Problem
An Post are proud title sponsors of the Irish Book Awards since 2018. We feel a duty to evolve and enhance the sponsorship and have done so successfully throughout these eight years.
However the perception remained that this was an elitist literary event. Despite Ireland’s deep love for reading and literature, the event lacked inclusivity.
Meanwhile letter writing, the brand’s traditional core business, continued to decline and we needed to engage new, especially younger audiences for our expanding financial services and ecommerce offerings.
Action
We reimagined the Irish Book Awards, transforming it from a single event into a nationwide cultural celebration.
- We partnered with diverse creators, amplifying reach, building genuine cultural relevance and positioning the awards as inclusive and accessible.
- We hosted simultaneous watch parties in bookstores across Ireland. Attracting new audiences, the parties built excitement ahead of the live show.
- We shared the magic of the awards with a wider audience through a “Green Carpet” experience
- We amplified audience reach through a media partnership with RTÉ, co-funding the “An Post Irish Book of the Year” primetime TV show
Results
This bold reimagining of the awards helped achieve the following:
- Our influencer strategy generated 26.8M impressions and 25M video views
- Significant increase in parcel revenue and delivery levels
- Prompted sponsor awareness of 52%
- Surge in book sales – surpassing seasonal uplift
- TV broadcast reached 188,000 viewers
By taking the awards out of the ballroom and into living rooms, An Post didn’t just sponsor an event, we provided a cultural celebration.
