World Rugby Appoints Livewire Sport For Social And Paid Media Strategy
World Rugby has appointed LiveWire Sport to lead its social channel management and paid media strategy following a competitive RFP process.
The London-based content agency will be tasked with growing World Rugby’s global audiences across its social platforms, with an emphasis on sevens and women’s rugby over the next 12 months – which is scheduled to include the rescheduled Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand.
LiveWire Sport, which has Recommended Agency status with Facebook and Instagram – and recently became a Managed Partner for YouTube – will also lead on the governing body’s paid media campaigns in conjunction with its channel and community management.
“It’s with great pleasure we can announce we’re embarking on a new long term relationship with LiveWire Sport, who will be helping guide our social and community strategy across all World Rugby and Rugby World Cup properties,” said Joe Pecchia, General Manager, Marketing and Content, World Rugby.
“While their pedigree is second to none, the most important factor was that they share our vision of where we need to take the sport and I truly believe they will play a critical role in helping us get there.”
The two-year agreement between World Rugby and LiveWire Sport expands on a relationship that began in 2013 and has seen the agency work with the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and also create a number of bespoke longer-form animations for the governing body’s Technical Services and Legal departments.
Pranav Soneji, Co-Founder & Director at LiveWire Sport, commented: “It was clear throughout the tender process that, after delivering a momentous World Cup in Japan, the team at World Rugby were not content to sit still.
“The organisation is gearing up to develop a thriving global rugby network through an ambitious multi-platform strategy, embracing avid fans and engaging new audiences with creative thinking.
“The COVID-era has demonstrated the value of innovative social content, utilising our in-house Studio and content production teams backed by real-time insights, to create impactful content and long-term commercial opportunities.”
The new agreement comes at a time of significant growth for LiveWire Sport, which includes the appointment of former Digital Content Manager at the ECB, Michelle Hayes, who will lead the rugby team. The agency – which celebrates its ten-year anniversary in 2021 – has worked with multiple rugby properties such as British & Irish Lions, Six Nations, Saracens and Harlequins as well as Heineken Champions Cup broadcaster Channel 4, and a variety of brands active in the sport, including DHL, O2, Amazon Web Services and Dove.
