Koffmann’s x Rhino
Don’t Forget the Chips
A unique two-brand B2B campaign that engaged community rugby clubs through the power of post-match chips with the help of iconic names in the food world.
Strategy. Campaign. Video.
The objective
Engage community rugby clubs with a campaign that gets to the heart of what matters to the people involved to deliver engaged, valuable contacts for both brands.
What we did
The mini rugby section is the beating heart of every rugby club, and what fuels it is the kitchen. Even before they learn to love rugby, they’ll love what follows a rugby match: chips. We brought together two brands that go hand-in-hand, Rhino – supplying all things rugby to minis – and Koffmann’s, who provide the chips.
First, we produced an emotive video Don’t Forget the Chips to emphasis the emotive bond we all have with mini rugby and to bring both brands to this specific audience. Then, using iconic chef Pierre Koffmann we launched Rugby Kitchen of the Year, initially with a teaser that suggested the man who taught Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay was about to return to the kitchen. When we then did the big reveal we were able to engage an audience far beyond mini rugby, bringing the worlds of sport and food together in a truly unique way.
The conversation starter…
The teaser…
The reveal…
Engaging multi-platform stories…
Rugby clubs across the UK entered Rugby Kitchen of the Year, and through our Rugby Journal ecosystem we were able to celebrate the contenders in all formats – from story carousels to reels – and across print and digital.
The results…
The campaign instantly hit the right note with the target audience, with the Guardian’s rugby writer Robert Kitson summing it up by writing about our launch video: ‘What is rugby ultimately all about? This is the perfect 60-sec explainer...’
Pierre Koffmann revealing he was returning to the kitchen, also stirred up huge interest on social media. Gordon Ramsay led a brigade of world-famous chefs to engage with our teaser, before big names from both the rugby and food world combined to promote the competition. It also gained the attention of both England Rugby and Welsh Rugby Union, both of which promoted the competition through their channels to their members, engaging thousands of grassroots rugby clubs across England and Wales. Hundreds of rugby clubs entered the competition – which had a first prize of a year’s supply of chips and £1,500-worth of Rhino equipment – providing both our clients with direct contacts for people responsible for thousands of mini rugby players.
“Don’t Forget the Chips was a beautiful campaign that showed a true understanding of what community rugby is all about. Anyone who’s ever been involved in mini rugby understands that, while the rugby matters, the food that follows is just as important. Sporting Eric demonstrated yet again how they truly understand the grassroots rugby market unlike any other agency.” Dave Reynish, managing director, Rhino
Want to authentically engage a community rugby audience?
Get in touch with Sporting Eric and email alex@sportingeric.com