The Brief

AFL Grand final day's Australia's biggest sporting event. As one of many sponsors, it's easy to be overlooked. Especially if you're a bank. Our sponsorship had to not only stand out, but directly communicate NAB's values as a fair bank to new and existing customers. So we did what no other sponsor would. We decided not to attend. And instead used what NAB had plenty of - corporate sponsor tickets and bankers to champion the AFL fans who couldn't attend to the big game, due to commitments. And in doing so, steal attention from all the other more obvious sponsors

Creative Execution

The execution of NAB Stand ins, not only made the bank brand completely relevant in the football space, but suddenly made it a much valued and chased commodity in the lead up to Grand Final. Potential and existing customers were in direct dialogue with NAB over why they deserved a NAB Stand In for weeks before the game, and then engaged with the campaign during the AFL Grand Final itself. It displayed NAB's fair value agenda in a fan related way by handing over corporate seats and bank man-power, to make it possible for fans to attend the big game.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

We invited all the AFL fans who were going to miss the game due to other commitments they couldn't get out of, to apply for a 'NAB Stand-in'. A NAB Banker who would literally stand in for them wherever they were meant to be, so they could attend the game. When game day arrived twenty NAB Stand-ins stood in for people around the country so they could see the game live from NAB's corporate seats. As a live indication of campaign response, we set a target of a 20% lift in social media attention about NAB during game day

Results

While the NAB Stand-ins sold cars, clipped dogs, printed newspapers, umpired netball games, gave 21st speeches and even performed in ukulele concerts. They quickly became the most talked about thing during the AFL Grand Final, with 98% more social media mentions than all the other sponsors combined. A social media spike for NAB that was more than quadrupled what was anticipated. The idea was also completely embraced by the media and even the broadcaster of the game, and their commentators. Which all helped NAB completely dominate Australia's biggest sporting event. By choosing not to be there