Allied Irish Banks (AIB) aimed to evolve from transactional banking to a ‘Functional to Feel-Good’ brand, connecting to their customers’ lives by demonstrating tangible community support. Facing a crowded Irish sports sponsorship landscape, AIB needed to leverage its long-standing legacy to become the go-to bank. The deep-rooted connection of Club Gaelic Games (300,000 players, 2,200+ clubs) offered an unparalleled platform. The solution was a pioneering unified sponsorship of all four Gaelic Games codes – Men’s Gaelic Football, Hurling, Camogie, and Ladies Football: to strengthen community support and contribute to the ongoing development of Gaelic Games.
The campaign’s objectives included establishing AIB as the first unified sponsor, achieving significant LGFA launch coverage, generating compelling content for the core GAA audience, and increasing overall Club Championships media reach. Execution involved a landmark LGFA launch, the player centric ‘The Toughest Traits’ content series featuring Kieran Read, the immersive AIB ClubHouse experiential activation, and the historic first ever Combined Club Player Awards. A robust marketing mix utilised earned media (award-winning PR photography), content marketing (digital and TV), experiential events, and social media engagement (content creators and media partners).
Results exceeded expectations: Overall AIB GAA Club Championships media coverage increased by 9% (321 pieces) and reach by 7% (37.2 million). This campaign not only enhanced AIB’s brand health and customer engagement but solidified its position as the unifying force and champion of grassroots Gaelic Games, setting a new benchmark for inclusive sports sponsorship and providing a clear strategic direction for the sport’s integrated future.
