LONDON, UK – In a bold, unapologetically rousing move, O2 has unveiled its most powerful women’s rugby campaign to date: England, meet England. Developed with its long time creative partner VCCP, the integrated campaign reframes England’s Red Roses not just as world-class athletes, but as national icons worthy of household-name status.
The timing is no coincidence. With the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 taking place on home soil, and the Red Roses coming off a triumphant Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam, O2 is making a nationwide call: it’s time for England to know its most successful rugby team.
At the campaign’s heart is Dive, a cinematic hero film directed by Marcus Söderlund and produced by Academy Films with VCCP’s global content studio Girl&Bear. Set to Romy’s soaring track Weightless, the film opens in an unexpected place: the Red Roses’ changing room. But instead of pulling on boots, the players strap on helmets not to prepare for a match, but a skydive.
The sequence becomes an electrifying metaphor: the team plunges through the sky in perfect formation, uniting midair before landing in a packed Allianz Stadium at Twickenham. Shoulder to shoulder, they’re ready for battle. The message is clear – the Red Roses aren’t just rising, they’re unstoppable.
O2’s work with VCCP goes beyond marketing bravado. It underscores the brand’s continued commitment to parity in rugby, with equal investment across both men’s and women’s teams. It also builds on O2’s partnership with the Women’s Sports Trust (WST) and the RFU, which has already driven a 14% increase in awareness, a 57% boost in social followers, and record-breaking attendances including 58,000 fans at the Women’s Six Nations 2023 Grand Slam decider.
Rachel Swift, Brand and Advertising Director at Virgin Media O2, said “This year, O2 and England Rugby are celebrating 30 years of partnership, and with the Red Roses dominating women’s rugby, and the upcoming Rugby World Cup on home turf, now more than ever we want to help connect fans to the team and grow the women’s game.
“The Red Roses are England’s most decorated rugby team – and yet they’re not yet front of mind. With ‘England, meet England,’ we’re giving them the epic entrance to the tournament they’ve earned and calling on the nation to get behind them and Wear the Rose. With the Women’s Rugby World Cup just around the corner, we’re spotlighting the Red Roses’ incredible talent and we’re proud to be behind them every step of the way.”
Shot by Michelle Watt, the OOH executions feature everything from commanding 96 sheet team visuals to striking solo portraits. Social first content goes even deeper, spotlighting the squad’s individual personalities and milestone moments.
In an irreverent twist, O2 has also enlisted British comedian Asim Chaudhry’s beloved character Chabuddy G as the Red Roses’ new “PR Manager.” Through a mockumentary-style social series, Chaudhry aka Cha-rugby G delivers hilariously questionable PR stunts and viral schemes, offering fans a lighter, more personal view of the players.
In true O2 fashion, the campaign extends beyond screens and stadiums. A first of its kind AI-powered team talk will allow fans nationwide to submit personal messages of support, which will be transformed into a unified track and presented to the team during the tournament.
Nikki Lindman, Creative Director at VCCP added “We’re incredibly proud to be part of this moment for the Red Roses. They’re on an incredible winning streak, but somehow still under the radar. This campaign is a proper introduction — confident, powerful, and full of heart. We wanted to make something that felt as big as the stage they’re about to step onto. Hopefully it gives people goosebumps … and makes them proud to cheer them on.”
As an official partner of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, O2 will also bring fans closer to the action with Priority ticket access, live experiences, and an opening performance by singer-songwriter Anne-Marie at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. Across host cities, O2 stores will even swap their iconic logo for the Rugby Rose, while staff don England Rugby shirts in solidarity.
Campaign Credits:
Clients: O2
Director of Partnerships and Sponsorship: Gareth Griffiths
Marketing Director: Simon Valcarcel
Head of Advertising and Campaigns: Johnny Winn
Head of Sport: Marie Houlgate
Senior Campaign Manager: Nina Dubravec
Campaign Manager: Iona Murray-Spink
Partnerships Manager – Sport: Jamie Brown
Senior Consultant – Sport: Jessica White
PR & Social: Olivia McKee, Chloe Rainford & Sophie Hack
Advertising Agency: VCCP
Executive Creative Director: David Masterman
Creative Director: Nikki Lindman
Creatives: Jake Wiseman & James Ginn
Managing Partner: Olivia Packshaw
Business Director: Alexandra Gluck
Senior Account Director: Kate Jackson
Senior Account Manager: Jamie Glazer
Deputy Chief Strategy Officer: Clare Hutchinson
Planning Director: Lotte Jones
Planner: Liberty Covill
Production: Girl&Bear
Senior Integrated Creative Producer: Pip Seymour-Judd
Agency TV Producer: Ed Thorn
Digital Agency: Bernadette
Creative Director and Head of 3D: Jon Bancroft
Associate Project Director: Luke Dougherty
Project Manager: Nayef (Nay) Hassan
Interactive Designers: Štěpán Sebastián Hlouch, Linas Jovaisas, Nik Karpov
Production Company: Academy Films
Director: Marcus Söderlund
1st AD: James Sharpe
DOP: Barry Ackroyd
Sky Diving Cam Operator: Chris Cookie
Production Designer: Ben Ansell
Executive Producer: Darapen Vongsa-Nga
Producer: Dulcie Kellett
Editors: Trim Editing
Editor: Tom Grove Carter
Executive Producer: Pia Ebrill
Broadcast Affairs Manager: Katie Singer
Planning and Buying Agency: MG OMD
Media Client Business Director: Hollie Hambilton
Client Account Director: Nadia Murrell
Strategy Director: Gareth White
Planning Director: Will Maclure
Digital Account Director: Miranda Roberts
Sponsorship Agency: MSQ Sport and Entertainment
Founding Partner: Jamie Wynne-Morgan
Strategy Partner: Georgia Bridgwood
Managing Partner: Kim Broadbent
Creative Partner: Seth Jones
Senior Account Director: George Williams
Senior Account Manager: Ade Ojigbo
Senior Account Executive: Abby Ward
Senior Creative: Issie Mandry
Senior Designer: Seb Bailey
Senior Producer: Hannah Lane
Photographer: Michelle Watt
1st Assistant: Daniel Cochran
2nd Assistant: Robin Bernstein
Lighting Tech: Sean Morrow
Digi Tech: Laimonas Stasiulis
Production Manager: Ester Viana
Set Designer: Andrew Clarkson
Set Assistants: Kenechi Carmel, Harry Ezzat
Stylist: Amy Thompson
Spark: Toby Norman
Runners: Alishia Shaw, Ollie Wood, Rowan Hutchings, Hope Worley
HMUA: ℅ Untitled Artists
Medic: Reema Shah
Post Production Company: Rascal Studio
Post Producers: Ellie Thwaites, Lisa Fox
Post Supervisor: Kalle Lundberg
Colourist: James Bamford
Lead Compositor & Online: Paul Wilmot
Executive Producer: Jen Le Noury
Production Assistant: Noemi Seminara
Design and Artwork: Girl&Bear
Design Director: Lee Bodell
Studio Manager: James Perry
Senior Creative Artworker: Toby Kadir
Resource Manager: Yasmine Moridi
Audio Post-Production Company: 750 MPH
Sound Engineer: Sam Ashwell
Producers: Olivia Ray, Carla Thomas
Music Supervision: Twelve Decibels – Daniel Payne
