The objective of the campaign was three-fold:
Our aim was to do something different, something that you don’t usually see from a sports team let alone a rugby social media account. This was our first campaign for Premiership Rugby, who hired us for our understanding of how to entertain consumers on social. We brought across our entertainment mindset to produce a campaign that was appealing to a wide audience, highlighting the action, the big hits, the tries, and the experience you have when you go to watch a Premiership Rugby match.
STRATEGY
We started by refining the three different approaches into one defined campaign approach. Our idea was this: everyone at a rugby match is having a unique & unforgettable joint experience. It’s a game of collective emotions. Joy in a win. Shock in a result. The rush of energy. There is an essence to the game that every rugby fan knows and has been keeping a secret. The fact that there’s nothing else like it. It’s difficult to describe but one thing’s for certain - it’s HARD TO BEAT.
Approach:
● Powerful imagery that shows there’s nothing like it. Allow the sport to be front and centre and highlight its intensity and physicality.
● Intense close ups of the experience on and off the pitch. Crowd shots must feel animated.
● Use a minimalist but bold design.
Avoids:
● An exclusive IYKYK feeling.
● Arrogance or elitism - this not about other sports as ‘less than’.
● Coming across as one-note/bland.
Embraces:
● Community vibe.
● Physicality and intensity.
● Emotion and personality.
Teams:
Opportunities to embrace the boldness of the message and make it
their own: The team are HARD TO BEAT; This player is HARD TO BEAT; This track
record is HARD TO BEAT; The feeling in the stands is HARD TO BEAT.
Brand:
Chances to sell the experience as a whole and push FOMO: The action on the pitch is HARD TO BEAT; The community feeling is HARD TO BEAT; The intensity and volume of action is HARD TO BEAT; A particular offer is HARD TO BEAT.
EXECUTION
To begin with, we developed a logo/lock-up and look & feel that united the main campaign tenets. For this, our idea was to craft something robust, dense and compact, almost like a line of rugby players. The logo used in the static posts reflects this and gives a powerful and memorable look whilst avoiding complexity in design and colour.
We then used this to create a template that could be adapted for different players and teams, which was an essential requirement from the client i.e. All ten Premiership clubs would take our creative and adapt it for their own social channels and promotions. This was something the client had struggled with in the past, so this was an important consideration when it came to design and application.
For the videos, our main aim was to create the energy and ferocity that was outlined in the campaign strategy. The focus is on the action, the emotion on and off the pitch and the fans in the stadium. It really leans into the physicality and intensity of the sport with quick cuts and explosive sound effects throughout. This highlights the uniqueness of rugby and the themes that set it apart from other team sports.
We’ve seen a rise in almost one million new fans between the ages of 18 and 34, representing an increase of 13% since 2023. This growth is parallel to faster-than-ever ticket sales for the Premiership Rugby Final, with only 16,000 tickets unsold in January for an event taking place in June representing twice as many tickets sold compared to the same time last season.
Occupancy at Premiership Rugby grounds is also at 81% this season compared to 76% last season whilst the cumulative audience on official broadcast partner, TNT Sports, has increased by 44%
Organic social media engagements are tracking at 122% above the 23/24 season, (16.5m vs. 7.4m) whilst impressions are tracking at 48.5% above last season.
