Thomas Pink briefs Pitch on Lions rugby partnership

British shirt maker Thomas Pink has appointed sports marketing agency Pitch to launch its partnership with the British & Irish Lions 2017 Tour, following a competitive pitch.

Thomas Pink is the official formal wear outfitter to the Lions 2017 and will produce blazers, shirts, ties and formal wear accessories for Lions players and squad members. The shirt maker will also design a range of formal and casual wear, which will go on sale to the public in October.

Pitch has previously worked with Thomas Pink to activate the brand’s role as official formalwear supplier to the British & Irish Lions Tour in 2013. The 2012/13 experiential campaign incorporated two ‘Pink Lion’ pop-up hubs, with guest appearances from past and present Lions players including Sam Warburton, George North, Phil Vickery and Matt Dawson.

The consumer campaign, which will be run by Pitch’s recently launched specialist sponsorship division, Pitch Partnerships, is expected to run from September 2016 to May 2017, and will include a range of ambassador, digital and experiential activations. Central to the creative will be the launch of of a tongue-in-cheek Thomas Pink rugby club.

Alex Field, global head of marketing at Thomas Pink, said: “Pitch showed they understand the character of Thomas Pink with the highly successful Pink campaign for the last Lions Tour. This campaign will be a natural evolution of the last but adapted for the digital environment, across more markets.”

Henry Chappell, Pitch CEO, added: “We’re delighted to be working with Thomas Pink again to activate its second partnership with the British & Irish Lions – an increasingly sought after sports property. The first collaboration was a big success, and for the second campaign we plan to produce some great content and experiences that will be accessible to fans in the UK and across the globe.”