With the Rugby World Cup in full swing, Bank of Ireland has officially launched a new brand campaign that showcases all the elements that make up the success of rugby in Ireland, from grassroots to green jerseys and how the bank is a proud supporter of the game at all levels.
Created by Ringers, the campaign includes outdoor and social films with a TV ad at its heart.
Called “Domino”, the campaign features Irish stars James Ryan, Finlay Bealham and the future stars of Irish rugby from Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster Rugby.
The ad begins with a familiar scene to most parents and kids, a dad is trying to convince his unimpressed daughter that it’s important to keep showing up to training – “keep showing up, you won’t regret it,” he says quietly.
As she rolls her eyes, he gets a phone-call, and the domino story begins – an injury in Irish camp which impacts the provinces and the clubs, really bringing to life the concept of grassroots to green jerseys which is at the heart of Irish rugby up and down the country.
In the end, dad has to come out of retirement, put back on his boots and prepare to train the fourth team at the local rugby club, much to the delight of his daughter!
“With this sponsorship platform we always go looking for the “Never Stop Competing story” and within Irish rugby there are plenty. This time we needed a story that involved the Irish Rugby team, the provinces and grassroots, because that is the breadth of Bank of Ireland’s sponsorship of Irish Rugby” says Steven Mangan from Ringers.
Mangan adds that the Domino story is based on a true one which came from a Bank of Ireland team member during a collaborative creative session with Ringers.
“Once we heard that story, we knew it was a winner,” says Bobby Byrne, Ringers.
“In the real story the guy received the call to play in a pub on Friday night. But we wondered what would happen if the call happened as he was trying to motivate his daughter to go training and subsequently has to take his own advice. Rugby ads can be a little too serious at times and carry overly worthy messages. So, it was great to be able to tell a story that rings true, carries our message, but brings its own sense of fun and energy”
Agency: Ringers
Production Company: Butter Films
Director: Hadi
Photographer: Kevin Griffin
Media Agency: OMD
Client: Bank of Ireland
Client team: Naomi Keating, Laura Byrne, David Moore
Director of Brand & Sponsorship: Paula Murphy
