In 2022, Allied Irish Bank plc. (“AIB”) as Ireland’s largest financial services group, was facing into an unprecedented year with two retail banks withdrawing from the Irish market. As a result, an estimated 900,000 accounts would need to be transitioned.
Added to this was the challenging macro-economic environment due to cost of living pressures and the war in Ukraine. This inflationary pressure was likely to result in rising interests rates – never popular with customers. AIB was also under pressure to reduce costs making the business more attractive to further investment.
AIB’s purpose being to help customers achieve their dreams and ambitions, had identified sustainable communities as one of its five strategic pillars on which, the future success would be built. Sponsorship of the GAA allowed AIB to bring this commitment to life, at a scale no other form of marketing would permit.
AIB’s partnership with the GAA given its huge diverse following, as Ireland’s largest community and sporting organisation, was identified as having a key role to play in a pivotal year supporting the business imperative of maintaining favourable perception with existing customers whilst winning hearts and minds of potential ones.
Given the increasing influence of the players with Irish consumers, AIB built on its pre-existing strong relationship with the player base, to put them at the heart of our storytelling whilst also providing media unrivalled and unprecedented access to them maximising cut through and an earned media drumbeat to complement owned and paid activity.
