O2 Launches Content Series With Ugo Monye

O2 has launched a new branded content campaign called Travel Fan in Japan to go alongside the telecoms giant’s new Be Their Armour spot, designed to drum up support for England at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The ad will debut during England’s first Rugby World Cup game, but Travel Fan in Japan will see former England and Lions player Ugo Monye team up with Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing to travel around the country, sampling Japanese culture.

Throughout the six-episode series, the pair will visit Tokyo, Yokohama, Sapporo, Osaka and Kobe, taking on Sumo wrestlers, playing O2 touch rugby with Japanese school kids and visiting a female samurai warrior.

Each episode explores a key characteristic of what it means to be an international rugby player, and the pair will highlight the influence of rugby and the Bushido values which tie the sport to the country – something that O2 has leaned heavily on in their Be Their Armour advertising campaign in support of the RFU.

Jamie Laing said: “I love rugby and I love travelling, so it was fantastic to head over to Japan and discover more about such a wonderful country that is enriched in culture. While Ugo and I had a lot of fun, it wasn’t all plain sailing and I definitely felt the full force of a Japanese sumo wrestler, although therapy at the cat café definitely helped me get over that”. 

O2’s Head of Sponsorship Gareth Griffiths told Sport Industry Group that Eddie Jones was a big influence in the brand’s decision to highlight Japan’s Bushido values ahead of this tournament.

“I think he loves the fact that we’re using the Bushido values,” he said. “He’s used it previously himself when he was coaching Japan so he was very familiar with it all and liked the direction that we shared and the insight behind the campaign, what we wanted to do.”

Read the rest of the interview HERE.