Late September saw the launch of a major new integrated marketing campaign from Aviva Ireland fronted by two legends of Irish sport (Roy Keane and Brian O’Driscoll) and featuring the nation’s national stadium which the brand holds the naming rights to.
The multi-platform, multi-phase initiative – which spans cinema, television, OOH, digital and social – was spearheaded by a launch commercial called ‘The Dream’.
The spot’s creative narrative brings the viewer along for a journey through games children have played through the generations before leading them to a dream that the brand claims all Irish kids have: that one day they will follow in the footsteps of their sporting heroes and wear the country’s famous green jersey in a stadium worthy of the honour.
The message is that, as the sponsor of the Aviva Stadium, that dream is safe in the brand’s custody.
Initially teased by the brand on 23 September,
Psst!! Want a sneak peak of our new ad? You might recognise a few faces!
You're safe in the hands of Aviva #ad https://t.co/wcAJNlsJQJ pic.twitter.com/IN7WZ1MQjf— AVIVA (@AVIVAIRELAND) September 23, 2018
the spearhead video began running on national television on 25 August.
It was amplified across the brand’s other social channels,
Brian O'Driscoll and Roy Keane know what it's like to dream big. Protecting dreams is what we do. You're safe in the hands of Aviva #ad https://t.co/wcAJNlsJQJ pic.twitter.com/pNv68o8YHZ
— AVIVA (@AVIVAIRELAND) September 25, 2018
and promoted by the athlete ambassadors too.
Conkers, marbles & not to be picked last! #aviva https://t.co/dWRewiGNex
— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) September 23, 2018
This the first in a set of films created by agency BBDO Dublin and directed by well known Irish drama director John Hayes (via Sweet Media).
Hayes is known for helming ITV hit Bancroft, as well as episodes of programmes ranging from ‘Vera’ and ‘Home Fires’ to ‘Doctor Who’.
‘The Dream’ will be followed by three further ads: all focused on each of Aviva’s key product categories; Life, Car and Home insurance.
All will also reinforce Aviva’s market leading position in these markets..
Sharon Treanor, Head of Marketing at Aviva, explained that ‘The Dream’ commercial has been created specifically to address the association between Aviva’s title sponsorship of the stadium and the linkage to the insurance company.
“Nothing unites and energises Irish people more than sport and our sponsorship of the Stadium and the grass roots programmes brings Aviva into the lives of families all around the country. We wanted to develop a campaign that celebrates our renewal of the Stadium sponsorship while also highlighting our position as one of Ireland’s leading general insurance and life assurance providers,” says Treanor.
Comment:
The campaign demonstrates just how committed Aviva is in Ireland to its rugby partnership.
Which contrasts with Aviva UK’s releatively recent decision to end its long running rugby rights which it used for multiple marketing initiatives and strategic objections during its title rights period – from shifting specific products as in its 2017 #DriverSafer campaign (see case study) to brand building such as its 2011 ePlayer activation (see case study).
https://www.activative.co.uk/2011/01/10/aviva-sponsors-premier-rugbys-on-demand-eplayer/
Links:
Aviva Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/user/AvivaIreland
https://www.facebook.com/Aviva
https://twitter.com/AvivaIreland
BBDO Dublin
