A new Guinness TV commercial centred on the Six Nations starts airing this weekend. ‘The Purse’ tells the real-life story of two brothers, David and Gareth Rees, and their late-mother, Olive, who left them her inheritance under the condition they used it to follow the Welsh rugby side play the game that she loved.

The Guinness marketing team and their ad agency received a fillip when Wales came back from the dead in Paris to triumph against France in the first match of the 2019 Six Nations competition.

David and Gareth Rees (pictured) commented: “We’ve loved rugby for as long as we can remember and being able to go to the Six Nations matches thanks to our mam has been amazing. Now being able to tell our story with Guinness is a ‘pinch me’ moment.”

The commercial was created by ad agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and directed by  Tom Green.

In Association with

Meanwhile, Virgin Media has announced that frozen food SME Strong Roots is to sponsor its coverage of the Ireland games.

Strong Roots, established by Sam Dennigan in 2015, is best known for frozen oven-baked sweet potato chips, and the range also includes cauliflower hash browns, garlic roasted sweet potatoes, beetroot and bean burgers, and broccoli and purple carrot bites.

Marketing director Laura Smith said: “Strong Roots’ sponsorship of Virgin Media One’s coverage of the Guinness Six Nations tournament comes at a time when the nation has never been more focused on health, nutrition and wellness."

The deal was brokered by the sponsorship team at media agency Core, working with Spark Foundry. 

The Ireland v. England match on Saturday kicks off at 4.45pm. Virgin Media’s rugby coverage is fronted by Joe Molloy, with analysts Ronan O’Gara, Matt Williams and Shane Horgan, and pitch-side comment from David Wallace and Shane Jennings. Dave McIntyre and Alan Quinlan will be on commentary duties.