Stamping Ground partnered with the Moonee Valley Racing Club for the fourth consecutive year for the 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Carnival and associated events, including Grand Final Eve at The Valley. The brief was to build broad awareness, generate conversation and drive attendance for one of the most significant editions of the carnival in recent history, the final Cox Plate to be held at Moonee Valley before the venue’s major redevelopment.
Stamping Ground developed and executed a publicity strategy designed to broaden the event’s appeal and maximise relevance across multiple audiences.
At the centre of the campaign was a carefully considered ambassador program, built around high-profile AFL talent and personalities with strong public recognition and crossover appeal. This included securing Jack Gunston and partner Dani Shreeve, Jordan De Goey and partner Aisha Jade McKinnon, Miss Universe Australia Lexie Brant and partner Sam Clohesy, as well as Matt Rowell, Jack Sinclair, Chad Warner and Jai Newcombe across campaign activity and associated event moments.
We led talent outreach, negotiated talent involvement and deliverables, and developed media angles that generated broad and comprehensive coverage. Our work spanned proactive media pitching across television, print, online and radio, coordination of interviews and media opportunities, race day media management, imagery distribution, influencer engagement and support for key lead-in events including the Spring Carnival Launch, Racing and Fashion Luncheon and the Chairman’s Gala Dinner.
The strategy focused on creating a best-of-the-best feel around the carnival, aligning premium sporting and lifestyle talent with the prestige of the Cox Plate, while also tapping into nostalgia and the significance of the final event at the venue. A standout example was securing a major Herald Sun weekend feature on Daryl Braithwaite and his long association with Moonee Valley, helping deepen the emotional resonance of the campaign.
Across the campaign, Stamping Ground delivered a broad and highly visible mainstream media presence for MVRC.
Coverage included front page placement in the Herald Sun, major TV news exposure across 7News, 9News and 10 News, radio coverage on key drive programs, print and online features, and entertainment and sport media engagement tied to the event’s ambassadors and cultural relevance. Lexie Brant’s appearance secured Saturday Herald Sun front page coverage on race day, while Jordan de Goey and Jack Gunston were leveraged across a strong mix of pre-event and race-day broadcast and print opportunities.
We also supported publicity for the wider carnival ecosystem, including Grand Final Eve at The Valley, the Racing and Fashion Luncheon and the Chairman’s Gala Dinner, ensuring the campaign built momentum across multiple touchpoints rather than relying on race day alone. This created sustained visibility in the lead-up and helped position the carnival as a premium entertainment and cultural event, not just a race meeting.
The campaign successfully elevated the 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Carnival as a landmark edition of the event, blending sport, entertainment, fashion and nostalgia to create broad mainstream appeal. By securing premium ambassador talent, generating major media moments and driving strong coverage across news, sport and lifestyle outlets, Stamping Ground helped ensure the final Cox Plate at Moonee Valley received the attention and profile it deserved.
This campaign demonstrated Stamping Ground’s strength in building cultural relevance around major live events, connecting brands and audiences through talent, storytelling and earned media impact.
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