The Game is On: What brands have what it takes to win at this year’s Rugby World Cup?

By James Griffiths, deputy creative director at iris Sydney

The largest championship in the rugby calendar has kicked off and with fans around the world geared up to cheer their home team toward victory, many of them are unaware that there is another fight has also begun.

I’m of course talking about the World Cup of Brands. Love it or hate it, an event as big as the RWC sends brands into a frenzy of activity – official and unofficial sponsors fighting for fans attention and more importantly, their dollars. But which ones are on track to lift the trophy once the final whistle has blown?

Take your Heineken’s of the world, your Emirates’ and such; simply being an official sponsor is enough. They pay millions so they don’t have to get dirty in the scrum – they pay millions to have their name associated with the tournament by default. Heineken in particular are reported to have invested nearly half of its master brands budget this year solely on their sponsorship deal. That’s big money, and a decision that wouldn’t have been made lightly.

But is that enough? Are brands starting to take a more innovative approach to aligning with a major sporting event? Recent campaigns from the likes of Beats and O2 suggest you don’t have to be an official sponsor to make yourself heard over the din of the crowd.

I’m a big fan of the underdog – those who have to fight it out to the last brand standing.  But do they always manage to break through?  Or do the big bucks always bring in, dare I say, the big bucks?

I’m going to look at some of the brands taking a pop at this year’s trophy to see who has a sporting chance of being declared word champion.

Heineken – Proud to open

One of the big hitters at this year’s World Cup. Heineken is going big with an epic scale TVC, outdoor and print, and even a socially enabled online rugby show they are calling the Rugby Studio. Fans can get involved with #itsYourCall for a chance to toss the coin at the start of each match. They are pulling out all the stops, but is their key asset good enough to last 80 minutes in the final?

Ranking: Big coin may mean fans won’t give a toss

adidas – #ForceOfBlack

Even though they are not a named sponsor, there is no denying that adidas has a lot of the big teams on its side moving into the tournament. None bigger than the reigning champions, the All Blacks. But how do you leverage the greatest team in the world? Well, you scare the bejesus out of the opposition that’s how. The #ForceOfBlack looks to evoke fear and rally a nation behind their hallowed team. It’s a bold approach, but one that looks to be paying off.

Ranking: Spine tingling fear may just scare off the opposition

Emirates – #EmiratesFlag

Another big name sponsor at this year’s RWC, Emirates seem to be taking a slightly more tactical approach with their sponsorship deal. Using the hashtag #EmiratesFlag, they are hiding flags in 11 host cities. The fans that find them get to lift the flag at the start of each game. Despite the scale of the idea, it feels like the launch video has fallen a little flat, and without the media push which it so obviously deserves, will it have gained enough traction before the first whistle blows?

Ranking: Lack of support could mean a flagging effort

Lucozade – Strictly for the home nations only

You wouldn’t know that Lucozade Sport weren’t an official sponsor if you were to come head-to-head with their campaign. The 60 second content uses a raft of players to land a tongue in cheek idea – that their product is indeed banned for all away nations. The campaign shows stars trying to purchase the drink only to be rumbled by the home nations in the final furlong. It runs through social, where people are encouraged to share the sentiment #HandsOff. With a great tone, and a strong use of the stars of this years RWC, I can’t help but want to cheer them towards victory.

Ranking – A ballsy hands on approach could lead to a last minute try

Some great contenders – and there is no doubt that the fight is going to be a tough one. But there does seem to be some common themes emerging. For one, many campaigns are on a mission to be people powered, harnessing bold hashtags that already exist in the fan culture. This allows people to  naturally get passionately involved in the campaign, show their support, and for some enter a competition. But will fans use them? Early reports for adidas on #ForceOfBlack suggest that if you bring people together in the right way, they can be the driving force behind the social success of your campaign.

The big brands that pay to play seem to be able to offer consumers value in once-in-a-lifetime experiences, but in the case of Emirates, if you don’t amplify this in the right way it might not be worth the investment, unless you’re simply happy with having your logo plastered around the stadium of course. The brands that seem to be in with the best chance of winning are those that have a story to tell. adidas make great kit for great teams, Lucozade Sport make great drinks for the players of the game. It makes sense to be part of the conversation.

So, we may not yet know which brands will come out on top. But we do know that this year’s competition is fierce, with some big contenders looking to celebrate alongside active fans. Who do you think will win in the battle of the brands at this year’s RWC?

James Griffiths is currently deputy creative director at iris Sydney. He has over 10 years experience in the industry, many of them specializing in sports brands. At this year’s World Cup, he will be setting his alarm early to not miss a moment on the pitch.

Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/griffinabox.