Earlier this year, the final of the Super Rugby Aupiki streamed live on TikTok. Reporter (and rugby fan) Zahra Shahtahmasebi hears how 2degrees and TBWA\New Zealand made this happen, and why they are passionate champions for women’s rugby.
Kiwi telco 2degrees wants Aotearoa to see women’s rugby differently – literally and figuratively.
Fuelled by its mission of “fighting for fair”, it simultaneously championed women’s rugby and challenged traditional sports broadcasting when it live streamed the Super Rugby Aupiki final on TikTok in April.
“We wanted to bring greater visibility and awareness to the teams and players… as a result we put women at the centre of something fun and exciting,” says Anna Gorman, 2degrees Sponsorship & Events Manager.
The telco has been sponsor of Super Rugby Aupiki, the professional women’s rugby competition played across Aotearoa, since its inaugural season in March 2022.
Knowing Aupiki doesn’t get as much coverage and support as the men’s competition, 2degrees was driven to champion the wāhine putting in the hard yards on the pitch.
Thinking about where people spend their time, it saw a great opportunity to bring a game to the audience by live streaming on TikTok, says Gorman.
And while streaming sport from your phone might not sound special, this wasn’t just any broadcast.
Working with TBWA\New Zealand and Sky, the match livestream was designed and built for TikTok – filmed vertically with its own commentary team, including the likes of Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge, a roving reporter in the stands, polls and split screens.
It was a world first, says Shane Bradnick, TBWA\NZ Chief Creative Officer, as typically, linear TV broadcasts are repurposed for social media platforms.
But the teams at TBWA\NZ, 2degrees and Sky wanted to give viewers a new experience.
TikTok streaming opened the final up to a wider audience and made it more accessible – you didn’t need to be in the stadium, at a bar or have access to a TV to watch it live, says Bradnick. The vertical format meant the broadcast focused more closely on the action and helped connect the audience with the players – viewers were literally seeing the game differently, he adds.
The end result was a more immersive and intimate experience. “It wasn’t just the same TV broadcast, it was bespoke and leant into the platform features. People were encouraged to get involved and interact,” says Bradnick.
“It goes a long way to show 2degrees’ dedication to giving people a different experience and supporting
women’s rugby.”
If they didn’t already know about it, people could come across the broadcast by scrolling through their TikTok feed. As a result, TikTok recorded a total of 18,000 views – double the number at the final last year – as well as 160,000 likes and comments. The 6,000 comments, Gorman notes, were all overwhelmingly favourable.
“All of the sentiments and comments and vibes of the game were so positive, there were no keyboard warriors. Everyone was so engaged and excited.”
With the objective to create new fans and give people the experience of rugby, Gorman says the teams nailed the brief.
She’s proud of her team at 2degrees, TBWA\NZ and Sky who pushed the boundaries to champion women’s sport.
“There was no script, but our media partners and creative agency, we all really cared.”
Both Gorman and Bradnick believe social media will play a bigger role in sport – after all, it would be rude not to after their Super Rugby Aupiki experience created such deep and rich experiences for viewers, all while fighting the good fight for women’s rugby.
This was first published in the 2024 June-July NZ Marketing Magazine issue. Subscribe here.
