With the Rugby World Cup in Japan now underway, Heineken, one of World Rugby’s major worldwide partners, has launched the latest iteration of its Irish campaign and plans for a range of activations for the remainder of the tournament.
The campaign, which kicked off in August and will conclude once the tournament ends, features a new TV commercial featuring a number of international rugby legends including former Irish captain Keith Wood and aims to celebrate the broad appeal of Rugby World Cup.
The comprehensive campaign, which includes TV, OOH, digital, social, on and off-trade activity, PR and advocacy marketing also includes a cross platform media partnership with RTE utilizing AV, TV, digital, mobile, radio and print as well as a competition to win a trip to the final.
The campaign was developed by a number of different agencies including Publicis Italy, which created the global TV ad and Publicis Dublin which developed the Irish OOH and digital creative assets. Thinkhouse has worked on the PR, social and events end of the campaign while Starcom is responsible for media buying and partnerships. Guns or Knives, meanwhile, is managing all the trade marketing and activations.
As part of the campaign, Heineken will once again be partnering with Off The Ball for three live roadshows. The events will take place in University Hall Limerick, Dublin’s Bord Gais Energy Theatre and Crane Lane in Cork. Guests Brian O’Driscoll, Keith Wood, Gavin Hastings, Sir Clive Woodward and Michael Lynagh.
The campaign will also see comprehensive trade support in both the on and off trade with promotions, competitions and a number of pubs around the country will be transformed into official Rugby World Cup™ 2019 venues for fans. Consumers will also get the chance to win exclusive Rugby World Cup2019, Japan merchandise and official jerseys in over 800 pubs around the country.
According to Ronan McCormack, Senior Sponsorship Brand Manager, Heineken Ireland, “Heineken has a proud and rich history and heritage with rugby around the globe, and especially here in Ireland. As well as being title sponsors of Europe’s leading club rugby competition, we are also delighted to be the official Worldwide Partner of the most prestigious and important rugby tournament in the world, Rugby World Cup™ 2019, Japan. We believe that this campaign will inspire and excite all of those who love rugby, and those who are new fans of the game, to enjoy one of the world’s top sporting events. We eagerly await the start of what promises to be a hugely exciting 6 weeks of rugby!”
Heineken is one of six worldwide partners for this year’s Rugby World Cup. The other partners include Emirates, Land Rover, Mastercard, Société Générale and DHL.
Meanwhile, Canon, TOTO Ltd, SECOM, Taisho Pharmaceutical, Mitsubishi Estate, NEC, HITO Communications and Taisei are Official Sponsors while Gilbert, TUDOR, Toppan Printing, Canterbury, NTT DOCOMO, EY, Suntory Holdings and Aggreko are Tournament Suppliers.
