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Great Southern Bank has launched a three-part content series to activate its sponsorship of the Carlton AFL club.

The promotion has been developed in conjunction with sport and entertainment agency, MKTG.

The content aims to strengthen the brand’s connection with fans through storytelling on the bank’s Happily Clever After platform.

MKTG manages Great Southern Bank’s sport sponsorship portfolio which includes the Carlton deal.

The agency led creative development of the strategy as well as production of the series. There was also input from Motion Mavericks.

MKTG client director, Zoe Laspas said the approach focused on delivering a consistent brand message across multiple fan touchpoints.

“We were tasked to create meaningful awareness of the brand and make sure there was a continuing thread of Happily Clever After across environments,” she added.

“Whether fans saw the brand on outdoor media, on TV, or in the stadium, they would recognise and connect with the same message.”

The content series targets key fan segments by showcasing Carlton supporters at different stages of life, linked to the bank’s understanding of customer journeys.

The first video profiles a lifelong Blues supporter who is surprised by former premiership players and given the chance to be in the guard of honour and pre-game coin toss.

“We identified a genuine supporter and deliberately avoided actors to ensure the experience was authentic,” Laspas said.

“The emotion and surprise on his face captured what we were hoping to achieve.”

The second video released this week featured a 10-year-old Carlton supporter named Ollie. The young fan was approached by his favourite player while playing football in the park and invited to join a club training session with his friends.

Laspas again, “We know from data that millennials and younger supporters value experiences that are authentic and community driven.”

“The piece with Ollie really resonated with fans.”

The final instalment will be released later this month and focuses on a small business that backs the Blues. The story line has a player joining the firm’s staff at a café.

Great Southern Bank senior manager of sponsorship, Alicia Lloyd said, “Our purpose is to help all Australians own their own home. Happily Clever After is an attitude, not a promise.”

“Like a player’s path to a premiership, the path to home ownership is different for everyone. There is no ‘right way’, only ‘your way’.”

MKTG contributed early creative strategy all the way to full execution including storyboarding, casting, and on-site production.

Laspas said the campaign was designed to align the fan journey with home ownership, an important focus for Great Southern Bank’s millennial customer base.

“The data showed us that despite challenges, young Australians still aspire to homeownership and highly value brand experiences that are relatable and community focused.”

The series forms part of a wider Great Southern Bank brand campaign launched at the end of last year.

Connecting that work to sponsorship activations at Carlton matches was a priority, according to Laspas.

“We’ve ensured the message of Happily Clever After is clear and consistent whether fans are seeing a TV ad, at the stadium or engaging with content online.”

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