RachaelBrand and Matt Buck.
The ANZ is once again swimming with the sharks.
The big-four bank has created a pair of TVCs for broadcast and social media with Showpo CEO Jane Lu for the second season of Australian reality competition television series Shark Tank, building on their work with Paramount Brand Studio from last year.
The partnership also includes extensive brand integrations – such as the ANZ logo featured on episode promotions and branded straps in-show - along with weekly premium sponsorship assets, a comprehensive digital advertising package and a $10,000 business quiz competition on 10 Play.
ANZ’s head of customer experience and marketing for the commercial side of the business, Matt Buck, said the bank had a “strong and positive” response from the audience around last year’s integration.
“70% of Shark Tank viewers recalled seeing the partnership, so it showed that great alignment between the brand and Shark Tank,” he said.
“The other key point was relevance - Ipsos reporting showed that the partnership exceeded industry norms by 28% in terms of relevance."
Paramount Brand Studio’s own multi-year Science of Sponsorship study found that a fully integrated sponsorship - including billboards, a bespoke TVC and in-program integration - lifts unprompted recall 167% more than a standard TVC alone.
“We call this the layer effect, whereby deeply integrated sponsorships can meaningfully move the needle on building mental availability, working together to enhance, reinforce and cement the messaging,” Paramount Brand Studio told AdNews.
“In-show integrations create a priming effect for viewers to pay 9% more attention to a subsequent TVC. Mirroring messaging within the creative of a TVC, billboard and integration can lift a brand's association with a key campaign message by up to 20%.
“Specifically, on average for Shark Tank sponsors, overall brand awareness lifted by 6%, brand consideration was up by 51% and purchase intent increased by almost three times.”
“Social media allows for immediate gratification and real-time engagement, whereas TV is more polished and long-form,” she said.
“It’s a different beast—on social, you can experiment quickly and pivot if something doesn’t land. With TV, there’s a higher level of scrutiny and preparation because it’s reaching such a broad audience, but the impact is also much larger.”
“Social media is about being agile and authentic—it’s okay if things are raw or unpolished. TVCs, on the other hand, require way more planning, storyboarding, and high production values. Every frame counts because you’re delivering a message in a highly condensed format. It’s a collaborative process that involves teams of creatives, directors, and producers, so you’re playing a part in a much bigger machine.”
Despite the shift to a new format, Lu said the response from her own audience has been “overwhelmingly positive”.
“People appreciate when a partnership feels genuine and aligns with your personal brand,” she told AdNews.
“They see ANZ as a strong, credible company, and the campaign has sparked some great conversations. That said, there’s always feedback when you take a leap like this, and I’ve welcomed the dialogue. At the end of the day, it’s about creating value, whether it’s through a post, a campaign, or a product.”
While shoppable wasn’t a part of this specific integration, the work with ANZ speaks to the possibility of the contextual CTV advertising opportunities announced at this year’s Paramount Upfronts.
One solution is Pause to Shop, turning brand exposure during Paramount’s premium shows into product discovery opportunities. It allows advertisers to convert relevant content moments with specific on-screen brand exposure, or even similar products or services, into immediate consumer engagement.
Paramount also announced Own the Moment, giving advertisers the ability to claim and enhance key contextual moments within Paramount’s programs. The solution pulls program moments into the first ad-in break, accompanied by a shoppable brand opportunity that dynamically matches the in-show moments to the advertiser's products or services.
Paramount Brand Studio’s executive producer, Rachael Brand, said using trusted talent like Lu in TVCs increases attention and delivers positive brand trust, brand love and brand messaging.
“Our Science of Sponsorship study revealed that fans of a show are up to 75% more likely to trust brands and like their ads if we use talent featured in that show,” she said.
ANZ also ran a number of their own internal initiatives for the campaign, including the addition of Lu’s tips for business success featured on the ANZ website and an ANZ staff competition, with winners to receive a one-on-one business mentoring with the Showpo CEO.
Buck said that having Lu as a partner has been fantastic because she embodies what a true experience is for a business owner.
“She's had the ups, she's had the downs, she's started businesses, she's had businesses that she's wrapped up, and then Showpo has been her success story,” he said.
“We've created some video content that we'll be using through social amplification, telling her story. Business owners want to hear other business owners’ experiences and learn from that and they’re searching for content and insights.
“Part of our partnership with Jane also allows us to tap into her experience and amplify that to customers through our social channels, but then direct them to some great tools and resources we have to support customers who are starting or growing a business too.”
The finale of Shark Tank Australia airs tonight at 7:30pm on 10 and 10 Play.
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