The campaign was born out of a simple insight - that waking up early sucks.

With the tournament being held in the Northern Hemisphere, games were played at in the early hours of the morning in Australia. If it wasn’t hard enough just getting out of bed, knowing what time to actually get up also posed a problem with Australia’s vast size and complex time zone system.

Enter ‘The Wake Up Call’ – a phone call from the All Blacks to wake fans up in time for the games. A campaign that turned a 3am phone call into something to look forward to.

For the 8 weeks of the Rugby World Cup social media posts and teaser videos from Air New Zealand’s social media channels invited expats to register for a Wake Up Call online.

Users entered their details, then chose what time they wanted to be woken up - early on to watch the pre-game coverage, or just before kick-off to catch the national anthem and haka.

Fans could then drift off to sleep happy in the knowledge that in the early hours of the morning they’d receive a tailored call from ‘the boys’ to wake them from their slumber.

20,000 unique phone calls to 7580 fans.

5923 of these fans signed up for offers from Air New Zealand.

But most importantly, kiwis in Australia loved it…

“Thank you for keeping us connected. I felt such belonging, and boy did you guys make me one proud kiwi!”

- Julie Margin

“Air New Zealand this has got to be the best thing yet...I'm forever asking when? What time? And boom! You saved the hassle.”

- Dan Bowly Warren

“Loved it so much - would put it on loud-speaker so it woke my Aussie husband! Thank you, made me feel still part of New Zealand.”

- Bianca Hunt

“Great idea. Loved it so proud to be a kiwi here in Oz.”

- Tania Hohaia

“Thank you Air NZ for your support of our Great Team and looking after us homesick Kiwis in Oz. Such a well planned great idea.”

- Pam Panapa