Since the nomination of a new head coach, when players are gathered for athletic preparation, they are more and more cut off from the rest of the world. However, we know that, especially before such an important game as the one against New Zealand, the team needs to feel the support from its fans.

One week before the match against All Blacks, we decided to reach out all fans and ask them to address their last cheering words for the players on social networks with the #AuPlusPresDuXV (#ClosestToTheXV”).

We then printed and displayed a large selection of the best tweets on various billboards all along the road that goes from Marcoussis (French training camp) and Stade de France on match day to surprise players.

A week before the game, we reached out the fans using several medias to get a maximum of participations. With print ads in sport press, videos on social networks and thanks to PR kits sent to K.O.L, we launched the “#AuPlusPresDuXV” to support XV de France. 

In a few hours, we selected more than 100 tweets and prepared file to print them in different formats: Billboards, Digital out of Home, Flyposting, special OOH (on cars, trucks, bridges).

On D-Day, we followed the bus on the road from Marcoussis to Stade de France to shoot the bus passing by all the encouraging words. We also received from XV de France’s inside man who filmed players reactions when discovering all the messages.

In just a few days, more than 9 000 tweets were sent.

More than 100 targeted billboards were printed and installed all along the road on D-DAY.

5 days after the game, we published the brand content film that was showing the bus journey to show the result of the whole operation. The film performed with 5 million views in 2 weeks.