Looking at both the Rugby World Cup 2023 happening in France and the XV de France which most observers expected to win the competition, Orange needed a fan engagement campaign aligned with its mobile recycling commitment.

In terms of communication, the campaign’s objectives centered on raising awareness, shaping a positive image, and influencing attitudes towards Orange’s environmental commitment, reaching a broad audience made of fans as well as of sports industry stakeholders.

Marketing wise, the goal was to enhance brand image and preference, leveraging a CSR commitment, as well as to generate a 10% rise in mobile recycling, leveraging the RWC2023 prestige to collect 30K phones over four months.

This campaign underscored Orange’s dedication to sustainability, intertwining with France’s cultural fabric through the nation’s love for rugby, XV de France and its environmental consciousness.

In a country – France – where skepticism is a national sport and where people only believe in what they see, a brand cannot simply state what it does. It must show it and explain it.

As France’s leading telecom operator and official partner of both the Rugby World Cup 2023 and the French rugby national team, Orange seized the opportune moment to showcase the worth of their phones. This is what brough to life Phone2Gold, a recycling initiative that transforms old smartphones into official Rugby World Cup medals.

Mobiles were collected in rugby clubs and Orange stores all over France; each stage of the transformation process from mobile to medal was documented and the medal were officially revealed at La Monnaie de Paris, in the presence of the French Minister for Sport.

French people believe only what they see… Therefore, the strategy centers on highlighting both the destination and the journey of used mobile phones entering Orange’s mobile recycling program “RE” to transform into Rugby World Cup 2023 medals.

Through a comprehensive film detailing the entire process of collecting and recycling mobile phones to craft medals, Orange seeks to establish an emotional connection with its audience, underlining its commitment to environmental sustainability in a transparent manner.

This approach is intricately woven into the overarching objectives of fostering a positive brand perception and fortifying Orange's standing as a socially responsible telecommunications provider.

By intertwining its CSR efforts with a globally recognized event - and implicitly referring to the French national team, behind which the whole country was committed - Orange aimed to not only showcase its commitment to sustainability but also to resonate deeply with its audience.

The phones were collected a year before RWC23, utilizing a multifaceted approach: a compelling social media campaign and strategically placed collection boxes in amateur rugby clubs and Orange stores nationwide.

To substantiate the transformation process, a captivating film was produced over 5 months, detailing each stage of medal production—from phone collection and sorting to metal extraction, raw material preparation, and medal shaping by the Monnaie de Paris.

The film, unveiled on May 31, 2023, 100 days before the RWC23 kick-off, premiered on social media and at a special event at the Monnaie de Paris, graced by the presence of the French Minister for Sport and media.

The campaign garnered widespread support from Orange's partners, including the French Rugby Federation, amateur clubs across France, the Monnaie de Paris, National team rugby players, and legendary figures such as Sébastien Chabal.

The biggest mobile phones collection ever held in France… was a success for Orange, not just in recycling but also in brand enhancement.

The campaign collected over 200,000 phones in 220+ rugby clubs and Orange stores, a 30% increase since the program’s inauguration in 2020. From these, 2953 kg of metals were extracted to create 1500 medals for RWC23.

The communication synergies with the Rugby World Cup and the French national team garnered extensive media coverage, with a PR reach exceeding 50M and a 47% boost in Orange’s association with the RWC.

Although the campaign’s direct impact on brand preference is hard to quantify due to concurrent Orange activities, the positive brand attribution to the RWC event is evident.