This year, AAMI’s epic AFL Grand Final activation has again entertained fans, cementing AAMI as an iconic Australian brand and leading national insurer. Bringing together a cast of diverse and inspiring talent for all fans and aligning the campaign with other AFL traditions.
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.
For the third consecutive year, AAMI has cemented its place as a cultural mainstay for the AFL Grand Final, evolving from a one-time spectacle into a tradition expected by fans nationwide.
Building on the success of previous years, the 2024 stunt ramped up the suspense as the match ball went missing yet again. A nationwide search featuring a fresh and diverse all-star 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.
Mim Haysom, Executive General Manager Brand & Customer Experience at AAMI, said; “As Australia’s leading insurer, 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.”
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. This approach ensured that AAMI’s message reached millions, creating a multi-platform experience that transcended the broadcast.
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.
“Three years in and we’ve turned what began as a spectacle into 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. With each year, we’ve pushed the boundaries of live and pre-recorded content, and the 2024 campaign is the perfect example of how powerful integration can be,” said Nick Hurley, director of sport partnerships at OMD.
“For the Australian market, the Toyota AFL Grand Final is our very own Super Bowl moment – brands can connect with the largest viewing audience of the year to make an impact and drive fame. 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,” said Rob Maclean, Seven Network’s national sport sales director.
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.
