what Rob is doing."

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