Grant uk x bath rugby: Kick the carbon

Picture this: A rugby player perches on a tiny school chair. Either side of him, two pint-sized scientists in oversized lab coats watch intently, clipboards in hand.

“What do you do at home to be more sustainable?” the young scientists quiz the players relentlessly about their sustainability habits, before challenging them to a series of taskmaster-style missions.  

Whilst making a portrait of their teammate using reusable cups, and navigating an obstacle course with a load of freshly dried washing, the players and children discuss ways that we could all be more eco conscious in our daily lives. 

We think this is a far more interesting way to show Rugby fans that the players care about the environment  than a series of generic talking-heads video, and it was perhaps the most fun we’ve ever had on a shoot.

Read on to find out about the lasting legacy of this great partnership...

For years, Grant UK has been more than just a name on Bath Rugby's kit. Grant UK has been sponsoring the club since 2015, not only supporting the players on the pitch but also working with the team to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability.

Recognising their shared commitment to sustainability and their influence on the local community, they embarked on a mission to engage Bath Rugby fans, especially the younger generation, in the drive to meet net zero targets.

Running With the Creative Idea

Initially the idea was to film some talking heads with the players talking about sustainability - but that would have been quite dull for everyone involved and not very impactful. As Bath Rugby were ahead of the curve in terms of sustainability within rugby, we thought perhaps we could have the players passing on the knowledge that they have, teaching people how to be more eco friendly, but this seemed a little “preachy” and wouldn't  fit the tone we wanted to achieve. 

The reason why Grant are so passionate about contributing to the net zero target is the impact on the next generation. So that got us thinking - Who are the people in your home who are pushing the sustainability mindset? It’s the kids. Because they’re the next generation of role models.

We decided to turn our original idea on it's head and get the kids to teach the players and challenge them to show how sustainable they really are with a series of TaskMaster-style challenges (because everyone loves Taskmaster).  In a series of pre-shoot workshops with the schools we got the kids to come up with tasks which related to sustainability in some way.  On the shoot day we dressed them up as scientists with lab coats and clipboards while they grilled the players who we made to sit on tiny chairs from the primary school classrooms. 

One the day we had to work around the players busy training schedule which can sometimes be quite stressful for all concerned. But the players were so charming and really embraced the whole project. They could have arrived and said ‘what on earth is this?’ But they got stuck in and really enjoyed it. Of course the kids had an absolute ball and will remember it forever - we think their enthusiasm shines through in the videos and that’s what really makes the films so charming.

A Lasting Legacy

The best part of this project came much later in the form of an unexpected and lasting legacy. The Kick the Carbon campaign led to Bath Rugby and Grant UK teaming up as ‘Official Sustainability Partners’, aiming to increase awareness of sustainability amongst the local community.

The 2022/23 season saw the Kick the Carbon campaign roll out into local schools with Bath Rugby and Grant UK visiting primary school children to deliver an engaging education programme about sustainability and the importance of protecting the environment.

It's a partnership that proves just how impactful grassroots initiatives can be in getting a message out to a wider audience.