NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) used Campaignware to run Macca's Moment of the Match, a McDonald's-branded fan vote across all six 2024 State of Origin matches. This one sponsorship activation delivered around 15% of McDonald's total digital campaign impressions in the Origin period, plus about 1,000 new first-party email addresses.
The challenge
Sponsorships account for approximately 30% of NSWRL's total revenue, so every sponsorship has to keep delivering value, especially for flagship sponsors like McDonald's.
In 2024, NSWRL wanted to add more value for McDonald's during State of Origin, the three-match rugby league series watched by millions across Australia. It needed something that could be delivered quickly, fit the McDonald's brand and resonate with fans. NSWRL had already used Campaignware for other campaigns, so it chose the platform to build a co-branded campaign with measurable returns for the sponsor and for fans.
What they did
NSWRL used one of Campaignware's ready-made templates to create Macca's Moment of the Match, a fan vote run across all six State of Origin matches in 2024 (three men's, three women's). Each week, fans voted for their favourite moment from a shortlist of in-game highlights. Every moment was branded as a Macca's Moment, giving McDonald's clear, repeatable exposure throughout the series.
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The campaign was promoted through:
- Instagram Stories, with swipe-up links to the vote
- Co-branded graphics, shared before and after each match
- Short video clips and GIFs of the winning moment alongside McDonald's branding
The platform made it simple to duplicate and tailor the vote each week, which kept the workload low for internal teams while maintaining a high standard of delivery.
The results
Across the six matches, Macca's Moment of the Match delivered:
- Around 15% of McDonald's total digital campaign impressions during the Origin period, all from this one sponsorship activation
- About 1,000 new first-party email addresses
- Thousands of votes from fans
That reach came from the voting and from the co-branded content around it, including match-day visuals, shareable video clips and branded winner announcements. McDonald's got a piece of content it could own, far more engaging than a standard logo placement.
In their words
“When a partner wants to do more, we move fast. Campaignware made it easy to build something engaging and sponsor-branded in minutes.”
Nathan Farrugia, Digital Manager, NSW Rugby League
“It’s not just about promising eyeballs anymore. We’re offering sponsors a living, breathing piece of content they can be part of.”
Nathan Farrugia, Digital Manager, NSW Rugby League
“Campaignware has helped us create digital products, not just posts. We can now go to sponsors with a fully formed activation, ready to go.”
Nathan Farrugia, Digital Manager, NSW Rugby League
Key takeaways
- A fan vote can be a sponsor asset: one campaign delivered around 15% of McDonald’s total digital campaign impressions in the Origin period.
- Duplicating the same template each week kept the workload low across a six-match series.
- Sponsor branding on every moment gave repeatable exposure, and the vote added about 1,000 first-party email addresses.
What's next
After the 2024 series, NSWRL planned to package and resell the Macca's Moment format in 2025. It now has a repeatable sponsor asset it can pitch, sell and deliver with confidence, alongside other formats such as team selectors, player votes and match moments that support wider commercial conversations.
Try it for your club or league
Give a sponsor a moment they can own every round with the polling and voting template, then duplicate it each week. See how clubs and leagues turn fan engagement campaigns into sponsor assets.