O2 sought to address rugby’s gender gap by leveraging its longstanding partnership with the RFU, making a historic commitment to equally fund the England men’s and women’s teams. To stand out in a highly regulated telco market and meet the expectations of socially conscious Millennials and Gen Z, O2 launched a four-year strategy to close rugby’s gender awareness gap, with the Red Roses at its core. In 2022, O2 partnered with the Women’s Sport Trust to measure progress and introduced a wearable report collection in collaboration with Red Roses player Ellie Kildunne’s brand 5022, targeting Gen Z’s passion for fashion.
The results were significant, driving a decline in the gender awareness gap to 7% at campaign peak, recruiting new fans, and increasing brand attractiveness. With over 177 pieces of coverage and the highest ever response to a women’s rugby initiative, polling showed 76% of participants felt O2 had a positive impact on women’s rugby, and 19% expressed increased interest in attending a match. This creative activation helped O2 advance gender parity in rugby and increased engagement with key audiences.
