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Your chance to flip the coin at this year’s Rugby World Cup

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Whilst I won’t pretend to be a rugby fan (my dad’s always called it “Posh blokes chasing an egg” and in part I’m inclined to agree), I do understand the value of the sport as an advertising commodity, so it’s always nice to see a brand doing something a little more inventive with a sponsorship deal. Heineken has done just that, by using its status as sponsor to give rugby fans an experience they won’t forget at this year’s 2015 Rugby World Cup; the eighth rendition of the increasingly popular tournament. Dublin-based international creative agency Rothco has developed “It’s your call,” a global campaign which will give rugby fans the opportunity to actually take part in the start of every game in the tournament. Fans will be responsible for the fateful coin toss that determines which nation kicks off the game, with fans across the world given the chance to enter a competition to flip the coin at their country’s game. One very lucky fan will also win the chance to flip the coin at the Rugby World Cup final on October 31 (a Halloween final).

Heineken and Rothco will give fans an experience they won’t forget at this year’s 2015 Rugby World Cup

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The global campaign is the first to have been developed by a local market (in this case Ireland) for Heineken Global, and is testament to the relationship between Heineken Ireland, Heineken Global and Rothco. Rothco’s previous award winning work on Heineken Rugby and their true understanding of the sport and its fans led to the agency landing the brief. All Rugby nations will use and activate the global creative idea in their local markets over the coming months. Rothco CEO, Patrick Hickey said: “It was an incredible honour to be asked to partner our friends in Heineken in the production of the Rugby World Cup work and we are delighted with the outcome.”

The campaign kicked off in Ireland over the weekend during the Ireland vs. Scotland match, with the global TVC directed by Reynald Gresset of Partizan. In true Heineken style, a unique soundtrack covers the fast-paced adventure of the opportunistic lead who adventures through London at breakneck speed to deliver the official coin to the referee in time for the Rugby World Cup Final. But there’s no direct route of course. The coin bearer cheekily, yet charmingly wangles some priceless moments with rugby officials along the way, not to mention bumping into all-time Rugby legend, John Smit and former All Black’s player Jonah Lomu. To accompany the TVC, thousands of coins are being minted to give rugby fans in each participating country the chance of flipping the coin at their nation’s game. The competition will begin in Ireland and will be adapted in territories across the world.

Fans will be responsible for the fateful coin toss that determines which nation kicks off each game

It would appear Rothco are big on event advertising, as their first campaign for Heineken this year celebrated the Chinese New Year. We are currently in the Year of the Ram, which is fortuitous, because it just so happens that two bottles of Heineken places on a camera lens with the bottom corners shaded out kind of looks like a pair of rams horns. If it was the Year of the Rat the campaign might have taken a different direction. Their last campaign, meanwhile, also played on the brand’s affiliation to the world of Rugby, and featured rugby star Neil Back turning the tables on some internet trolls with a well-staged public prank. Both might not have been as ambitious as the World Cup work, but it shows that Rothco are willing to think outside the box, and in ad land, that’s always a desirable quality.

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Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK.

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