Asahi’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Pub Pledge
Beers, screens, and a pledge for change: making women’s rugby a part of pub culture.
The challenge:
Asahi Super Dry is the official beer partner of the Rugby World Cup, with a long-term sponsorship that spans both the men’s and women’s tournaments. For the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, hosted in the UK, our brief was threefold: to drive visibility for women’s rugby, bring fans together in pubs across the nation, and make this the most-viewed women’s rugby event in UK pub history.
But there was a cultural hurdle. While every pub in Britain shows men’s sport, screenings of the women’s game are still relatively rare. How could Asahi Super Dry use its platform to shift pub culture, creating a movement that would outlast the tournament itself?
Our insight:
We saw an opportunity to combine two powerful forces: the pub as the heart of British sport + the growing momentum behind women’s rugby. Research revealed that 60% of fans believe women’s rugby needs to be shown more in public venues. The chance was clear: position Asahi Super Dry not just as a sponsor, but as the catalyst for a national, cultural shift.
If we could connect Asahi’s Modern Japan brand world with the emotion of live sport and the inclusivity of women’s rugby, we could create an experience that felt premium, immersive, and above all, memorable.
The execution:
At the heart of the campaign was the Pub Pledge: Asahi’s nationwide call for pubs and venues to commit to screening the Women’s Rugby World Cup, creating a collective movement to make women’s rugby more visible in pub culture.
To showcase the pledge in action and create a flagship experience, we transformed The Queen’s Head in Shoreditch into The Asahi Open Arms for the duration of the tournament — a dedicated home for women’s rugby fans. Every match will be shown live, beginning with a sold-out opening fixture that drew packed crowds and national media attention. The launch was marked by Women’s Rugby World Player of the Year, Ellie Kildunne, who joined us to open the doors officially.
Inside, The Open Arms went beyond just big screens. It became a hub of rugby culture and fan connection, with:
Live events - from Q&As to guest panels, shining a light on women’s rugby.
Merchandise – opportunities for fans to personalise rugby keepsakes.
Pachinko machines - tapping into Japan’s love of gaming and the UK’s appetite for competitive socialising, creating energy and interaction in-venue.
Immersive branding - wrapping and transforming The Queen’s Head, Shoreditch into The Asahi Open Arms.
The results:
The Asahi Open Arms made an immediate impact, with the opening match screening hailed as a huge success and generating national PR coverage, including Time Out, positioning the venue as London’s go-to destination for WRWC fans.
Over 1,000 pubs across the UK have so far pledged their support, ensuring WRWC 2025 will be the most-viewed women’s rugby event in British pub history. With immersive touchpoints and a national movement behind it, Asahi Super Dry has not only activated a sponsorship, but it’s helped change the culture of pub sport.
Why does it matter?
The Asahi Open Arms set a new benchmark for the in-pub rugby experience. The opening match screening was a huge success, generating PR coverage from publications including Time Out, positioning the venue as London’s go-to destination for WRWC fans.
Most importantly, the Pub Pledge has taken root nationwide. Over 1,000 pubs across the UK have so far signed up, ensuring WRWC 2025 will be the most-viewed women’s rugby event in British pub history. With immersive touchpoints and a national movement behind it, Asahi Super Dry has not only activated a sponsorship, but it’s helped change the culture of pub sport.
Rugby Like Never Before.
