At Cardiff Blues we are incredibly fortunate to work with an abundance of brilliant companies from the likes of our Principal Partner The MSS Group, to FTSE100 companies like Jaguar Land Rover and LexisNexis Risk Solutions to local SMEs.
But why do these companies join the Cardiff Blues family and who are the people we deal with on a daily basis?
This week, in the latest Meet Our Partners, we learn more about the relationship between Cardiff Blues and long-serving partners, Land Rover.
What is Land Rover’s background in supporting rugby?
Land Rover is proud to have such a long history and association with rugby. In the UK, Land Rover has been supporting rugby at all levels; from grassroots to the elite, for nearly two decades. Partnerships with Cardiff Blues, Glasgow Warriors and Premiership Rugby has meant nationwide support of the game. On a global level, Land Rover has been a partner of three Rugby World Cup tournaments and this summer will see its seventh British & Irish Lions Tour. This global to local approach has helped the brand form a deep connection with the sport, teams, players and importantly its fans and the wider rugby community, all over the world.
Why is rugby a sponsorship territory that Land Rover has supported for so many years?
The values that sit at the heart of rugby are ones shared by Land Rover; togetherness, composure, capability and respect. Through Land Rover’s heritage in the sport, there is a real understanding and appreciation for the importance of these values, as well as the people connected to the sport that champion them. The ability to engage with the rugby family, offer incredible experiences as part of the brands partnerships but also play a part in supporting the community that rugby clubs form such an important part of. These are all vital to the brand and demonstrated by its commitment to nurturing rugby from the grassroots level upwards.
How can you describe the partnership between Land Rover and Cardiff Blues?
The passion for rugby in Wales is truly special and given the brands position within rugby, Land Rover wanted to play a part in supporting this. Added to that, Land Rover has a hugely important network of retailers across Wales, with Cardiff Blues offering a great touchpoint to engage these retailers, their customers, and prospects through the rugby partnership. From a partnership perspective, the whole team at Cardiff Blues are collaborative, passionate and proactive in approaching ways in which the partnership can be brought to life. From launching new grassroots rugby initiatives to engage the local community, through to digital content series’ that can help Land Rover reach new audiences, the club and brand are always working together to unlock new ways to offer something to the rugby community in Wales.
Has Land Rover had to adapt how it approached its partnership with Cardiff Blues as a result of COVID-19?
Challenges owing to COVID-19 have impacted rugby, just like all sports. The restrictions on fans attending fixtures, bio secure bubbles limiting access to player, and Land Rover retailers having to close their doors for an extended period. These hindered how Land Rover would have activated its partnership previously, but by working with the club, these challenges were able to be overcome. Whereas before, Land Rover’s retailers in Cardiff may have hosted business events, and welcomed players to meet customers, things had to be taken virtually to still ensure that engagement with the club and brands shared audience. From a brand awareness exercise, additional branding was installed at Cardiff Blues fixtures to ensure media value was generated in the absence of spectators in the stands. Additionally, an exciting new content series; My Rugby Journey, which stars Land Rover ambassador Sam Warburton, and a host of Cardiff players, has meant a regular digital touchpoint for fans to engage with the brand. These adaptations have been necessary, delivered value but with fans slowly being allowed back to sport, there is an excitement to integrate more tactile experiences through the partnership to add to these new activations.
What impact does Land Rover hope to make to Cardiff Blues, its fans, and local community?
To create a meaningful and authentic connection with fans and wider community, through the partnership. Grassroots rugby is a key pillar of why Land Rover supports rugby, and one that the brand has a proud history in championing. This area of the game is so vital for the continued growth of rugby and plays a key role in local communities. As the My Rugby Journey episodes with the likes of Owen Lane have shown, rugby stars are born at the grassroots level, with youngsters going on to realise their rugby dreams playing professionally. To be part of that and nurturing these journeys allows Land Rover to create a credible connection with the rugby community and the people at the heart of it. Through its partnership with Cardiff Blues, the brand also wants to provide memorable match day experiences for fans, through the activation of contractual rights, and have the ability to engage the brands retailer network, in turn showcasing the support for rugby in the UK to customers and prospects.