Samsung 'We Rise Together' RWC Alarm App Wakes Wallabies Fans

Australian Rugby Union sponsor Samsung launches #WeRiseTogether – a multi-platform campaign fronted by Israel Folau that spans alarm apps and TV ads and aims to help Australians wake up and inspire them to support the Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup.

Samsung Electronics Australia, a Wallabies partner since 2012, is leveraging Rugby World Cup excitement with a campaign founded on three key pillars: a practical utility (an alarm app and social strand to help Australian fans wake up for kick-off), advertising executions (led by an inspiring long-form web film) and a product-led RWC competition.

The advertising strand of the initiative is spearheaded by an emotional long-form film fronted by featuring Samsung ambassador and Wallabies fullback Israel Folau.

Launched on 21 September, the #WeRiseTogether spot aims to honour the passion and dedication of Australian Rugby fans from all walks of life.

The film is being amplified across the social platforms of both sponsor brand,

The @Wallabies & @IzzyFolau are taking on the best in the world! Watch how when #WeRiseTogether, we stand united. https://t.co/nli3vgEjx1

— Samsung Australia (@SamsungAU) September 21, 2015

and the sponsored property too.

.@Samsungau showing their support for the #Wallabies! How will you show your support? #werisetogether https://t.co/WQOvNBrCvy

— Wallabies (@Wallabies) September 22, 2015

The narrative and copy links neatly to another activation strand with the words: ‘Set your alarms and rest up because when we rise together, we can achieve incredible things’.

This references Samsung’s supporter solution to the fact that the England 2015 Rugby World Cup is being played 11,000 miles from Australia – the Izzy Wake Up Call.

Wallabies supporters can get a wake-up alarm from Izzy Folau himself if they download an app to their mobile device.

Fans can download an alarm app ringtone from Izzy Folau himself and learn how to set up the ringtone as an alarm from the following site – http://www.samsung.com/au/discover/news/rise-up-with-izzy/.

There is also a Twitter strand to this practical ‘wake-up’ strand too: fans who retweet @SamsungAU Wallabies match announcements and content will all receive an auto response reminder 30 minutes before kickoff.

Thus neatly incentivising social sharing.

This social sharing tactic is again employed for a #WeRiseTogether competition giving fans a chance to scoop Samsung prizes.

Supporters who show Wallabies support on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #WeRiseTogether are automatically entered into the prize draw.

Each week through the tournament, he most creative and unique post (as decided by a Samsung judging panel) will win a Samsung Series 8, 55 inch SUHD TV, while the runners up will win a Galaxy S6 smartphone and Level On Wireless Pro Headphones.

An additional experiential strand, in the form of a ‘Fan Celebration at the Sydney Opera House’ on 4 October, again is designed to encourage fans to show their support.

The ad campaign has been developed in tandem with agency Iris Sydney with a team that included Penny Dixon (MD), Callum Walker (group account director), Darren Collins (digital lead), Tom Edwards (planning), James Griffiths (deputy creative director) and Kieran King (senior creative).

The production outfit was Rapid Films, the film was directed by Jonathan Nyquist and the producer Alex Tizzard.

Post production was handled by Alt.vfx, grade was Ben Eagleton and the music was handled by Rumble Studios.

‘We’ve created #WeRiseTogether to encourage Aussie rugby fans to come together, no matter the time of day, to get behind the Wallabies and to share in the excitement of the biggest sporting event of the year,’ explains Samsung Electronics Australia’s VP and chief marketing officer Philip Newtown.

‘Nothing compares to the passion of Aussie sports fans. It’s engrained the culture and as players it inspires us knowing so many people are waking up at all hours to get together to cheer us on,’ comments Folau.

‘I’m really excited about Samsung’s #WeRiseTogether campaign and hope everyone gets around it ….we’re ready, but need your support. Let’s rise together and take on the world.’

Comment:

This campaign is part entertainment experience and part practical utility and its roots date back to when Samsung Electronics Australia first announced its deal with the Australian Rugby Union in June 2012.

Back then it became an official partner of the Qantas Wallabies, test rugby and the union’s Super Rugby competition in a partnership that runs until the end of 2015.

The rights included logo and brand signage at all matches, hospitality packages, digital and social rights, plus player appearances and the use of various official marks and assets.

This deal was designed to climax at the England 2015 Rugby World Cup and thus #WeRiseTogether is the highpoint of the current three partnerships.

Interestingly, the campaign’s tagline has echoes of Samsung Mobile USA’s #TogetherWeRise selfie-mosaic initiative revolving around Lebron James’ signature pre-game chalk throw.

But in terms of tactics the initiative shares even more similarities with O2’s ‘Get Up For England’ breakfast giveaway (see case study) and Guinness’ ‘RWC 2011 Alarm App’ see (see case study) at the previous Rugby World Cup when the tables were reversed and supporters in Europe had to wake up early to watch the New Zealand 2011 tournament.

In Australia, like in the rest of the world, Samsung has a major sponsorship portfolio that also includes partnering the Australian Olympic Team.

Links

Samsung #WeRiseTogether Website:

http://www.samsung.com/au/discover/news/we-rise-together-to-support-the-wallabies/

Samsung Australia YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/Samsungtvaustralia

Samsung Australia Twitter:

https://twitter.com/samsungau

Samsung Australia Instagram:

https://instagram.com/samsungau/

Samsung Australia Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SamsungAustralia

Samsung Australia Website: