The team that lifts Sam Maguire on the third Sunday in September is decided by what happens between the lines over 70 minutes, and over a year and more of preparation.

The team, players and fans of Kerry are the obvious winners from yesterday but it’s always interesting to look a little deeper and see who else gained from association to one of the sporting days of the year…

1. AIB

Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland have had long associations with the All Ireland Football Championship.  The former’s stepping back from title sponsorship in 2013 has left AIB as the only of the big three banks with a direct sponsorship partnership with the GAA and it was happy to make the most of that on Sunday.

It’s partnership is with the Club Championships and the sense of that being the foundation of what happens at Croke Park among the counties was right to the fore in clever TV and social media activity that took place around the final.  During the game we saw how difficult it is to be positive in a congested area.  In banking terms AIB has the advantage of more free space.  It will be interesting to see how that develops over the conning months and years.

Before County comes Club, Before September comes March…

2. The Wild Atlantic Way

It’s often the case that the toughest audience to sell something new to is the one that is most familiar with the product.  Fáilte Ireland has invested heavily in the concept of the Wild Atlantic Way and has achieved notable success in overseas markets.

Here though there has been as much talk about ‘the cost of the squiggly signs’ as the sense in packaging Ireland’s raw natural grandeur as an attraction for overseas as well as domestic tourism.

Having the two ends of the way in competition on Sunday allowed the opportunity for a piece to be broadcast in advance on the Sunday Game and again before throw in that showed the Way in all its glory, superimposed with images of the players and the moments that embody the strengths and attractions of the two counties.

It could have passed unnoticed but it didn’t.  It’s a short piece of footage that deserves a good audience and a buy in to talking up rather than down what we have on our Western seaboard.

 
3. Electric Ireland
The Minor All Ireland sponsorship allows Electric Ireland the only commercial opportunity to associate closely with both of the biggest days in Irish sport.
That is an opportunity but it also brings a responsibility to do something special around the ‘warm up’ events that might otherwise be overlooked by all but the competing teams.
Electric Ireland lived up to that responsibility this year with some excellent advertising that captured the essence of sport as part coming of age.  It resonated with families, players and those for whom the connection may have been some years ago.  The cellophane wrapped dinner is one image that drew nods in front rooms across the generations.
The ads will deservedly gather recognition and awards and the back up films of the captains preparations for their big days were also winners in our book.