Harness Racing Victoria Chairman Dale Monteith has issued the following statement today ahead of the official campaign launch this week for TAB ID18. 

 

It is an exciting time in harness racing with the 2018 TAB Inter Dominion almost upon us.

As has been well documented, this is the first time since 2008 that Australasia’s greatest harness racing series has been held in Victoria and everybody involved is determined to make it the best ever.
 
I wanted to take this opportunity to update the industry on ID18 progress because in coming days you will hear and see our new advertising promotion across a wide range of channels and formats.
 
We have worked closely with a number of market leading agencies to conduct bespoke market research. This research has delivered insights, which have formed the basis of our communications strategy and creative ID18 consumer campaigns. 
 
All good campaigns need a theme and, for the 2018 TAB Inter Dominion, our campaign is titled Lap it Up!  I won’t go into any more detail, but from Wednesday you’ll see ID18 billboards up in prominent locations across Melbourne and surrounding areas – including on the major arterials such as the Westgate Freeway in South Melbourne.
 
We have actually created a multimedia communications approach, focusing on reaching identified audience segments in Victoria utilising a mix of Metro & Regional Free to Air & Pay TV, Press & Radio, Out of Home (Large Format Highway Billboards, Buses & Shopping Centres) and Digital channels.
 
We’ll have ID18 mobile billboards in and around Cranbourne and Ballarat, with both clubs hosting heat nights, and prominent advertising will be displayed at shopping centres around all three host clubs including Woodgrove, Stockland Wendouree, Cranbourne Park and Cranbourne Homemaker Centre.
 
We have the full back of five buses operating throughout Ballarat and Cranbourne, as well as 20 city-side bus portraits throughout Melbourne CBD through to the western suburbs.
 
We’ve developed a modern and colourful television commercial, which will be aired prominently on metro and regional free-to-air television and Sky Racing, as well as digitally via HRV’s social media channels. The ad will also play in the lead-up to all races on both Trackside Big Screens and Trots Vision at thetrots.com.au as well as embedded into YouTube Trueview.
 
Our advertising presence on radio will be stronger than ever before and we’ve pushed into non-racing markets via Melbourne’s most popular AM station 3AW and its sports affiliate station Macquarie Sports Radio, as well as SEN and throughout regional Victoria via our media partner Crocmedia. We’re also targeting the important FM listenership via airspace on Triple M and Nova100.
 
We’ll be unveiling our most extensive editorial and advertising push ever across our radio broadcast partner RSN, which will feature interviews on the breakfast show and Racing Pulse, as well as our regular weekly features such as Gait Speed and One Out, One Back.  You’ll also hear the ID18 message spruiked prior to every Victorian trots race broadcast on RSN.
 
Melbourne’s favourite daily paper the Herald Sun has committed to providing coverage leading up to the event this year in the sports pages, as well as the popular form guide the lift-outs we have booked in the weeks of the ID18 series.
 
The Age has also expressed interest in the event, while HRV and Tabcorp Park have aligned with the Moorabool News and Star Weekly to deliver the ID18 message into those important local, community markets through colourful and informative storytelling.
 
Currently the ID18 trophy is touring New Zealand to promote the event during NZ Cup Week, with a number of top-class Kiwi horses, trainers and drivers to target the series.
 
On the track our fourth and final rankings update will be unveiled on Wednesday November 21, where the top 36 pacers to contest the ID18 pacing series and the top 24 trotters to contest the ID18 trotting series will be revealed.
 
Importantly, it is fitting that the return of the pinnacle of Australasian harness racing to Victoria after a 10-year hiatus will have a national television audience with the Seven Network having signed on to provide a 1.5-hour live coverage of the Inter Dominion Pacing and Trotting finals across five capital cities Australia wide and right throughout regional Victoria.
 
We have also entered into an Event Partnership with EQUITANA Melbourne 2018, which is the largest equine showcase in the southern hemisphere, expected to attract 50,000 spectators at the Melbourne Showgrounds (November 15-18) making it the perfect lead-up event to ID18.
 
Finally, the launch first of our official ID18 events, the Welcome Cocktail Partyat the Woolstore & Co in North Melbourne is just over a fortnight away. Details on all the ID18 events can be found at ID18.com.au