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Brawn over Brains: how Welsh beer beat French law

Ahead of tonight’s Six Nations clash between Wales and France, Louis Thomas looks at how the brewery which sponsored the Welsh rugby team’s shirts sidestepped France’s strict alcohol advertising laws 20 years ago.

 

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Cardiff-based brewery Brains (SA Brain & Company) became the Welsh rugby team’s main shirt sponsor in 2004.

However, France’s Loi Évin, implemented in 1991 and named after then-Minister of Health Claude Évin, restricts the advertising of alcoholic drinks in the name of public health.

This law meant that Wales were unable to wear their red shirts emblazoned with the Brains brewery’s name when playing in France.

2005

But, when the Welsh team stepped out onto the pitch of Stade de France on 26 February 2005, they wore shirts where the word ‘Brains’ was replaced, in the same styling as the usual branding, with the rather fitting pun ‘Brawn’.

It was a canny marketing move from Brains, turning what could have been a lost chance to advertise into a publicity stunt.

“Our whole positive thinking campaign is intended as a light- hearted, humorous way of instilling positive energy into the Welsh team and its supporters,” said Stewart Dobson, then head of marketing for the brewery. “When we were presented with the opportunity to change the shirts for the French game, we couldn’t resist having a bit of fun with it.”

Indeed, Welsh brawn did prevail, with the Dragons beating Les Bleus by 24 points to 18. 2005’s tournament saw co-captains Gareth Thomas and Michael Owen steering Wales to its first title of the Six Nations era, and a Grand Slam to boot. Throughout the rest of the tournament, the team sported its Brains-branded jersey.

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2007

Second acts are often tricky to get right, but when Wales returned to Saint-Denis in 2007, Brains was ready to top its effort from two years previously, with the jersey stamped with the slogan: ‘Brawn Again’.

Unfortunately, despite a strong start, Wales were not able to resurrect their performance from 2005, falling to defeat at the Stade de France, while the French ultimately ended up as champions.

2009

2009 provided the chance to settle old scores, and an opportunity for a third jersey joke from Brains.

This time, the brewery did something for the linguists in the crowd, with the sponsor reading: ‘Try Essai’.

The pun works on a number of levels. Firstly, ‘Essai’ sounds the same as ‘SA’, the first initials of brewery founder Samuel Arthur Brain and the name of Brains’ flagship ale. Secondly, ‘essai’ is also the French term for a try in rugby.

However, once again, the Welsh team could not beat Les Bleus, losing by 16 points to France’s 21. Neither side would win the tournament outright, as Ireland marched to Grand Slam glory.

End of an era

Brains’ sponsorship of the Welsh national team’s shirts ended in 2010. Despite this, the shirts are fondly-remembered by Wales supporters, with Brains still selling red jerseys featuring the ‘Brawn Again’ alternative, though these are not WRU affiliated and do not feature the national team’s three-feathered emblem.

More recent sponsors of Welsh Rugby Union, such as Admiral and, at present Vodafone, have not had to contend with Loi Évin – the promotion of multi-car insurance providers and phone shops doesn’t break French advertising laws.

Brains has arguably set a precedent for drinks brands associated with the rugby when advertising in France. Guinness, the main sponsor of the Six Nations since 2019, is also unable to use its brand name for promotion at the Stade de France, with the Diageo-owned stout superpower instead opting for ‘Greatness’ – something Wales could definitely do with if they’re hoping to avoid another wooden spoon this year.

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