Inflatable AFL Games for Brand Activation at the Essendon Football Club Event

Background

Mars United Commerce is a premier agency focused on high-impact brand experiences and strategic marketing campaigns. For a recent collaboration with Ring, the agency sought to leverage Ring’s sponsorship of the Essendon Football Club. The project required a centrepiece for a brand activation located at the sports stadium, where fan engagement is paramount. The marketing team identified a need for an interactive element that would draw crowds while maintaining a direct visual link to the product.

The primary objective was to create inflatable AFL games for brand activation that would allow participants to test their AFL skills. Event Organisers envisioned a passing game in which fans threw Australian Rules footballs through a target to win prizes, including Ring Doorbell merchandise. This required a structure that was both a functional game and a highly accurate brand representation. The project moved from initial sketches and renderings provided by the client into a formal partnership with the Giant Inflatable Design Team to ensure technical viability and premium aesthetics.

Design and Fabrication

The Giant Inflatable Design Team applied technical expertise to translate a small electronic device into a large-scale, functional sports game. To achieve the required realism, the fabrication team utilised a dual-layer construction method. This involved a durable PVC internal bladder to hold air pressure, covered by an outer skin of high-quality Oxford cloth. The use of Oxford cloth was critical as it facilitated high-definition digital printing. This enabled the precise production of Ring doorbell’s metallic gradients, textures, and specific brand colours, ensuring the finished product matched the retail unit exactly.

Engineering a stable structure for outdoor use at a windy stadium presented a significant technical challenge. Traditionally, large inflatables require visible ropes and weights that can clutter the activation space. To maintain a premium look, the design team engineered an internal ballast system within the base of the doorbell unit. Furthermore, two custom-branded blue podiums were designed to sit beside the unit. These podiums served a dual purpose: they provided additional ballast to secure the inflatable AFL games and served as distribution points for prizes. This consultative design approach eliminated the need for external tethering, resulting in a clean and professional presentation.

Result

The deployment of the inflatable AFL games for brand activation at the MCG was a significant success. The realistic appearance of the giant Ring doorbell served as a powerful visual anchor, successfully attracting large crowds of fans throughout the match day. By integrating the product shape directly into the game mechanics, the activation reinforced brand recall while providing a positive, interactive experience for the target audience.

The technical requirements for logistics were fully met, as the entire unit packs down into a compact duffel bag. It operates using a single small blower, making it easy for the installation team to transport and set up in various locations. The marketing team at Mars United expressed high satisfaction with the final product, noting that the physical unit perfectly matched the original design renderings. This project stands as a benchmark for how inflatable AFL games can combine sophisticated engineering with high-fidelity branding to achieve measurable marketing goals.