As title sponsors of the Irish rugby team since 2016 we had created a strong activation platform in ‘Team Of Us’ and we had the data to prove that the sponsorship drove brand relevance, affinity and most importantly brand consideration. Through #TeamOfUs we have an ambition to ‘create the most interconnected team and fan base on the planet’.
However, Covid had paused match activity and with that our sponsorship awareness had fallen back. The Rugby World Cup was the perfect time to drive sponsorship awareness at a unique cultural moment, but it also offered an answer to a pressing business need – shoring up our reputation as Ireland’s best network.
Reliable network connection is the No 1 driver of consideration in the category and a heritage strength for Vodafone. However, competitors were all actively trying to gain ground in this area. We recognised the potential of using rugby (a sport for which reliability on one another is critical) as a vehicle to talk about network reliability and the possibilities that 5G brings.
Our campaign took two approaches: Firstly we wanted to use Andy Farrell’s focus on family and the importance of being able to rely on those around you by showing his journey in rugby from a young boy to the modern day. Secondly we wanted to show the power of the Vodafone Network by enhancing both fan experience and team performance via emerging 5G technology. An ambition that would move #TeamOfUs from a ‘sponsorship’ to true partnership.
