Mastercard

CHALLENGE

The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the first time MasterCard had sponsored a major rugby tournament. Our brief was to emphasise the brand’s long-standing love of the game and show MasterCard’s credentials as a brand that genuinely understands rugby fans and their sport.

RESPONSE

In the spirit of all great documentaries, we decided to delve into the stories behind the stories. We found priceless moments in Rugby World Cup history and went in search of the people who helped make them happen, as well as the people who were affected by them.

The end result was a series of moving short films that ran as commercials, as well segments in local sports programmes and online. Four-minute versions appeared online and in-programme, while rare two-minute media buys allowed us to takeover entire commercial breaks. Thirty-second TVCs we’re also broadcast across Australia and New Zealand.

The use of long-form content allowed Mastercard to make a genuine connection between the emotion of the stories and the brand telling them.

In a campaign that also ran in print and out of home, we established a place for MasterCard in the hearts of Australian rugby fans by sharing touching stories of reflection on these great moments from fans in all walks of life. Whether it was the relatives of Samoa’s team that famously upset Wales back in 1991, or the villagers who took the New Zealand All Blacks into their homes while they prepared for the 1987 World Cup, the campaign shed light on these historic events from an angle people had never seen before.

RESULTS

At the time of writing, the Witnessing History campaign had only just gone to air. Well received in the advertising press, we’re extremely confident it will deliver on its objectives.