As the first match in the NRMA Insurance Men’s Test Series got under way on 30 November, new title sponsor and Cricket Australia platinum partner NRMA unveiled its initial activation strategy through an inaugural campaign based around thanking the vast network of helpers who make cricket so exciting for fans.
The Insurance Australia Group brand’s campaign, developed in harness with Thinkerbell, media agency Initiative and Mediabrands Content Studio celebrates all the various stakeholders across that country that make the game of cricket possible and which also aims to inspire others to help too through a burst of owned, paid and earned print and digital media executions, experiences, a PR push and in-ground assets.
The first match in the NRMA Insurance Men's Test Series will get underway this week to the excitement of cricket fans around the nation, as part of the newly announced platinum partnership between Cricket Australia and one of Australia's most trusted #https://t.co/C0nUoYL6vA pic.twitter.com/uMogbn78tF
— taban horany (@HoranyTaban) December 4, 2022
Day for it!
Nothing like a bit of beach cricket down at the picture perfect City Beach to launch the NRMA Insurance Test Summer! ️ pic.twitter.com/8WoIBkC4hU
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) November 28, 2022
This large network of skilled professionals, experienced volunteers and helpers are positioned in the creative as the lifeblood of Australian cricket.
This initiation activation also brings to life NRMA Insurance’s ‘Help Is Who We Are’ umbrella brand promise and marketing platform which is built around the sponsor and rights owner’s shared ambition to support the continued growth of the game in Australia.
The new partnership – which spans the West Indies test series title sponsorship, plus sponsoring the rain cover tarp, scoreboard, drones and the Player of the Match award – is backed up by creating exciting new ways to help Australia’s cricket community.
The NRMA Insurance Test Series are coming @nrmainsurance has not only picked up naming rights of our men's home Tests for the next four summers, but will also support local communities, cricket clubs and all those volunteers who help make them happen. pic.twitter.com/HJO9d8oDWY
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) September 30, 2022
@nrmainsurance acknowledged volunteers from @patcummins30, Josh Hazlewood and @EllysePerry's junior playing days who have been instrumental in helping their local cricket communities: Penrith Cricket Club’s Ron and Matthew Halse, St George DCC’s Kevin Greene and Belinda Robertson pic.twitter.com/zsz2dwuH0o
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) September 30, 2022
One notable strand of the partnership activation saw NRMA Insurance work with broadcaster 7Cricket on a set of new on-air features in partnership with Quidich Innovation Labs (which specialises in drones with virtual capabilities) to provide fresh, never-before-seen camera angles for cricket fans this summer.
“There are over 220,000 social volunteers and many more helpers who make cricket happen from grassroots cricket up to the top level. NRMA Insurance has been helping Australians for more than 95 years and through this partnership we are looking forward to celebrating the helpers of cricket nationwide, as we deliver on our brand promise of ‘Help’,” explained NRMA Insurance Marketing Director Sally Kiernan. “With the help of our agency partners, Initiative, Mediabrands Content Studio, Thinkerbell, The Tuesday Club and internal agency Co.Lab, we’ve created some really compelling media and creative executions to bring the partnership to life for all the cricket fans around the country.”
Initiative Chief Strategy Officer Chris Colter: “To have the naming rights of the nation’s most iconic sport available, the same time NRMA Insurance scaled their brand nationally, was an opportunity too good to pass up. We are thrilled to have brought these two icons together, in partnership with Thinkerbell, who have helped us develop an equally iconic campaign full of never-before-seen media executions to ensure we’re unmissable across summer.”
The campaign was briefed in by and created for a client team at IAG/NRMA Insurance which included Chief Marketing Officer Zara Curtis, Marketing Director, Brand, Media & Growth Sally Kiernan, Executive Manager, Marketing Operations Luke Farrell, Executive Manager, Brand Strategy and Creative Execution Anna Jackson, Executive Manager of Marketing George Exikanas, Media Lead Tom Dodd, Manager of Performance Marketing Ben Cleary, Manager, Content & Editorial Rae Metlitzky, Brand Marketing Lead Brodie Cooper, Social Media & Content Specialist Jess Yorke, Integrated Comms Specialist Jay Patel, Media Specialist Bronny Sivell and Principal, Brand and Content Nicole Schulz.
Comment
It was back in September 2022 that Cricket Australia announced NRMA Insurance as its new men’s Test naming rights partnership: a deal that saw the IAG owned brand also become the Official Insurance Partner of both the Men’s and Women’s International Cricket Teams, as well as hold the naming rights for all men’s Test series in Australia for the next four seasons, including the iconic Sydney Pink Test in support of the McGrath Foundation.
The tie-up marked the first time that NRMA Insurance has taken a national tier one partnership with an Australian sports rights owner and the objective behind the move was to enable to the brand to further reinforce its national presence.
“We are extremely proud to partner with NRMA Insurance and are delighted that cricket has been chosen as the sport to promote its iconic Australian brand,” commented Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley when the deal was announced. “This partnership further emphasises the enduring popularity of Test cricket with the Australian public. We are particularly excited that NRMA Insurance shares cricket’s passion for helping local communities, meaning that benefits for clubs and volunteers will be significant. This is a great way to start a momentous summer of cricket and we look forward to NRMA Insurance becoming a prominent part of the cricket family going forward.”
NRMA Insurance Group Executive Julie Batch added: “This is a significant and purpose-led partnership for NRMA Insurance. Cricket is considered Australia’s national sport, and one that is built on community connection, so it was the ideal partnership to support the continued growth of NRMA Insurance across the country as we deliver on our brand promise of Help. NRMA Insurance has been helping Australians for nearly 100 years and we believe in the power of help in building resilient communities. Without the helpers behind our national teams, the families that support and encourage the stars of today and tomorrow, and the 220,000 volunteers across community club cricket nationwide, Australian cricket simply wouldn’t exist. In partnership with Cricket Australia, we look forward to celebrating the local communities and volunteers that make this great game possible and hopefully inspire others to help too.”
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