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Irish rugby fans epically pranked by Heineken

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Rothco makes rugby fans face one of their worst nightmares in an epic stitch-up for Heineken, sponsors of the European Rugby Champions Cup. The film, which leads an in-depth online campaign for the brand, was directed by Finn Keenan of Motherland, and sets the scene like a heist film, complete with jazzy soundtrack and snappy jump cuts. The 3 minute story begins with the 'accidental' leak of Neil Back's phone number. For those unfamiliar with the game, Neil Back is a notorious Irish rugby player who illegally used his hand in the dying moments of the 2002 Heineken Cup final, denying Munster fans their first tournament victory in the process. This 'leak' is picked up on Twitter and circulated to the public, and soon enough calls and texts from Irish fans reminding Neil of his epic blunder come flooding in.

Rothco makes rugby fans face one of their worst nightmare in an epic stitch-up for Heineken, sponsors of the European Rugby Champions Cup

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This was just the first step of the carefully planned #RunWithIt campaign. Rothco then selected the messages and voicemails from some of the wittier participants (the ones that didn't resort to cheap shots and profanity presumably) and called them back, pretending to be Neil’s personal assistant. They were given the impression that in the confusion of the leak, Back’s PA had mixed their number up with that of a sports journalist and offered them the chance to collect complimentary tickets for the Leinster’s semi-final clash with Bath in the Champion’s Cup. All they had to do was turn up at a local hotel and give their name. Phase three of the campaign is what really tests the fan’s nerve though, as after unsuspectingly interrogating their credentials, the witty chancers are thrown headfirst into an unannounced press conference.

Heineken Presents: #RunWithIt with Neil Back

The results are documented in the film, which was released online by Heineken last week. They are genuinely cringe-worthy (as you would expect), but undeniably funny, and it reveals the typical Irish rugby fan as a surprisingly resourceful and witty beast. Copywriter Connor O’Hare, explained that they were looking for “Resourceful young men that would chance their arm if they found themselves thrown in to an unpredictable situation.” They strived to make the stitch-up feel as real as possible, so used “Hidden cameras and long lenses to create a documentary style.” It all comes together in a nifty little film that will feel familiar to anyone who ever watched BBC Three's “Real Hustle” series.

The results of the con are documented in a 3 minute film, which was released online by Heineken last week

Rothco art director, Paddy Thunder said “We thought this approach would set up the story and the challenge for the guys in a unique way and make the content feel like a different kind of hidden camera piece. The amount of planning involved in this project surprised all of us. While the idea seemed relatively simple on paper initially, the amount of scenarios that we ended up having to plan for blew us away. For the initial phase alone, over twenty possible scenarios were written up and planned for. What if two of the people we called back knew each other and tweeted that something fishy was going on? What if the level of abuse for Neil crossed the line? The list was endless, and that was before we even got to the hotel. Like with any idea though, entering the unknown is just a sign that you’re doing something new, which is what made the project so exciting to work on."

 

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