Guinness Takes ‘made Of More’ Rugby Focus

Ahead of the upcoming Autumn Internationals, Guinness has released four pieces of content – featuring Jonny Wilkinson, Shane Williams, Bill McLaren and the Munster team of 1978 – to rally the fans of each of the Home Nations in a new Guinness ad campaign.

The campaign will air for the first time on TV in the UK and Ireland on 5th November and online from today (Tuesday).

Check out the short film, about Jonny Wilkinson’s time with Toulon, here.

Guinness has a long-standing association with rugby and is a sponsor of all four Rugby Unions; Scotland, Wales, England and Ireland.

The new series of films focus on inner qualities such as humility, dedication, self-belief, and irrepressible spirit.

Jonny Wilkinson: Merci, focuses on the great fly half’s humility, dedication to the game, and relentless resolve to bounce back from a raft of injuries, leading to him being as well-loved in Toulon as he is in England.

Shane Williams: Mind Over Matter, celebrates the Welsh winger’s determination to prove people wrong after he was told he was too small to make it in rugby.

Bill McLaren: Irrepressible Spirit, looks at how the legendary commentator overcame tuberculosis, which cut short his playing career, and found a way back to the game he loved to become the Voice of Rugby.

Finally, Munster: David and Goliath, retells the historic victory of Irish team, Munster, over New Zealand, during which a group of ordinary men defied circumstance to achieve something extraordinary.

Guinness will also be working with current players including England captain, Chris Robshaw, Wales captain, Sam Warburton and Scotland flanker, Kelly Brown to give their perspective on these stories.

Stephen O’Kelly, Guinness marketing director for Western Europe said: ‘We have a long and proud association with rugby – a sport that exemplifies values that are core to the Guinness brand.’

‘In developing this new suite of content we wanted to take a fresh and distinctive approach. Rather than focus on the physical attributes of strength and power normally synonymous with rugby, the four films look to inner qualities like humility, dedication, courage and spirit.’