FMD, Australia`s number one insurer (so the ads keep telling me) laying it on the line:
At the risk of infuriating our Melbourne readers, B&T expends significant energy plumbing the depths of NRL partnerships here.
www.bandt.com.au
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While the sleeve might be the most prominent sponsorship spot in the NRL, some Victorians might question why Budget Direct has opted to go so big on rugby league, rather than the AFL.
“We know that the NRL is really moving through the ranks to be the number one sport. When you add in WA, it will obviously start to progress into clear number one,” he said.
“It’s got a really wonderful combination. It’s the demographic of people who are turning up to the games, it’s really become a family sport. And it’s without doubt, the most coherent, fastest, and best 80 minutes on grass in Australia. It also generates one of the only growing audiences in Australia, and it actually does that still on free to air and on SVOD and BVOD.”
“[AFL] a sport that is extraordinarily long to watch,” said Kerr, “and it does have a very, very, very significant lean towards just one state. And we really wanted a nationwide strategy.”
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Budget Direct has been very busy this NRL off season. Rather than simply sponsoring one NRL team, the insurer has penned deals with three major clubs—the Perth Bears, South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Melbourne Storm—giving it unparalleled brand exposure through shirt sponsorships.
It was not three months ago that the insurance brand only was a major sponsor of one NRL club. With these new deals, plus an upgraded Dolphins sponsorship, the insurer has a presence in each of the league’s main states. What’s more, Budget Direct is the sleeve sponsor for all these teams, giving the brand a level of consistency and nearly omnipresent exposure through the league.
ADVERTISING
It’s a unique approach pioneered by chief growth officer Jonathan Kerr.
“I was surprised that nobody had ever done what we are doing, which is having the same actual property on all teams,” Kerr told
B&T.
“If you know anything about NRL, you know that it’s shot from the side. And so the most prominent logo position is the sleeve.”
Jonathan Kerr.
While the sleeve might be the most prominent sponsorship spot in the NRL, some Victorians might question why Budget Direct has opted to go so big on rugby league, rather than the AFL.
“We know that the NRL is really moving through the ranks to be the number one sport. When you add in WA, it will obviously start to progress into clear number one,” he said.
“It’s got a really wonderful combination. It’s the demographic of people who are turning up to the games, it’s really become a family sport. And it’s without doubt, the most coherent, fastest, and best 80 minutes on grass in Australia. It also generates one of the only growing audiences in Australia, and it actually does that still on free to air and on SVOD and BVOD.”
“[AFL] a sport that is extraordinarily long to watch,” said Kerr, “and it does have a very, very, very significant lean towards just one state. And we really wanted a nationwide strategy.”
Melbourne Storm
Last month, Budget Direct announced it had become the Melbourne Storm’s first and only platinum partner.
Budget Direct also saw a chance to launch the partnership
with an irony-twinged campaign, mimicking AFL guernseys to “get on the radar of Victorians,” said Kerr
(L:R) Jahrome Hughes, Cameron Munster & Harry Grant showing off their sleeveless jerseys.
Unfortunately, we won’t get to see the Storm run out in the guernsey, with Kerr confirming, “it’s actually against the NRL rules… you have to have sleeves”.
Taking the piss