Qantas and Bing launch ‘The Mane Event’ branded content series to coincide with British + Irish Lions Rugby Tour in OZ via The Hallway
The Hallway, working with Microsoft search engine Bing and Qantas Airways, are launching a five episode branded content series, The Mane Event, to coincide with the British and Irish Lions Rugby Tour of Australia.
Three of the five episodes have aired to date:
Whilst the Lions and the Qantas Wallabies compete to see who is best at rugby, The Mane Event will provide the definitive answer to who is best at everything else. The series follows four die hard Lions fans – an Englishman, a Scot, a Welshman and an Irishman – as they travel around Australia taking on local Wallabies fans in a series of somewhat unusual challenges that will test their skill, their determination and above all, their pride.
The Mane Event is directed by The Hallway’s creative partner Simon Lee and Alex Weinress and stars award-winning actor Rob Carlton, who most recently played Kerry Packer in the ABC’s Paper Giants.
Says Lee: “Over the past three years the team at The Hallway has invested significant time in honing our longer form storytelling ability and sensibility. Being approached by Qantas for a project of this nature is recognition of the skills we have established in the agency.
“The Mane Event has the makings of a highly entertaining story. Whether it’s at rugby, tiddlywinks or sheep shearing, sports fans are inherently competitive. When you add national pride and a timeless rivalry to the equation, along with a pinch of comic tension, you’ve got some great ingredients to work with.”
Says Fergus Kelly, Qantas head of sponsorship marketing: “The Mane Event is shaping into a fantastic clash of the nations. As the drama is unfolding on the rugby pitch, it’s great to see the Lions fans and local Wallabies fans battling it out in their own challenge doing their nation proud.”
The Mane Event will be promoted by Microsoft in the UK on the MSN homepage, which points visitors to www.lionsmaneevent.com. The videos will also be broadcast on Qantas’ in-flight entertainment system.
7 Comments
It probably seemed funny on paper.
Mane event… geddit…
I don’t understand how The Hallway get these clients when they execute so poorly.
This is quite bad. Flat, contrived and just plain amateurish.
It’s a nice piece of entertaining content – Rob Carlton is a good choice of host and the British fans are well cast. Well done.
Would have liked to get a bit more character development as the Brit fans have lots of comic potential – but overall I reckon this is a really effective piece of Branded Content.
shoulda done a tv ad
Entertaining fluff. Rugby is all about men and mates and a bit of international rivalry. Does the job nicely I reckon.