Pill Harriers RFC

Client: Pill Harriers RFC
Industry: Sport
Services Provided: Video production & Aerial Filming
Location: South Wales
Production Company: Focus Shift Films

Project Background:
Pill Harriers RFC are based in Pillgwenlly, Newport and are the beating heart of their community. With a 1st team, 2nd team and a thriving juniors section the club is growing. Add to that the clubhouse being a hub for a wide variety of diverse events. Things are growing, and the club now need additional sponsors to help stimulate further growth.

Project Insight:
The leadership team at Pill Harriers RFC know that grassroots club sponsorship can no longer be just local business people generously donating without return. They are building a community of local businesses that can not only support the club, but the club can add value back by connecting them with each other and also providing activities that stimulate business opportunities. In order to help engage with more sponsors, the club required a promotional video to showcase the club, their facilities and the opportunity for new sponsors.

Creative Approach:
Personality-driven content:
– Grassroots sports clubs are built on the hard work of volunteers and we wanted to showcase the people behind the club, to allow them to share their own stories in their own words and to share their passion for the club and the area.

Story-driven content:
– In order to showcase the club we wanted to tell their story – who they are, when they were formed, their place within the community and how they’ve evolved, as well as people sharing their own stories of the club and what it means to them. Stories are vital for creating lasting engagement with audiences.

Showcasing value for sponsors:
– We wanted to ensure that the video wasn’t built around asking for money, but instead showcased the value of the club to potential sponsors. Therefore, we told the story of the club and the people behind it, but also the vision of the club to help them showcase their potential trajectory in the coming years.
– The video couldn’t be purely transactional if it was going to have an impact – it needed to play on emotions, engage with audiences on a deeper level and be packed with authentic personalities.

Outcome:
The video will be used by the leadership team at Pill Harriers RFC to engage with sponsors, both current and potential new sponsors. We have ourselves decided to become a supporter of the club and a sponsors board for Focus Shift Films will be pitch side for every home match. Pill Harriers RFC are a great example of how grassroots sports clubs need to operate in the modern world and providing value back to sponsors is key.