Whichever term you use – Oceania, Australasia or Antipodean – one thing that’s certain about this year’s Rugby World Cup Final between Australia and New Zealand is that most of the supporters are going to have to get up extremely early to watch the big game.
So sponsors of the two southern hemisphere rugby union titans are offering fans a helping hand in rising early for the big match.
All Blacks global partner Steinlager has swapped evening beer for morning java with a 20,000 nationwide New Zealand fan giveaway of its ‘Steinlatte’ coffee cups to help fans stay awake.
Meanwhile Wallabies sponsors Qantas has produced a set of ‘Late Night Guides’ filled with handy stay awake tips (see case study), while Australian Rugby partner Samsung’s tournament campaign revolves around a bespoke World Cup wake-up alarm app (see case study) and RWC partner Land Rover’s Australian arm has even produced a personalised pyjama promotion (see case study).
These wake-up/get-up/watch-the-game tactics all follow in the footsteps of England Rugby sponsor O2’s innovative ‘Get Up For England’ breakfast giveaway during New Zealand 2011 (see case study).
Sadly for the host nation’s supporters for whom the kick-off is timed perfectly to fit in with their normal daily routine, England didn’t even make it thought the qualifying stages of their own tournament.
And on the subject of sponsor breakfast promotions, when Kansas City Royals’ Lorenzo Cain stole second in the bottom of the sixth inning of his team’s 5-4 win over the New York Mets during Game 1 of this week’s World Series he also stole breakfast for the entire population of the USA via MLB sponsor Taco Bell’s ‘Steal A Base, Steal A Breakfast’ activation (see case study).
