Jaguar Land Rover (Defender) - Embrace The Impossible

Challenge

Rugby World Cup 2023 was no ordinary sponsorship campaign for JLR. Building on a rich heritage in rugby, the tournament was the perfect cultural backdrop to drive mass global awareness for Defender as a meaningful standalone brand.

Whilst Worldwide Partner rights delivered global reach for Defender, we needed a stand-out campaign to cut through the noise driving affinity and consideration…

Idea

Enter ‘Embrace the Impossible’.

‘Embrace the Impossible’ celebrated a group of trailblazing rugby heroes who embody the values coveted by Defender; from 90-year-old Japanese player Ryuichi to Cyril who founded France’s first LGBTQ+ friendly rugby club. 

From a star-studded launch at Palais de Tokyo to ‘Trailblazer’ Jacob carrying out the ball at the Final, this truly 360 campaign brought the new Defender brand to life in key markets worldwide.

The Idea

Our global campaign captured the spirit of the Defender brand, fronted by a squad of unstoppable rugby trailblazers, unsung heroes shaping the future of rugby. We shared their stories of immense human spirit. Immortalising them in statue form and putting them front and centre, of the tournament’s biggest moments, from idents and print ads to the hallowed turf itself.

We launched with a night at the Palais De Tokyo attended by Trailblazers in their own right from the worlds of rugby, fashion, film and music. An evening headlined by pioneering British actor and rapper Kano.

We activated on pitch with 96 ‘Defenders of Tomorrow’ descending on France from around the globe. And off pitch with a custom-made Trophy Display Car that toured the UK and France.

We had a presence at the Rugby Village in Paris, as sponsor of the wheelchair rugby pitch, where we hosted a mini-Defender experience for children.

We showed up in the host cities with our experiential hotspot, Defender House and epic in-stadia hospitality. 

The Impact

In short, ‘Embrace the Impossible’ successfully launched the Defender brand. The activity exceeded all campaign objectives – from growing awareness to establishing brand meaning - whilst delivering the residual benefit of a rise in product enquiries.

- According to JLR, ‘Embrace the Impossible’ successfully launched Defender as a standalone brand. The activity exceeded all campaign objectives – from growing awareness to establishing brand meaning.

- Moving to a ‘House of Brands’ model that engages a younger, more diverse audience is fundamental to JLR’s commercial future. ‘Embrace the Impossible’ was the first significant step in this direction for the JLR brand. Championing Defender as a standalone brand undoubtedly helped establish it in the hearts and minds of audiences old and new.

- What’s more, the activity consciously reached new demographics. The talent and influencer content was engaged with by a younger (85% under 35) and more diverse (66% female) audience.