Retail & FashionSpecsavers × Mike Haley — Rugby World Cup 2023 Activation
Specsavers activated Rugby World Cup 2023 with Munster star Mike Haley, capturing authentic fan vox pops across two landmark Paris locations.
Overview
The campaign
Specsavers partnered with Sport Endorse to place Munster rugby player Mike Haley at the centre of its Irish Rugby World Cup 2023 activation. Across 22 and 23 September in Paris, Haley delivered on-camera vox pops at the Rugby Village and Stade de France, creating authentic tournament content for a multi-channel social rollout.
The challenge
Specsavers wanted its Rugby World Cup activation to feel connected to the atmosphere surrounding the tournament, rather than operating as a remote or generic sponsorship message. The brand needed a recognisable rugby personality who could engage confidently with supporters in Paris, work naturally on camera and help translate live fan energy into useful digital content.
The practical challenge combined talent access, short lead times and live-event coordination. The campaign required an athlete with genuine Irish rugby credibility, availability during the tournament and the professionalism to operate across public locations with a production team. Contracts, approvals, scheduling and communication also had to move quickly enough to support activity on 22 and 23 September 2023, while preserving an informal vox-pop style that would not feel over-produced.
The Sport Endorse solution
Sport Endorse connected Specsavers and its agency partner Tangerine with Mike Haley, a well-known Munster rugby player whose sporting profile matched the campaign. The internal HubSpot Deal, titled "Specsaver's Vox Pop Paris 22nd & 23rd September Mike Haley," records Trevor Twamley as Deal owner, Carley Pieterse of Tangerine as the associated contact and the project as an Opportunity Completed.
The public Sport Endorse success story confirms that Haley took part in on-camera vox pops in Paris at both the Rugby Village and the Stade de France. That structure placed him directly inside the supporter experience, allowing the content to draw on real reactions, live tournament excitement and the credibility of an active professional rugby player rather than relying on a studio-based endorsement.
HubSpot records show the Deal was created on 6 September 2023, followed by contract review, legal amendments, a final agreement signed by Mike and delivery of the activation later that month. The Deal closed on 2 October as Opportunity Completed. On 3 October, the agency confirmed that the team was happy with the content and that further pieces were still scheduled for release, demonstrating that the Paris shoot created a broader content bank rather than a single isolated asset.
Athlete fit
Mike Haley was a strong fit because he combined elite rugby experience with direct relevance to Irish supporters. As a Munster player, he brought established sporting credibility and an audience connection that made sense for a Specsavers Rugby World Cup campaign aimed at the Irish market. His role was therefore grounded in the event and the sport, avoiding the mismatch that can occur when a recognisable personality has little authentic connection to the campaign context.
The activation also required more than name recognition. Vox-pop content depends on approachability, spontaneity and the ability to make members of the public feel comfortable on camera. The post-campaign client feedback that Mike was "fab and super easy to work with" is particularly relevant: it validates not only his profile but also his practical suitability for a fast-moving, fan-facing production in busy tournament environments.
Deliverables
- The available public and internal records confirm the following activation structure and deliverables:
- One professional rugby talent, Mike Haley, sourced and contracted for the Specsavers Rugby World Cup 2023 activation.
- Two-day Paris activation delivered on 22 and 23 September 2023.
- On-camera vox-pop activity completed at the Rugby Village in Paris.
- On-camera vox-pop activity completed at the Stade de France.
- Social content assets documented across Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter and LinkedIn, with additional pieces scheduled for release after the activation.
- Contracting, legal review, talent coordination and campaign completion managed through Sport Endorse and recorded in HubSpot.
Results
Verified reach, impressions, views, engagement rate and sales impact were not available in the records reviewed, so none have been estimated. The confirmed operational results are: one contracted rugby athlete, two activation days, two high-profile Paris locations, four social channels evidenced in the internal attachments and one completed Deal. The timeline from internal Deal creation on 6 September to close on 2 October was 26 days.
“Following the activation, Carley Pieterse of Tangerine wrote: "Mike was fab and super easy to work with!" A later email also confirmed that the team was happy with the content and that more pieces would be released. Together, these comments provide a direct qualitative trust signal covering both talent professionalism and campaign output. 1 rugby professional → 2 Paris activation days → 2 landmark locations → authentic fan content built for multi-channel release.”—
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