Folk Wunderman Thompson and Vodafone Discover What Makes This Irish Rugby Squad Strong

To celebrate Vodafone’s sponsorship of the Irish rugby team ahead of the Rugby World Cup, Folk Wunderman Thompson have launched a campaign that hits at the heart of what makes this squad special.  

The Vodafone network prides itself on providing ‘connections you can always rely on’ and the story behind this world cup campaign centres around one core family value – reliability. With the guidance and support of head coach, Andy Farrell, this Irish team have learned to rely on each other like family. Folk explored the standout moment where Andy Farrell was first taught to see his teammates like family back in the early 1980’s in Wigan, an ethos he has now instilled in the Irish squad. The creative campaign finishes with Andy’s words ringing true to the players as they prepare to walk out onto the pitch for one of the most important matches of their lives at the Rugby World Cup.  

Oscar award-winning director Tom Hooper, known for his films such as ‘The Kings Speech’, ‘Les Misérables’, and ‘The Damned United’ was attracted to the emotional power of the story. Together with production company Smuggler, Tom Hooper joined the team in creating a 60 second and 30 second film for TV and cinema screens. Tom’s direction gives the audiences a unique insight into this squad and how Andy Farrell has instilled a strong sense of togetherness among the team.  

Speaking about the campaign Orla Nagle, head of brand at Vodafone Ireland said, “Since the beginning of our partnership with the IRFU we have seen the team take their performance to the next level. Through this advert we wanted to celebrate that success and bring to life the team’s spirit, by capturing its foundations, which are deeply rooted in reliability, dependability and what it means to be part of #TeamOfUs. These values strongly mirror what we aim to deliver to our customers so they can truly feel the connection through the power of our mobile and broadband networks. We are excited to join the nation in celebrating what we hope is yet another special moment in history.’’ 

Karl Waters creative partner in Folk Wunderman Thompson added, “Andy Farrell has instilled a sense of family and reliability in the Irish camp. We wanted to get to the heart of where Andy learned this, going all the way back to Wigan in 1983. Reliability is of course the role Vodafone’s network plays with Irish families too.”

The full 360 campaign is now live across TV, cinema and outdoor. There will also be a special airport activation in the lead up to tournament kick off, which replicates the players walk from the tunnel onto the pitch which fans can engage with.