Ricoh and PHAR win "best use of branded content" at 2017 ESA Awards

The Ricoh Rugby Change Series, created by PHAR to support Ricoh's sponsorship of Premiership Rugby, has won Best Use of Branded Content at the 2017 European Sponsorship Awards. 

The awards took place at The Science Museum, London, with the Ricoh Rugby Change Series beating other shortlisted sponsorship campaigns from brands such as Evian (Wimbledon Tennis), Bridgestone (Olympic Games), Allianz, and Standered Chartered.

Ricoh face a challenge in making their sponsorship communications engaging and relevant to a rugby audience; whilst maintaining a core link to their global messaging ‘Imagine. Change’.

PHAR helped Ricoh achieve these goals by creating unique video content and a downloadable report, to identify and analyse the major changes that have occurred in rugby since the onset of professionalism. Key topics included kicking, gameplay, refereeing & players’ physicality.

The campaign was viewed by over 250,000 people on YouTube and 100,000+ on Facebook. It is now used as best practice sponsorship activation by Premiership Rugby.