They have been twin pillars of Irish sponsorship and society for generations, both suffered fear and at times loathing in the depths of the downturn but both have bounced back into public acceptance if not quite affection through their support of sport.
It has been a big week for AIB and Bank of Ireland with two of their keynote sponsored competitions coming to a head.
The AIB Club Championship finals take place at Croke Park on Thursday. This relationship has lasted over 20 years and has stepped up again in the last two with innovative digital and mainstream TV activations that have brought the stories of the players to life.
Each club competing in the Finals has had a specific video shot which shows just how much it means to play and win for club over anything else.
AIB have doubled down on the Club Championships the past two years through the imaginative Toughest Trade documentary which has put the sponsorship onto RTE primetime television and told stories of personal and club commitment that have resonated hugely with a broad audience.
The second episode of this year’s Trade airs on RTE2 tonight and features Aidan O’Shea stepping up at an NFL combine with former Miami Dolphins Wide Receiver Roberto Wallace coming in the opposite direction.
Bank of Ireland, having been the first sponsor of the All Ireland Football Championship have focused more on Rugby in recent years, developing deep relationships with Leinster, Munster and to a slightly lesser extend Ulster Rugby.
One of the properties they were keen to manage and own was the BOI Schools Senior Cup the final of which last weekend saw Belvedere College row back the years with a big win over Roscrea which has been captured emotionally in this video review of the journey.
It was the culmination of a series of videos utilising the voice and personality of Jamie Heaslip and which has gone down well amongst the influential audience who might have once played and continue to support the Schools tournament.
The little things count in terms of capturing the right blend of emotion and brand. It’s about the players, the parents, the teachers and the supporters and the video below captures them all. The cover on the microphone allows subtle branding though we were amused to see an RBS branded hoodie steal into shot at 36 seconds.
Two great sponsorships, well activated and captured for the present and the future by use of smart video capture.
