Celebrating Multicultural Success in Sydney and Melbourne
CulturalPulse has made history, taking home three prestigious awards for its innovative Multicultural Fan Engagement Program at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. This achievement underscores the agency’s dedication to multicultural engagement, data-driven strategies, and excellence in sports marketing.
The recognition came from two esteemed platforms: the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards (PMCAs) 2024 and the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) Awards 2024, where CulturalPulse clinched the following honors:
- Agency Campaign of the Year at the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards (PMCAs)
- Agency Campaign of the Year Under $1M at the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) Awards
- Best Data and Insights Driven Campaign at the AMI Awards
PMCA 2024 Win: Honoring Community Engagement
At the PMCAs, CulturalPulse Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Patrick Skene, accepted the Agency Campaign of the Year Award from Multicultural NSW CEO, Joseph La Posta. Patrick expressed heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to enhance the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 experience by bringing passion and inclusivity to life.
The engagement program drew strength from 192 Community Champions, representing diverse sectors across the 32 qualified countries, including Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Community, sports, business, and student leaders collaborated with Consulates and Embassies, making this initiative a vibrant celebration of cultures. CulturalPulse CEO Reg Raghavan dedicated the win to the program’s supporters, noting the “immense success” it brought to women’s football in Australia and New Zealand.
Double Win at AMI Awards: Data-Driven Excellence
CulturalPulse also won big at the AMI Awards, where they were honored in the Data Driven & Insights category and took home the Agency Campaign of the Year Under $1M Award. This recognition highlighted the agency’s strategic focus on data to foster effective multicultural engagement.
Nick Hatzoglou, Senior Manager of Sport & Community at CulturalPulse, shared his pride in receiving both awards, especially in a category with 17 finalists. The CulturalPulse team, led by Project Lead Jake Swarts, credited the FIFA organization for championing their vision and supporting the historic program. Swarts shared that working on this project was the highlight of his career, emphasizing the team’s dedication to going “above and beyond greatness.”
Key Achievements of the Multicultural Fan Engagement Program
CulturalPulse’s approach delivered substantial results, setting new standards for engaging diverse audiences in sports marketing. The program achieved the following milestones:
- 31 sellout matches across the tournament
- A record-breaking attendance of 1.97 million people, with 1.5 million (74%) attending away matches
- 18.2 million individuals reached and 21 million impressions recorded
- Production of 164 creative assets in 24 languages
- 43 live community events across Australia and New Zealand, drawing 411,000 attendees
- An 18% increase in women’s and girls’ participation in football, with over 25,000 new player registrations in Football NSW
CulturalPulse’s data-driven strategy helped transform the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 into the most-watched women’s sporting event in history. The program reached millions of fans, showcasing the agency’s role in leveraging cultural data for deeper audience connection.
A Legacy of Impact
Reflecting on CulturalPulse’s success, Reg Raghavan highlighted the lasting impact of this initiative. “The Australian Marketing Institute’s recognition solidifies CulturalPulse’s role in making the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 a huge success. The legacy of this event will continue to inspire and activate the next generation in Australia.”
CulturalPulse’s achievements mark a pivotal moment for multicultural communications in the sports industry. As they continue their work, the agency aims to build on the legacy of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and champion multicultural engagement in Australia and beyond.
