Brands build hype for Rugby World Cup with All Blacks

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Two big name brands associated with the 2015 Rugby World Cup have put the All Blacks brand to use.

Heineken and Adidas have both released ads that intend to build hype for the tournament, which starts in England in just two months.

The Adidas ad is particularly ferocious and features scenes of natural disasters, animals and several players shouting. Highlights of the previous Rugby World Cup are mixed in for good measure.

The campaign is titled Force of Black and a voiceover explains what the mantra means.

"It's inside us. Beating in our hearts, pumping through our veins. It strengthens every sense. It makes us more determined, more focused, more relentless."

Meanwhile, Heineken has released a global video commercial that features rugby legends Jonah Lomu and former South African captain John Smit. It follows a man’s eventful delivery of a briefcase that houses the coin for the match-opening coin toss.

Heineken is the official beer supplier of the sporting event.

The Dutch brewer says Messrs Lomu and Smit are among a panel of star rugby players who will produce social media content to build anticipation for the tournament with the tagline Heineken Legends.

Heineken has launched two competitions to coincide with the campaign. One offers three Kiwis the chance to take the briefcase to the finals while the other has branded Heineken bottles giving away eight trips for two people to attend England versus Fiji in the opening ceremony at Twickenham Stadium on September 18.

MasterCard is another major sponsor of the rugby event and it has continued to leverage its association with Richie McCaw to promote a prize trip for four Kiwis.

The ad shows 'Tim,' aka the overly excited and attached McCaw acolyte, dragging the All Black captain around stores, encouraging people to Tap & Go with PayPass to enter the competition.

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