In 2025, using sport in marketing has become about far more than buying a spot at half time or slapping a logo on a jersey—it’s a cultural conduit, a community connector and a storytelling stage. Amid rising economic pressure and shifting consumer expectations, some of Australia’s most powerful brands are turning to sport not just to build awareness, but to create meaning, deepen loyalty and drive commercial results.
From grassroots initiatives to global-scale events, sport offers a rare moment of undivided national attention—something every brand now fights to earn. But the CMOs who are making the biggest impact aren’t just showing up; they’re showing up with purpose.
Several of the brands represented on B&T’s CMO Power List aren’t just sponsoring sport—they’re weaving themselves into moments of joy, resilience and identity. In doing so, they’re proving that sport, when done right, isn’t just a platform for visibility—it’s a catalyst for relevance, resonance and real business impact.
Sport as a Community Connector in Tough Times
For Amanda McVay, chief customer officer at Coles, sports sponsorship isn’t about signage—it’s about supporting families and reinforcing community values, especially as Australians face economic pressures.
Recent initiatives including partnerships with Football Australia and Little Athletics have reinforced the company’s commitment to local communities.
“It’s about more than sponsorship—it’s about enabling families to connect through sport, even during tough times,” she said.
Coles’ partnerships are a deliberate move to be present in people’s everyday lives. At a grassroots level, these initiatives provide tangible value—whether it’s helping kids participate in local sport or supporting family weekend outings. It’s brand trust built not through ads, but through action.
Using Sport to Create Cultural Capital
Dean Norbiato, chief marketing officer at KIA, flipped the script on what could have been a conventional vehicle pre-launch and turned it into one of the boldest and most culturally resonant sports campaigns of the year.
With no finished car and not even a name locked in, Norbiato seized the opportunity to do something different—inviting some of Australia’s most beloved sporting legends to help name KIA’s first-ever locally launched ute.
“It wasn’t without risk launching a car without a name and out of product 18 months before launch,” Norbiato acknowledged. “But we saw that as an opportunity to get some clear space and make a bit of noise for the brand.”
What began as a tactical idea to leverage KIA’s existing partnership with the Brisbane Broncos quickly snowballed into a national, multi-sport celebration. From Ash Barty to Dylan Alcott, Steve Waugh to Alexander ‘The Volk’ Volkanovski, a long list of sporting icons got involved—many through personal recommendations and word of mouth.
“We knew we were onto something when the sports stars talked amongst themselves and were recommending others who would join,” Norbiato said.
The result was a campaign that felt uniquely Australian—funny, unpolished in the best way, and emotionally engaging. It wasn’t just clever; it was commercially transformative.
It’s a masterclass in using sport not just as a sponsorship platform but as creative fuel, one that blurred the lines between entertainment, brand storytelling, and audience participation.
This campaign built on KIA’s wider investment in sport, particularly its growing involvement with the National Rugby League (NRL). In 2022, KIA signed a three-year deal with the NRL, becoming the official naming rights partner of Kia Thursday Night Football—a slot that consistently delivers the highest average viewership of the rugby league weekend.
The deal also saw KIA take on key media assets across premiership matches, State of Origin, and Magic Round Brisbane, embedding the brand deeply across some of the country’s most-watched sporting moments.
Through clever use of humour, authenticity, and a deep connection to the sporting community, KIA proved that even in one of the world’s most cluttered car markets, there’s still room to stand out—if you’re willing to rewrite the playbook and take a bold shot at goal.
Owning Cultural Moments at National Scale
For Michelle Klein, CMO at IAG’s NRMA Insurance, the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games presented more than just a media opportunity—it was a watershed moment to reframe a century-old brand for a modern, national audience.
In the lead-up to NRMA Insurance’s 100th anniversary, Klein spearheaded the launch of a bold new brand platform—‘A Help Company’—a positioning designed to move NRMA beyond its traditional perception as a transactional insurer and into the cultural conversation as a brand rooted in empathy, community, and purpose.
“[The Olympic and Paralympic Games] felt like the perfect opportunity to get our new platform idea across in a moment that is for everybody—the Olympic Games are so diverse and inclusive. It felt like the right moment for us in the lead up to our 100 years, it was also a really good test for us to see how something at that scale could deliver for the brand at a national scale.
That idea came to life through a creative campaign, developed with Accenture Song, that eschewed insurance clichés for something unexpected and joyful: dancing drones, fish falling from the sky, and houses hanging from helicopters. The surreal visuals didn’t just turn heads—they made the brand feel human, accessible, and emotionally resonant, aligning perfectly with the Olympics’ inclusive and uplifting spirit.
“It was pervasive… across all digital channels and TV. It literally reached everyone,” Klein added.
The activation was historic in its own right. NRMA Insurance became one of only four premium broadcast partners of Nine’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Games—marking the first time the brand has ever partnered with a network’s Olympic broadcast. As the exclusive insurance partner, NRMA Insurance played a key role in delivering the most comprehensive Olympic coverage in Australian history, spanning free-to-air television, digital platforms, streaming, and radio.
This partnership wasn’t about passive logo placement—it was about actively participating in a national cultural moment and ensuring NRMA was present wherever Australians were watching, listening, or engaging with the Games.
The results were significant. The campaign drove soaring brand metrics, particularly in non-customer consideration—a key priority as the brand expands its footprint nationally. More importantly, it created real emotional connection, helping Australians reimagine what an insurer could be.
What unites Coles, KIA and NRMA Insurance is a shared understanding that sport isn’t just a platform for promotion—it’s a platform for purpose. Whether it’s helping families stay connected during tough times, igniting cultural conversations with bold creative, or reframing a heritage brand in a moment of national pride, these brands are using sport as a living, breathing extension of their values.
In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, sport remains one of the few places where brands can connect with Australians at scale—and with heart. The CMOs leading the charge aren’t simply investing in rights or logo placements; they’re embedding their brands into the fabric of the nation’s most cherished moments, from the local footy field to the Olympic podium.
Sport, done right, is no longer a sponsorship line item. It’s a strategic platform to drive emotional connection, community impact, and brand growth—now and into the future.
