Mid September saw the launch of the latest wave of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)’s ongoing ‘Ready For The World’ bid campaign to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup led by a Part II film featuring
The Live Aid organiser and Boomtown Rats frontman stars in a poignant video, shot in black and white, that uses the words of Yeats to illustrate how Ireland will capitalise on its 70 million-strong diaspora to create a “global stadium” for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The spot aired on 25 September to coincide with the Irish bid team’s final presentation to tournament rights-holder World Rugby in London.
The ‘I Will Arise Now And Go’ Geldof film closed the team’s presentation.
Late November saw a further wave of the campaign roll out led by a the IEFU bid team’s campaign launch film which took the form of a brief history of the island nation and its people – celebrating Irish achievements and positioning it as ‘now ready for the world’.
This initial ‘Ready For the World’ video showcased Ireland as the perfect host venue and featured familiar Irish faces such as U2’s Bono, John F Kennedy, Barack Obama and Geldof.
This first video was initially launched at the high-profile bid unveiling at Aviva Stadium in Dublin back on 15 November.
It was amplified across the rights-holders digital and social sites including Twitter,
Ready For The World. Liam Neeson narrates Ireland's bid to host Rugby World Cup 2023 #Ireland2023 pic.twitter.com/zcZGBqsnO0
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 15, 2016
and YouTube.
The spot was narrated by Irish actor and Hollywood star Liam Neeson – who gave his time to the project for free – and includes the lines: “Imagine a tournament the envy of the world. A festival of rugby. More than participation. Celebration. A world of memories for the world to share. We’re ready to create something unforgettable. Ireland: Ready For The World”.
The campaign is being developed in harness with creative agency Irish International – which also created the Ireland 2023 brand identity.
It was created for the IRFU’s Kevin Potts and bid team, by an agency team led by Gary Daly and Ciara McGee, with creatives Mark Nutley, Patrick Hamill and Fionan Healy, plus agency producers Noel Byrne, Eoghan Reidy and Grainne O”Driscoll.
The sound was handled by Pinewood/Avondale studio and the music was by Egoboo.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Sports Minister Shane Ross, bid chairman Dick Spring, IRFU CEO Philip Browne, rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll and Ireland’s women’s captain Niamh Briggs were all among the delegation delivering the Irish presentation to World Rugby.
Former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll, another high profile campaign ambassador, also featured in one of the other key pieces of campaign content – the bid’s ‘Stadium Showcase’ spot.
“We are ready to bring the world to us, to share in our heritage and create a tournament in 2023 that would be both unique and legendary, a Rugby World Cup full of timeless memories for all,” commented O’Driscoll on the bid.
Comment:
Two very different, but equally epic promotional films bookend the IRFU’s Rugby World Cup 2023 £100m bid campaign.
But we can’t help but wonder why such different styles were employed in an era of campaign consistency.
The other two nations shortlisted by World Rugby as possible hosts for the 2023 tournament are South Africa (see Facebook graphic) and France (who’s own final presentation ‘Ze French Touch’ film took an altogether different, more comic approach than the Irish.
The final decision will be made in November.
Links:
IRFU
https://www.facebook.com/irishrugby/
https://www.youtube.com/user/IrishRugbyTVOfficial
https://twitter.com/IrishRugby
Irish International
https://www.irishinternational.com/
