The Sweetest Deal of the Year
Here’s one… can a brand we’ve all grown up with, whose purpose is to spread joy and which can be found in cupboards, convenience stores and servos right across the nation be the much-needed driving force in growing the game of Rugby? I absolutely think so.
Hot topic of the day was news around Rugby Australia’s landmark deal with confectionary manufacturer, Cadbury. Only mere weeks after news that RA lost their previous partner GFG Alliance (blessing in disguise), this is possibly the best news for a sport which deserves good news.
ICYMI the details of the agreement can be found below but what it means is that Rugby now has the chance to exist and drive relevance to millions of Aussies who have likely lost touch with the game in the recent past.
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/rugby-australia-announces-fiveyear-partnership-with-cadbury-2021512
I don’t have a crystal ball, but predicted back in October 2020 that the Wallabies would end up with a partner who can be found in every house in Australia. I spoke with only last week who was quietly optimistic about who was on the cards to replace the embattled GFG, but for that brand to be a brand with the instant appeal such as Cadbury and for them to be front and centre on our National teams is a tasty prospect indeed.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/greatest-sponsorship-ive-never-seen-andrew-clarke/?trackingId=%2BzNOIQfGeZMYmIaNh59asQ%3D%3D
Key to all sponsorships are the strategies that supports them and the creativity that lands them into the laps of those intended. Here’s a handful of elements I’d love to see come to fruition:
Bespoke products - When you’ve been making chocolate in Australia for over 100 years, you can make pretty much anything. A fan-led creation would be fantastic and a great way of using RA’s IP on shelves around the country - getting the Wallabies brand into the public domain will be a critical opportunity.
‘Willy Wonka’ activations - I can see the golden ticket promotions, fan activations and general excitement Cadbury can bring to game day. Eating chocolate releases dopamine and other endorphins. Capitalising on these excited fans around the match will be a walk-over try in the scheme of things.
Integration - Rugby in Australia needs more visibility. Driving IP integration into limited edition packaging and even working with retailers to pass-through rights will help with the cause.
Tackling obesity in kids - No pun intended on this important topic, It would be a shame if this important area was overlooked as the program rolls out. Teaching kids that treats such as chocolate are a perfectly suitable reward after effort and hard work is where sport and rugby can play a huge roll.
Product integration - Talk to Joe Roff or Campo and they’ll tell you about the support needed for retired players. Like many sports, what happens after retirement can be a bleak outlook. Might be a nice opportunity for Cadbury to drive a program around their ‘Old Gold’ product to provide financial support for the part players.
Growing up in the UK and following Rugby religiously, I would fear any fixture against the Wallabies. It’s fair to say that Rugby has been in a difficult position in the past few years, but the values that underpin the game and it’s participation are values lesser seen in other sporting areas.
Bravo to the entire team.. I’m off to buy a Crunchie…