Title	THE SAFE TRAINING JERSEY
Brand	GMF
Product/Service	GMF SAFE TRAINING JERSEY
Category	E02. Sponsorship & Brand Partnership
Entrant	HAVAS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT Paris, FRANCE
Idea Creation	HAVAS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT Paris, FRANCE
PR	HAVAS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT Paris, FRANCE
Production	INIGO BROTHERS Boe, FRANCE

Name	Company	Position
Charles Bal	Havas Sports & Entertainment	Head of Social Media & Influence
Julie Alexandra Bertolino	GMF	Communications Director
Jade Combescot	Havas Sports & Entertainment	Art Director
Fabian De Lacaze	GMF	Brand Director
Maxime Delaby	Havas Sports & Entertainment	Account Manager
Emeric Deminiere	Havas Sports & Entertainment	Deputy Managing Director
Daniel Dréan	GMF	Marketing, Communications and partnerships director
Adrien Feuga	GMF	Communications Manager
Jerôme Gautier	Havas Sports & Entertainment	Account Director
Stéphane Guerry	Havas Play	President
Audelia Leloup	Havas Sports & Entertainment	PR Director
Marie Jo Ninine	GMF	Head of Sponsoring
Lilith Peper	Havas Sports & Entertainment	Head of Strategic Planning
Viviane Picard	Havas Sports & Entertainment	Events Manager
Fabrice Plazolles	Havas Play	Chief Creative Officer
Ugo Medioni	Havas Sports & Entertainment	Account Director

Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

GMF is the main service public agents insurer and also the only insurer of French rugby, and insures all license holders. And if insurance means care, it also means prevention. GMF is committed for the collective and for a safer rugby. It’s therefore relevant for the brand to position itself not as an umpteenth partner, but as a brand that acts concretely. Consumers and rugby players need proofs of this engagement. That’s why the best evidence to demonstrate its real implication was to create an object that could help rugby players to practice their sport in a safer way.

Background

How can GMF reassure about the practice of rugby and act for safer rugby? Rugby has the reputation of being a dangerous sport, full of brutality, especially due to the tackles. We based our strategic reflexion and approach on 3 key insights: - the number of tackles has increased by 252% over the past 30 years - 50% of injuries during the practice of rugby are caused by a tackle - 76% of concussions are caused by a tackle There is thus a huge stake around tackling: not to prevent it, because it’s an integral part of the practice of rugby, but to teach practitioners to do it in a safer way. That was our way to position GMF as a major player in prevention for the practice of rugby.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

Accidents caused by the tackles are linked to bad tackling practices and a lack of knowledge of how to do it safely. We therefore imagined a tackle jersey that includes visual cues that are simple, effective and efficient. Everything has been studied on the principles of nudge marketing, with scientists, to support practitioners to tackle well, both on the height of the tackle (lower body) and on the position of the head. All of this to help rugby players to relearn to tackle effectively, efficiently, and, above all, safely.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

We targeted two main audiences : 1/ Rugby Players all over the country. For the launch of the jersey, 100 clubs of the FFR were concerned. They have received the equipment free of charge. 2/ Rugby fans or families that could send their children in rugby clubs. We wanted to fight the rugby’s brutal reputation- We also implemented a 360 program with two main objectives : - explain how to use the safe training jersey. - Create awareness around the safe practice of rugby This program includes a study that will survey after 6 months of implementation the efficiency of the tackle jersey in all the clubs where it was being tested. Our goal is for this tackle jersey and this program to become an educational tool for rugby and ultimately create a partnership with an equipment supplier to make a jersey out of it.

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

The program was launched during a press conference on January 8th, 2021, at the GMF HQ with the French Rugby Federation. It was amplified by : - Social Media (teaser posts, digital movie to present and explain the tackle bib, interviews of the National technical Director of the FFR...) - PR coverage (TV, Radio, Written & Digital press...) Just before the press conference, the journalists received the tackle bib, the press release and some more informations to be fully aware of what GMF was about to present to them. After the conference, tackle bibs were sent to different medias to be features on sets or in their next publications > Generate conversations Many snack contents have been produced by GMF and the FFR during the press conference to be published after the launch in order to keep the subject alive many days. Articles, video

List the results (30% of vote)

- TV coverage: 776,000 viewers - Written press & internet: 74,790,000 reach - Film: 3,300,000 views - Reach of the some campaign : 2,000,000 people We not only launched a tackle bib but an entire long-term program. Never before, a French rugby partner had gone so far in its commitment. Beyond the obvious benefits for the brand, it is the players who will be able to benefit from this innovation, designed to make rugby safer. And changing the image of rugby also means reassuring parents who are hesitating to enroll their children in rugby. The impact is therefore much more important than just the impact on the brand; it is designed to change the rugby.