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The Hallway creates Qantas series on Lions Tour

Qantas and Microsoft search engine Bing have launched a five episode branded content series to coincide with the British and Irish Lions Rugby Tour.

The Mane Event created by The Hallway follows four die hard Lions fans, an Englishman, Welshman, Irishman and a Scot as they travel around Australia taking on local Wallabies fans in a series of unusual challenges that test their skill, determination and pride.

The series follows ‘The Great Crusade’ by Wonder which won gold and silver awards at Mumbrella and Encore Magazine’s Festival of Branded Entertainment in 2012, as well as the Gold Lion for branded entertainment at Cannes and a silver in the Australasian Branded Entertainment Awards.

The series directed by The Hallway’s creative partner Simon Lee and Alex Weinress stars actor Rob Carlton who recently played Kerry Packer in the ABC’s Paper Giants.

Lee said being approached by Qantas to produce the project paid tribute to The Hallway’s focus on developing skills in longer form storytelling over the last three years.

He said: “The Mane Event has the makings of a highly entertaining story. Whether it’s at rugby, tiddlywinks or sheep shearing, sports fans are inherently competitive. When you add national pride and a timeless rivalry to the equation, along with a pinch of comic tension, you’ve got some great ingredients to work with.”

Fergus Kelly head of sponsorship marketing for Qantas added: “The Mane Event is shaping into a fantastic clash of the nations. As the drama is unfolding on the rugby pitch, it’s great to see the Lions fans and local Wallabies fans battling it out in their own challenge doing their nation proud.”

The Mane Event videos will be broadcast on Qantas’ in-flight entertainment system and its website will be promoted on the MSN homepage in the UK.

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