Pretoria, South Africa – 25 October 2023: Defender is making the most of its Rugby World Cup 2023 partnership, following a launch event that included a performance from pioneering British rapper and actor Kano which kicked off seven weeks of intense activity for the modern luxury brand.
A multi-faceted campaign champions Defender and a diverse group of inspiring rugby trailblazers through a full experiential programme, ATL, digital and outdoor campaign, a mascot programme, Official Rugby Village activation, launch event, Defender House, matchday integration and global PR.
The campaign kicked off on the eve of the tournament with a launch event headlined by pioneering London-born rapper Kano, alongside the Rugby World Cup 2023 Limited Edition Defender. The event, hosted at Palais de Tokyo, immersed 200 influencer and media guests in the Defender brand world, culminating in a fusion of live music, audio-visual storytelling and rugby.
The event honoured Defender Trailblazers whose inspirational stories also sit at the heart of the ATL Defender campaign. Defender Trailblazers are seen as modern-day heroes who are changing the face of rugby through their determination, resilience and human spirit. Six Defender Trailblazers have been identified, who, like Defender, encourage others to do exceptional things and strive to achieve more in a world full of potential.
The Defender Trailblazers are:
- Ryuichi Nagayama: the oldest active member of Fuwaku Rugby Club is a 90-year-old practicing doctor who lives for the sport. He and his teammates are tackling ageism and he intends to play until he is physically unable to take to the pitch.
- Cyril Leroy: founder of Les Gaillards, the first LGBT+ friendly rugby club in France, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2023. The club brings together players of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, origins and sporting backgrounds and unites around the values of rugby.
- Jacob Pickering: Jacob, 14, was born without his left forearm due to congenital upper limb deficiency, but he hasn’t let this stop him playing the game he loves. He began playing at the age of nine and relishes the physical challenge.
- Zainab Alema: a female Muslim rugby player, Zainab runs Muslimah Rugby, a community for Muslim women in rugby. She is also founder of Studs In The Mud, a non-profit project that supports rugby in Ghana.
- Kylie Grimes: in 2009, Kylie started playing for the London Wheelchair Rugby Club, and then for Great Britain in 2011, before going on to play at the 2012 Paralympics. She also cycled 450km from Vietnam to Cambodia after a life-changing spinal injury to raise money for Regain.
- Irtiqa Ayoub: the 28-year-old from Kashmir, India, is levelling the playing field by introducing rugby to women in Kashmir and Muslims in the wider community. She dreams of playing for India and is the youngest Rugby Development Office
Lennard Hoornik, Chief Commercial Officer, JLR, said: “The values shared by Defender and rugby are unquestionable. Famous for heroic capability and its unrivalled inner strength and determination to embrace the impossible, the Defender brand is appearing as never before on the global stage that is the Rugby World Cup. It’s fantastic to be sharing the stories of our Trailblazers, modern day heroes who have changed the face of the game, with fans the world over.”
Trailblazers feature in Defender’s out-of-home campaign across high-profile Parisian sites such as Place D’Estienne d’Orves, Rue Royal and Avenue Wilson. Further out-of-home is visible at Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport, in addition to other sites in tournament host cities including Marseilles, Cannes, Nice, Lyon and Toulouse.
Fan engagement
As a Worldwide Partner, Defender is present in the Official Rugby Village on Place de la Concorde, Paris, running a mini-Defender course for families across each Thursday to Sunday during the tournament. The village is expected to host up to 30,000 fans each day. Across the opening weekend, the competition welcomed 277,000 visitors to Official Rugby Village locations.
At matches, the ‘Defenders of Tomorrow’ mascot programme inspired future generations to drive meaningful change on and off the pitch. Each of the 96 mascots rewarded for their positive contributions to their local communities ran out with the international teams.
Official Vehicle of Rugby World Cup 2023
As Official Vehicle of Rugby World Cup 2023, Defender plays an important role for the tournament organisers. A fleet of Defender 110 plug-in electric hybrids is helping World Rugby facilitate the sporting event, as well as providing Defender experiences for all the family within the Official Rugby Village. Each vehicle is capable of driving in EV mode with zero tailpipe emissions for up to 51km1.
The exclusive Rugby World Cup 2023 Limited Edition Defender starred at the launch event. Taking inspiration from the Rugby World Cup 2023 Trophy Car – which toured France showcasing the famous Webb Ellis Cup in the countdown to the tournament – the Limited Edition Defender 110 is crafted to a unique specification. Finished in Santorini Black with Gold exterior detailing, including bonnet script and alloy wheels, with embroidered headrests and blue interior stitching, the collection of just 23 vehicles is exclusive to the French market.
Throughout the tournament, the Defender brand is hosting exclusive guest experiences across three Defender Houses – a new concept – with Paris, Marseille and Nice all hosting pop-up modern luxury venues. An integrated communications plan spanning media, influencers, and owned channels will also amplify the brand moments. The Rugby World Cup 2023 campaign creative is displayed across Defender retailers’ windows, floors and digital point of sale assets.
Land Rover has been an active supporter of rugby for two decades around the world. Global partnerships promoting the Defender brand began with the Women’s Rugby World Cup New Zealand 2021.
