The end of the lazy sponsorship campaign era is becoming obvious perhaps?  Here’s another interesting sponsorship film, by Publicis Conseil for Renault’s partnership with the French national rugby team.

The film uses rugby’s vision to underline Renault’s – you must look back to move forward. Rugby is the only sport in which backward passes are mandatory to advance and gain ground. This unique feature is part of what makes the game compelling. And just as the French national team has become a solid, mature one – learning from its difficulties, failures, and victories – so too has Renault moved forward by reinventing models that have made it successful in the past and affirming its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

The sports film leading the campaign features Damian Penaud, star player and record try scorer for France’s national rugby team, Mickaël Guillard, promising talent in the team, and Fabien Galthié, the team’s manager. In the middle of a match, when Damian Penaud seems to be blocked, an inner voice calls out to him and tells him to look behind him. Time stands still, and he sees all the moments, training sessions, achievements, and trials that led him to this moment. The end of the film reveals that the voice belongs to Fabien Galthié, his manager. The film then ties the mantra, look back, to move forward, to the reinvention of the old Renault 5, Renault 4 and Twingo, as new electric versions.

Adding to the unconventional film’s impact is the trip-hop track, Clubbed To Death, (Kurayamino variation) by Australian artist, Rob Dougan, a song made popular by the movie The Matrix.

The film launched in France, on television, digital media, and social networks on January 29, ahead of the Six Nations tournament, which kicks off on February 5 with a match between France and Ireland at the Stade de France. It will be accompanied by press inserts in sports and rugby newspapers and magazines. It will also be broadcast during all the major rugby events throughout the year, in France and Europe.

“When you’re a rugby fan, you know that looking back is how you gain ground. It’s an approach that seems counterintuitive at first glance, but it resonates with me and makes perfect sense for Renault today. We are proud to be a premium partner of the French Rugby Federation and their promising teams,” stated Arnaud Belloni, global chief marketing officer – Renault.