Ahead of both the dual clash against Australia (in Sydney and Auckalnd) and marking the month countdown to the World Cup sevens kick-off, New Zealand Rugby Union’s primary partner AIG launched a global campaign starring both the All Blacks and the Black Ferns called ‘Effort Is Effort’ championing commitment, teamwork, diversity and equality.
The umbrella concept behind the multi-platform initiative is a campaign manifesto:
Effort
It makes history.
And no apologies.
It overcomes.
It runs when others rest.
It does not know when to quit.
It can be found everywhere.
And in everyone.
If it is in you – that is what counts.
Effort Is Effort
This manifesto is played out across multiple channels and platforms with creative by the official insurance partner of New Zealand Rugby (and the major global sponsor of both the men’s and women’s sides playing in the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 – which starts in San Francisco on 20 July).
The campaign, created in harness with lead agency Octagon, plus Milkmoney and Augusto (with input from New Zealand Rugby) was spearheaded by the first in a new series of short-form videos starring NZR players from.
The spot’s simple, stylish and fast-paced narrative tells a story of teamwork, preparation, confidence, dedication, and effort by showing the monumental effort put in by players from both teams – a mixture of races, ages and genders – as they prepare for the games training alongside one another.
The campaign was initially teased socially on 22 and 23 June,
Watch this space, new AIG release coming soon.. pic.twitter.com/7lnuE554fm
— AIG Rugby (@AIGRugby) June 22, 2018
Effort makes history.
The wait is almost over. T-Minus 24 Hours pic.twitter.com/QKX2hzqw6N— AIG Rugby (@AIGRugby) June 23, 2018
before the full film launched on 24 June across the usual AIG and NZR digital and social channels including YouTube,
Instagram,
Facebook,
and Twitter.
We’re proud to launch Effort Is Effort, celebrating the power of differences. It does not matter who you are, it matters what you bring. You get out what you put in. #EffortIsEffort pic.twitter.com/CNQNmxo7oL
— AIG Rugby (@AIGRugby) June 24, 2018
The content pieces are all linked through the campaign title hashtag #EffortIsEffort.
A further strand of ther social media work aims to incentivise fans to celebrate the individual efforts that together create a winning team by inviting them to share their own story of preparation, dedication and effort across their personal networks using #EffortIsEffort Instagram and Twitter
The campaign’s launch phase is supported by a set of artwork: visual assets that help tell the ‘Effort Is Effort’ story and offer greater understanding and additional context.
The message behind this work is that both the NRU and the company both value diverse skills sets, experiences and perspectives – all of which are vital to sporting and business success.
AIG’s ‘Effort Is Effort’ objective is to demonstrate the company’s commitment to “ensuring teams work together as one to achieve a common goal, and in doing so, celebrate our unique contributions”.
Indeed, AIG’s supporting campaign PR work states that the company is “committed to providing a workplace for employees that is built on the principles of fairness and equality, without regard to race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation” and that the campaign “further underpins AIG’s continued commitment to fostering a workplace where all of our employees and the diverse communities in which we serve feel their efforts are valued and respected”.
“Through Effort Is Effort and AIG’s commitment to the men’s and women’s rugby game, AIG communicates the importance of forward-looking teams,” explained AIG Global Head of Sponsorship Daniel Glantz.
“The campaign leverages the power of AIG’s partnerships to tell our stories of teamwork, leadership, and the importance of preparation and confidence in establishing AIG as a valued partner for individuals and companies around the world.”
While NZR Chief Operating Officer Nicki Nicol added that AIG’s campaign represents the shared values of the two organisations and that “NZR aspires to be a diverse and inclusive organisation that places great value on fostering an environment, where everyone feels their efforts are valued and respected, regardless of their background.”
Josh Green, Creative Director, Octagon, also commented: “Effort Is Effort was born from AIG’s honest belief that the power of differences is what creates a winning team. AIG’s been a sponsor of New Zealand Rugby and Black Ferns since 2012. But they’ve never really been a sponsor. They’ve always been a true supporter. That’s why the goal of Effort is Effort isn’t just to inspire conversation, but to inspire real change.”
Comment:
AIG has been a New Zealand Rugby partner (of the All Blacks, the Maori All Blacks, the All Blacks Sevens, the Black Ferns, the Black Ferns Sevens and the New Zealand Under 20) since back in 2012.
This stylish and powerful campaign continues an activation approach also evident in its April ‘Diversity Is Strength’ initiative with NZRU: a rainbow jersey campaign which also featured both the All Blacks and the Black Fearns in unison (see case study).
Links:
AIG
https://www.youtube.com/user/AIG
https://twitter.com/AIGinsurance
https://www.instagram.com/aigrugby/
https://www.facebook.com/AIGInsurance/
Octagon
All Blacks / NZRU
https://www.youtube.com/user/nzrugby/
http://www.facebook.com/allblacks
