Rugby is as eventful and dramatic as the passion and love supporters of the game have for it. For Famous Grouse, partnering their brand with a sport known for fans who usually wear their hearts on their sleeves is a move to showcase itself as a brand that embodies and celebrates the spirit of the game.
As with previous editions of the British and Irish Lions Tour, there was a lot of fanfare, anticipation and excitement associated with the tour. The fact that rugby is one of the biggest sports in the country means there’s lot of eyes and ears from people who follow the game religiously, and not only view it as a pastime, but as an essential part of their lives.
The Famous Grouse’s campaign for this year’s tournament is the Spirit of rugby – this speaks to the literal fact that they are the spirit partner of the tour, but not only that, the brand espouses the spirit of rugby that lives within every fan who follows the game regardless of whether they can view it with thousands of fans at the stadium or alone at home as this year’s conditions necessitated.
Jamie Bishop, Area Director at Edrington Africa (The Famous Grouses’ parent company), speaks to what inspired the brand to get involved with the great game of rugby: ‘The Famous Grouse has more than 30 years of heritage with rugby, sharing many similarities with the sport such as skill, craft and an unwavering dedication to be the best of the best. We celebrate such common values through such partnerships.’
As good as the performances from the teams have been on the field in this year’s British & Irish Lions Tour, the fact that the games have had to be played in empty stadiums means lovers, and supporters of the game must showcase their support in a different way. The spirit of the game had to be felt this year and not seen, and as a brand, The Famous Grouse understands this because they know that joy and pain are two sides of the same coin, both powered by the togetherness of the fans of the game.
‘As a brand, we recognise the value of team spirit and the level of determination required to be the best. This is synonymous with the desire, pride and fellowship that we see every match day out on the rugby field. These moments will ring true with the down-to-earth character of The Famous Grouse. The Spirit of Rugby heroes the candid moments of genuine friendship, affinity and fellowship that is seen throughout rugby,’ concluded Bishop.
EDRINGTON AFRICA
www.edrington.com
