O2 Unveils New Set Of ‘England Rugby’ & Music-Led Immersive Virtual Reality Experiences

VR obviously can create a powerful connection with fans that can supercharge a sponsor or a rights holder’s emotional resonance and this is a compelling, immersive experience and that pushes the technology on one step further and largely avoids most of VR’s current pitfalls.

O2 avoids some of the most common mistakes of sponsors experimenting with VR which can burn budgets faster than a forest fire: audience control coupled with measured camera movements avoids viewer motion sickness, the experience is well-paced and eschews over-fast edits and cuts thus avoiding disorientation, plus it is largely gimmick and novelty free and focuses on the core story.

Despite all these ticks, is it genuinely an optimum platform – even for a brand committed to using technology to bring fans closer to their passions like O2?

Especially considering the raft of experimentation over the last two years which means VR is no longer genuinely ‘innovative’ in itself, coupled with the slower than expected (hoped for) mainstream consumer adoption of VR as a platform despite all the hype (despite Facebook, YouTube and Google Chrome all now support this technology).

This is by no means the first VR experience linked to the England Rugby team or to rugby union activation in general.

Indeed, O2 itself ran earlier virtual reality initiatives activating the partnership back in 2014 in the form of its ‘Wear The Rose’ immersive training experience on Oculus Rift – trumpeted as the first sports VR initiative (see case study), while fellow RFU sponsor Samsung, England Rugby’s consumer electronics partner also brought its own branded VR experiences to Twickenham during the 2016 RBS 6 Nations (see case study).

In fact, the last couple of years have seen the rugby space awash with VR: other activation has included AIG’s ‘Haka 360’ All Blacks campaign (see case study) and Samsung’s ‘School Of Rugby 360 Degree Video’ (see case study) – both running ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Griffith’s statement that as a brand O2 ‘believe in live’ isn’t just illustrated by this initiative, but also through its tactic of bringing its ‘Inside Line’ match day experience to fans across the country through Facebook Live (see case study).

Both the Facebook Live and the Virtual Reality activations are reflect the commitment O2 made to ‘use technology and connectivity to bring our customers and rugby fans across the country even closer to the action’ when it announced the renewal of its primary partnership with England Rugby back in October 2016.

That deal was a five year extension of its Rugby Football Union partnership: one that first began back in 1995 (signed when the sport went professional) and is now one of the world’s longest running sports/sponsor partnerships.

This new alliance, which runs until September 2021, sees O2 continue as a principal partner of England and as the lead partner for England Senior Men’s, England Women and England Saxons teams.

The rights package sees O2’s logo continue to appear on both match and training kit worn by players, coaching and support staff, as well as replica kit for fans, while O2 will also remain the exclusive telecommunications and wifi provider to England Rugby.

But perhaps more interesting, from an activation perspective, it also sees O2 aim to work with England Rugby to explore ‘how digital tech will play more of a role in the fan experience during match days at Twickenham Stadium and by using O2’s Priority platform’.

The new work shows a renewed focus on the match day experience: making game day more central to the partnership by enhancing and enabling real-time fan support and experiences both physically and digitally at the stadium and across the country.

From offering a range of exclusive pre-match video content via its O2 Priority app 48 hours before any other provider, to including behind-the-scenes coverage in O2’s ‘Inside Line’ series, as well as priority ticket access for customers (and contests), plus unique England Rugby experiences, backing the grassroots O2 Touch community programme And supporting the RFU’s youth-led work experience ‘O2’s Think Big’ initiative.

But the spearhead leverage focus is on digital technology’s increasingly important role in the fan experience and in creating more integrated, connected and personalised experiences direct to fan’s mobile devices.

At the time the deal was signed, O2 CEO Mark Evans said: ‘This new agreement is a testament to our sponsorship strategy, focusing on high quality, long-term partnerships. Rugby is in O2’s DNA and we’re excited to take this fantastic sport to even more people than ever before, from grassroots to elite. We will continue to passionately support the team through “Wear The Rose” with a commitment to using technology and connectivity to bring our customers and rugby fans across the country even closer to the action.’