Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion (RBL) is the UKs largest charity dedicated to supporting the needs of the Armed Forces community, past and present and their families. The RBL is the champion of Remembrance and safeguards the Armed Forces Covenant. It is well known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem the red poppy. For further information, visit rbl.org.uk.
Client requirements
The Royal British Legion, like all charities, faces the ongoing challenge of maintaining public awareness and support for their cause, particularly during the crucial Remembrance period.
They sought innovative ways to engage with a wider audience and generate sustainable funding for their vital work supporting the Armed Forces community.
The solution was to identify a partner that could help them leverage the immense popularity of sports, particularly football, to amplify their message and fundraising efforts. They required a solution that would respectfully incorporate their iconic poppy symbol into high-visibility contexts while maintaining the integrity of their brand.
How we helped
In 2012, Elms formed a partnership with the Royal British Legion, creating a groundbreaking initiative that brought the Poppy Appeal to the heart of British football.
This partnership enabled the Premier League, English Football League, and Women’s Super League/Women’s Championship to feature the official Royal British Legion Poppy logo on club shirts during Remembrance fixtures.
For this application, we utilised our premium UltraTex™ technique, a polyester-based solution for badges, letters, and numbers that offers a perfect blend of comfort and performance for elite sportswear.
This high-profile placement significantly boosted the RBL’s cause’s visibility, reaching millions of fans across the country. For each Poppy sold, a £1 donation is made to the RBL, creating a vital new fundraising stream for the charity.
Building on the success of this initiative, in 2024, we expanded our partnership with the RBL by creating an extensive range of dual-branded merchandise.
This new line includes scarves, beanies, hoodies, t-shirts, and bobble hats, all featuring the iconic Royal British Legion poppy logo alongside club emblems of major sporting clubs across the UK.
By making this merchandise available through official club stores in the lead-up to the Remembrance period, we’ve created additional fundraising opportunities and extended the reach of the RBL’s message.
Elms Marketing has enabled the RBL to become more visible among professional sports in the UK, effectively highlighting our key message of support for the Armed Forces community. Through our partnership on Poppy Patches with professional sports clubs, we have strengthened our relationship with UK sports fans, emphasising the importance of supporting our cause.
Hugh French
Corporate Partnerships Officer at Royal British Legion
Additionally, the newly created dual-branded merchandise partnership with Elms Marketing has further reinforced this bond with the UK sports fan base. This partnership allows fans to showcase their support for the RBL and the Armed Forces community through a new range of scarves, hats, and other merchandise that highlight their favourite clubs’ commitment to the charity and the work we do.
Without Elms, the RBL would not have the strong connection we now enjoy with professional sports teams, a connection we greatly value. Year after year, we collaborate with clubs across the UK, enabling the RBL to advance its mission with fans of all ages. This helps us teach each generation about the significance of Remembrance and the importance of supporting those who serve our country.
The 2024 Poppy Appeal marked a momentous milestone for our partnership. Together, we achieved a 121% increase in funds raised compared to the 2023 Poppy Appeal, thanks to the success of dual-branded merchandise at professional clubs across the UK.
