FFA CMO joins new agency focused on customers, data and commercialisation

Football Federation Australia (FFA) marketing chief, Luke Bould, is hoping to help more brands build their data and experience strategies after joining strategic management agency, alacria.

Bould, who was listed in the CMO50 in 2019 for his marketing efforts with FFA, said he was looking forward to being part of an agency that has identified a clear need in the market. He’s joined at alacria by Chris Nunn, who was most recently managing director APAC for Future Sport and Entertainment; and Dino DiPierdomenico, founding director of sports participation company, DMC Sports.

Alacria has developed what it’s calling a three-pronged approach focused on customers, data and commercialisation, all aimed at helping organisations capitalise on the experience economy. The agency is operating in Melbourne and Sydney, and says it’s working with businesses locally as well as anticipating work from clients in the US, UK and Asia.

“We are all experiencing the changes that businesses like Amazon, Uber and Airbnb are making to the way we shop, commute and travel,” Bould commented. “These changes are only accelerating across other industries. Alacria’s focus is to work with our clients to help them plan for these changes and use improved and personalised customer experiences to be ahead of this revolution and maximise long-term customer value.”

Bould spent nearly six years with FFA, overseeing marketing and commercial operations. He was previously the head of commercial marketing at Cricket Australia, and also oversaw commercial operations at Athletics Australia.

Related: Telling a story helps Football Federation Australia build brand awareness

And Build witnessed firsthand the acute challenge of customer engagement in Australian sport. According to alacria, 75 per cent of major Australian sports’ direct revenue comes from the 6 per cent of fans who have played the sport at some point in their lives. As a result, the agency is putting an emphasis on working with sports clients to develop strategies that grow participation, convert participants into fans and curate fandom into commercial value.

So far, the company said it’s delivered a strategy for a major sports league to help make more evidence-based decisions; built a brand and commercial strategy for an Australian cricketer; and developed a data commercialisation strategy for a global media company.

Nunn said that as communities become less healthy and less connected, alacria saw the need and opportunity to help brands re-engage them. He said early responses from the market were positive.

“Alacria means to be active, lively, eager, excited, happy and that’s what we aim to be,” he said. “We want our clients to thrive by helping them grow stronger, be more connected and enjoy what they do.”

The company said it hopes to make several announcements in coming months on the new projects in its pipeline.

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