#RWC2015 | How Brands Are Trying To Take Advantage Of The Rugby World Cup

The Rugby World Cup has kicked off with a bang, as residents of the Welsh capital woke to discover a giant rugby ball embedded into the wall of Cardiff Castle! But that’s not the only PR stunt that’s got rugby and marketing fans talking.

We've scoured Twitter (#RWC2015) to source the best campaigns of the competition, thus far...

Team England

Where else to start but with the England team itself!

Team England called upon social media to unveil the official Rugby World Cup kit. During an event at Twickenham back in July, the team simultaneously published the first stills of the strip on their Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr feeds. This is a prime example of leveraging brand advocates (in this case, the teammates) and knowing where your audience are - social media.

Land Rover

An official sponsor of the Rugby World Cup, Land Rover launched #WeDealInReal, a social campaign which reached out to grassroots clubs from around the world, asking them to share their stories with an international audience.

With this, Land Rover is putting the clubs and people at the heart of the game on the global stage for this year’s tournament. And to celebrate, the 4x4 manufacturer has released a 60-second video that delves into the values that set rugby apart, celebrating the grassroots level of the game. 

Guinness

Guinness has long been a partner and advocate of rugby, with deep-rooted ties with the national team, and they have taken this opportunity to leverage their relationship and explore the deeper roots of the game: character and integrity.

In the below television ad, Gareth Thomas discusses his struggle in hiding his sexuality while captaining Wales and how he was able to eventually open up about it thanks to the help of his teammates. In the ad, titled “Never Alone” Gareth says: “I went into battle on the pitch every week, but the battle I was going through personally was ten times worse because I was keeping a secret from the team. The support that my teammates showed when I came out was truly remarkable – my sexuality didn’t matter to them at all".

This is a particularly poignant approach from the drinks label. Nick Britton, marketing manager for Guinness, said the films “perfectly demonstrate the values of integrity and character that are both core to the sport of rugby” adding that the empathy and support they received from their team are “remarkable stories that we are proud to celebrate.”

So the campaigns are in place, the pitches are ready and the teams are lining-up for what is set to be an enthralling Rugby World Cup.

COME ON ENGLAND!!!!*

*other teams are competing