The Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) launched a campaign to try and enlist 66m rugby players – the entire population of France – to mobilise support for the squad at the Rugby World Cup and to promote and expand the sport across the nation.
The campaign which has been developed with agency Les Gaulois (Paris), is led by a film and supported by around a dozen visual executions for display, press ads and digital platforms that highlight all of those involved in French rugby.
Not just the world cup stars.
The spearhead 45-second TV spot introduces the all-embracing campaign message: ‘Rugby is played by 66 million’.
The TV commercial initially aired on France Television and will run across TF1 and The Team 21’s tournament coverage through the Rugby World Cup.
The display ad strand began in Paris, on the metro and around the team’s home Stade de France ground.
These ad images are also dominated by person and club specific community club and grassroots rugby imagery, while the campaign carries similarly-themed hashtags putting the amateurs and the fans in control – such as #CestMonRugby
The images, the film and the edited clips are funny and touching in a deliberately amateur style, to ensure they are identifiable with and relatable to by everyone.
The FFR campaign aims to open doors to new players and increase participation numbers, as well as encouraging new investment and commercial partners.’
The tactical aim of the campaign is that the film and the executions will act as a launch pad for the media and social networks to spread the message.
‘We wanted to talk to all 1900 amateur clubs, to the 450 000 licensed players, plus the referees, coaches and the volunteers. In short, all the people who invest in amateur rugby,’ explains ex France manager and campaign ambassador Jo Maso.
‘It’s a nod to all those people who make our sport. And for those new to [to it], [we want to] tell them this is what rugby is and you are welcome [to join us].’
The agency team at Les Gaulois (Paris) Was led by executive creative director Gilbert Scher, art director Julien Laurenceau, copywriter Frederick Lutge and the ad was directed Christophe Caubel and ther production company was Hercule.
The campaign also was driven by plenty of social support.
Faites vous entendre sur les réseaux sociaux avec #soutienslexv pic.twitter.com/0H0q7FS5ya
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) September 19, 2015
and as the tournmanet drew closer FFR’s work evolved to encourage fans to send in their campaign ‘official supporter’ photos with the hashtag #soutienslexv to create an online gallery mosaic of fan support,
Postez vos photos avec le # #soutienslexv pour apparaître dans la galerie du http://t.co/IvlIZa7y7y pic.twitter.com/o68BGqMM4Q
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) September 5, 2015
Vous aussi envoyez vos photos de supporters avec #soutienslexv ! pic.twitter.com/62OsYUCS74
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) September 7, 2015
#XVdeFrance Vous aussi montrez votre soutien aux Bleus avec #soutienslexv! #RWC2015 #FRAITA pic.twitter.com/8zRCUA6DMF
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) September 19, 2015
(and some other famous French sporting faces).
Faites comme @Benzema et les Bleus du Foot vous aussi envoyez vos photos de supporters avec #soutienslexv! pic.twitter.com/Vdm73j39Ej
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) September 11, 2015
The campaign is running from September through to the tournament’s closing stages in October, if successful it may continue through the next cycle.
Other FFR RWC 2015 activation strands include running a fan/player Q&A series through the tournament called #BlueRoom which is amplified across social media.
.@FFRugby #AskBatum pic.twitter.com/juQFs4sZBr
— Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) September 22, 2015
Plus game-relevant content that ranges from Vine-led team announcements
#XVdeFrance Découvrez le XV de départ en vidéo! #soutienslexv #FRAROU https://t.co/GHqTTqixBp
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) September 21, 2015
to the usual pre-game and in-game content and social support.
#XVdeFrance Revivez l'entrée des joueurs #FRAITA #soutienslexv pic.twitter.com/mUZvBoFgte
— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) September 19, 2015
Comment
Every four years the Rugby World Cup comes around the FFR uses the tournament as a platform to drive further participation in the sport.
This campaign is something of a hymn to the values of grassroots rugby.
Yet one can’t help but wonder whether this year’s campaign is a touch tongue-in-cheek
After all, whilst English rugby ads are often packed with knights and Henry Vth type clichés, this TV creative in this campaign certainly references a fair few French stereotypes.
Links
FFR Website:
FFR Twitter:
FFR Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FFRugby
FFR Instagram:
FFR Vine:
Les Gaulois
