Helping solidify a strong bond between Irish Life and the event while increasing brand recognition
Client: Irish Life
Year: 2022, 2023 and 2024
Services: Branding Activation/ Event Management/ Ideation
The Irish Life Dublin Marathon, one of Ireland’s premier running events, presented a unique opportunity for Irish Life to enhance its brand visibility, engage with participants, and reinforce its commitment to a healthy lifestyle. However, to make a lasting impact, Irish Life faced the challenge of creating a memorable and meaningful presence amidst the energetic atmosphere of the marathon. The key objectives were to establish a strong association between Irish Life and the event, boost brand recognition, and foster positive connections with the participants.
Setting the Stage: Irish Life partnered with Ripple to craft a comprehensive strategy for the Dublin Marathon. Our unique understanding the event’s dynamics, audience demographics, and the client’s goals allowed us to develop a tailored plan to maximise Irish Life’s ROI for the sponsorship.
Strategic Branding: Ensuring high visibility at key locations. From start lines and water stations to finish lines, our team meticulously integrated Irish Life’s branding, colours, and messaging into the event. This not only created a visually cohesive experience but also reinforced Irish Life’s strong presence at every stage of the marathon.
Immersive Activation: To deepen participant engagement, we introduced The Irish Life Mile on the race’s final stretch. Packed with engaging support activities, it provided participants with opportunities to connect directly with the Irish Life brand at the emotional pinnacle of the event. This activation aimed to create positive associations with Irish Life, emphasising their commitment to a supporting an active lifestyle, and showcasing the #powerofsupport.
Participant Engagement: Understanding the importance of direct engagement, our team implemented a podium photo opportunity at the Dublin Marathon Expo. By fostering one-on-one interactions, we facilitated meaningful connections between participants and the brand.
The Irish Life Dublin Marathon activation emerged as a resounding success, securing noteworthy recognition for our client. The sponsorship delivered outstanding commercial success (ROI of almost 3:1), continued support for Dublin City and national charities, mass brand reach and visibility and significant increases in brand consideration.
Irish Life earned the prestigious title of “Best Sports Sponsorship” at the Irish Sponsorship Awards in 2023, and has also been nominated in the European Sponsorship Awards for 2024 for Best Sports Sponsorship, a testament to the campaign’s effectiveness.
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