Harlequins
Raising the profile of Harlequins and its players outside of the traditional sports media
Harlequins, one of the world’s most recognisable rugby clubs, celebrated its 150th year in 2016. Amongst the English game’s most successful sides, winning the Aviva Premiership in 2012 amongst numerous other European and domestic cup successes, Harlequins has always prided itself on playing an innovative, skilful, and exciting brand of rugby.
With a playing squad containing some of the biggest names in English rugby and a crop of rising stars, Harlequins appointed our team during its sesquicentennial to raise the profile of the club, its core values, and its playing talent outside of the sports pages and to establish it as the London rugby club.
The PHA Group has a wealth of experience working with elite athletes and profiling sportsmen and women both inside and outside the sports pages. We worked closely with Harlequins to unearth the stories Harlequins’ players had to tell on and off the rugby pitch in order to secure big-ticket interviews and content opportunities within the national lifestyle, consumer lifestyle and health & fitness press.
We supported the club with its core objective of selling out the annual Big Game, a regular-season Premiership fixture played over the Christmas period at the 82,000-seat Twickenham Stadium. Using player interviews, video content and a family micro-influencer campaign, we helped the club drive ticket sales to its showpiece event.
We also worked closely with the club to raise awareness of its executives and commercial activities within the national business and trade press, supporting the club with partnership announcements, placing executive interviews and securing features around the players’ business ventures away from the sport.
Over 650 pieces of media coverage delivered in two years working together, including top-tier coverage in The Times, The Daily Telegraph, the Evening Standard and BBC Radio 4.
Impactful media coverage in the run-up to Big Game 9 and Big Game 10, helping Harlequins achieve sell-out crowds for both events.
Big-ticket lifestyle features secured in outlets such as the Metro, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health, Square Mile and Healthy for Men.
