"Three years in and what began as a spectacle is now a cultural tradition."
National insurer AAMI has again entertained AFL Grand Final fans with a stunt that saw the match ball go missing again for the third consecutive year.
Building on the success of previous years, AAMI’s pre-game activation at the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final delivered a captivating mix of drama and humour, broadcast to 2.98 million fans across Australia.
A nationwide search featuring a fresh and diverse allstar cast including The Inspired Unemployed, Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald, Lee Lin Chin and hero Paralympian Alexa Leary kept viewers guessing right up until the ball was found at the MCG.
This year’s storyline pushed the boundaries of fan engagement, with AAMI ambassadors Mon Conti and Trent Cotchin leading the live-action sequence as they raced to locate the missing ball in front of 100,000 fans at the stadium.
AAMI executive general manager brand and customer experience Mim Haysom said AAMI has a long history of helping Aussies get back on track when things don’t quite go to plan.
"Our AAMI to the Rescue campaign is an iconic demonstration of that on Australia’s biggest stage," Haysom said.
"At the heart of this campaign was OMD’s media-first strategy, designed to blend live and pre-recorded content seamlessly while engaging AFL fans across digital platforms like Reddit and SportBible.
"The campaign launched with a teaser during the pre-match coverage of the Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions Preliminary Final on Saturday, 21st September.
"AFL CEO Andrew Dillon employed a crack task force including AFL legends Kevin Bartlett and loveable but slightly unreliable Robert ‘Dipper’ DiPierdomenico, to ensure the ball’s safe delivery, as AAMI Women and ambassadors looked on with worried faces.
"On game day, the epic 90-second in-broadcast integration ran alongside an extensive cross-platform amplification plan. This included a new partnership with Uber Eats, which sees the AFL Grand Final as their biggest day of retail trade.
"The campaign extended to spaces where footy madness thrives, including Reddit, SportBible, out-of-home (OOH) assets around Melbourne, and a Triple M Footy partnership."
OMD director of sport partnerships Nick Hurley said three years in and what began as a spectacle is now a cultural tradition.
"Our media-first approach to the AFL Grand Final ensures that AAMI’s campaign isn’t just seen, but truly experienced by fans across platforms," Hurley said.
"With each year, we’ve pushed the boundaries of live and prerecorded content, and the 2024 campaign is the perfect example of how powerful integration can be.”
Seven Network national sport sales director Rob Maclean said the Toyota AFL Grand Final is the Australian's Super Bowl moment.
"AAMI has expertly leveraged the power of this mass cultural event in successive years, creating a meaningful and memorable interaction with footy fans via Seven’s live and exclusive broadcast," Maclean said.
"With over 4.02 million viewers tuning in to the AFL Grand Final broadcast, and millions more engaging across digital platforms, the 2024 campaign has continued to elevate the standard for integrated content in sports advertising.
"OMD’s cross-platform amplification plan ensured the ‘Clanger’ campaign reached a broad and diverse audience, cementing AAMI’s place as a reliable and iconic brand in the AFL’s biggest moment."
CREDITS:
Suncorp Group
Mim Haysom - Executive General Manager Brand & Customer Experience, Suncorp Group
Rapthi Thanapalasingam - Head of Brand & Content
Toby Gill – AAMI Brand & Marketing Manager
Breanna Webster - AAMI Marketing Specialist
Jenny Hutchison - Executive Manager, Group Sponsorships & Community
Gabrielle Emmett - Sponsorship Manager
Susie Turner – Sponsorship Specialist
OMD
Nick Hurley - Director of Sport Partnerships,
OMD Create
Lachlann Macrae - Sport Partnerships Manager
Liam Annesley - Sport Partnership Assistant
Elizabeth Murrel-Marsh - Account Director
Alyssa Mounarath - Account Manager
Rebecca Moore - Media Assistant Seven Network
Nathan Carmody - AAMI Campaign Manager
Rachel Wren - Campaign Manager – AFL Lead
Stephen Johnston - AAMI Sport Sales Manager
Yianni Vivliotis - AAMI Sport Sales Executive
Gary O’Keeffe - 7AFL Executive Producer
Whooshka Media
Adrian Brown - Managing Director
Paddy Mithen - Director
Jodie Fisher - Producer
Sarah Cameron - Producer
Farrah Mu - Production Manager
Jamie Merendino - Editor
Ben Blennerhassett - DOP
Wild Rose Pictures - Art Department
Film Star Lighting - Grip/Gaffer
Aaron D’Arcy - Audio
The Bureau - VFX
CJ Dobson @ Moodlab - Colourist
