RWC Partner Emirates & Supplier Gilbert Link For ‘Bringing Rugby Home’ TVC

Rugby World Cup worldwide partner Emirates has launched a new TVC – ‘Bringing Rugby Home’ – to boost its tournament activation that sees the airline link up with the tournament’s official ball supplier Gilbert.

The spot sees the tournament’s official airline partner fly the most famous ball in rugby from New Zealand home to England.

The narrative personifies a Gilbert RWC ball: anthromorphising ‘Mr Gilbert’ into a VIP passenger as Emirates flies the tournament ball

Launched on 18 September, the spot features the campaign’s #BringingRugbyHome hashtag and encourages viewers to discover more about the campaign, the competition and the company at www.emirates.com/BringingRugbyHome

The ad is receiving digital support across the airline’s own social channels – including Facebook and Twitter.

Watch as Emirates brings rugby’s most famous ball to the @rugbyworldcup https://t.co/vN8YUCYekH #BringingRugbyHome

— Emirates Airline (@emirates) September 18, 2015

The #BringingRugbyHome hashtag also fronts the airline’s onsite at-stadium tournament activity that spans fan experiences that are shared and amplified socially across both brand and supporter channels – including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

We took @Buryrufc to Wembley and they gave us a message to share onwards. #BringingRugbyHome #RWC2015 #NZLvARG pic.twitter.com/nf2XOmxHNg

— Vikiy Myers (@littlemiscowboy) September 20, 2015

and Vine.

I love this so much @emirates #BringingRugbyHome pic.twitter.com/ZMigCY715c

— Jonny (@Jonny_Clark97) September 20, 2015

The Emirates’ #BringingRugbyHome Photo Challenge encourages fans to snap a picture showing support for their team at the RWC (and tagging it with @Emirates and #BringingRugbyHome on Instagram and Twitter or via a Facebook app) in return for being in with a chance to win a trip to Dubai (see http://iconosquare.com/contests/bringingrugbyhome?).

Comment

This new Emirates spin on who the true star of the tournament is, follows its previous ‘Find The Flag’ activation strand: a selfie-led competition for young rugby fans to act as flagbearers leading the teams out onto the pitch (see case study)

Emirates is known as a mega event sponsor, but also as a brand that seems reluctant to fully activate its rights right across the marketing landscape.

Perhaps these three Rugby World Cup activations – Flag Bearer, and the #BringingRugbyHome ad campaign and on-site experiences – are a sign things are changing?

Links

Emirates Bringing Rugby Home Website:

www.emirates.com/BringingRugbyHome

Emirates YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/EMIRATES

Emirates Twitter:

https://twitter.com/emirates

@emirates

Emirates Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Emirates

Emirates Instagram:

https://instagram.com/emirates