"We've turned rugby into a strength": Martial Malnati, Managing Director of Plainitude

Created in Strasbourgevent agency Plainitude has changed its latitude in recent years, focusing on Toulonits new headquarters in 2022. Local fervour and the agency's close links with the world of sport led it to take up the sport of rugby. Plainitude is now the link between the business world and the rugbyBut the agency aims to be versatile. "We offer all types of activities. We don't just specialise in rugby, we offer tailor-made solutions. Quite simply, we've made rugby our strength because we've been innovative in creating activities and workshops."says Martial Malnati, Managing Director of Plainitude. It's a trajectory that inevitably led the agency to collaborate with this local institution with a prestigious list of awards: "We work regularly with the Rugby Club Toulonnais (Editor's note: RCT), because they wanted to develop a range of events linked to rugby and the club. They call on us and other agencies to develop white-label rugby-related events."says Martial Malnati.

For him, the link between the world of business and the world of oval sports is naturally based on these famous values: "we are currently working on an event where the customer wants to highlight keywords specific to its strategy, such as the reliabilitythe collective, l'commitment. These are terms that are naturally found in rugby values". But the Managing Director of the Plainitude agency also sees the practical, fun applications that this gentleman's sport can share with employees. "Rugby has the advantage of incorporating manipulations that are unique to the sport. Passing, touching and penalties are gestures that can only be performed through rugby. It's very interesting for us. A number of activities revolve around an introduction to these practices". And that's true on almost any playing field: "we generally try to favour a stadium because it confers a certain decor to the event"says Martial Malnati. "But events can be held anywhere as long as the surface is large enough. It can be synthetic, grass or even tarmac if necessary. We've designed activities that can take place anywhere, even indoors if the ceiling height is high enough!".

All-terrain practice, then, but also for all ages: "This is the principle behind our products: almost all introductory rugby activities are risk-free, mixed and contact-free."Martial Malnati reassures us. There are no difficulties for any population to take part in a rugby event. Touch, penalty and pass handling do not require contact. It's more a question of precision than of any particular physical condition."he continues.

As the World Cup, Plainitude has been able to measure the enthusiasm generated by the competition in its customer portfolio. "The arrival of the event has made some companies want to organise their annual event, be it team building or an activity based around rugby and its values, in addition to a seminar or convention.". The events agency has adapted its catalogue accordingly, expanding and diversifying it. "We are working with more and more participants on these events. Where we initially had three or four introductory workshops, we've had to develop more activities. We've also created less sporting, more creative activities. For example, fun quizzes, or haka activities. We've even come up with an activity where you have to retranscribe the RCT's battle cry, the Pilou pilou, including key words specific to the company and its values."explains Martial Malnati.