SA OPEN #PLAYYOURPART

With the Nedbank golf challenge canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, how do you maintain relevance for Nedbank in golf at a time when the country’s focus was diverted to other issues?

We worked with Nedbank to secure the lead sponsorship of the SA Open and used this platform to entrench the bank’s #PlayYourPart message successfully created for the Nedbank Cup.

However, with the event taking place behind closed doors and in a time in which the country was experiencing distinct pandemic fatigue, we needed to translate #PlayYourPart to ensure it resonated with our audience.

The golf industry and development golf were particularly hard hit during the pandemic.  So, playing on the insight that the SA Open has always been a launchpad for the careers of our greatest golfers, coupled with the fact our national golf tournament was taking place on our country’s most iconic golf course (The Gary Player Country Club), we chose to play on the golfing public’s patriotism to rally behind the recovery of development golf in South Africa.

Through a unique initiative, Nedbank partnered up with the Pro Shop and the South African Golf Development Board, and urged all golfing fans to #PlayYourPart for the recovery and growth of golf development in SA.

A South African flag hat clip, worn by the professionals participating in the SA Open, was the symbol of development golf’s recovery and became our key awareness and funding driver.  Commentators were briefed to explain the initiative and urge viewers to get their #PlayYourPart merchandise from the ProShop, with all proceeds going to SAGDB.

Bibs worn by all the tournament’s South African caddies emblazoned with the South African flag and #PlayYourPart entrenched this message and were visible throughout the live broadcast.

And a lead TVC piece that aired throughout the tournament’s broadcast entrenched the message and meaning behind the pins and bibs featuring during the live feed and linked the initiative to Nedbank.

On digital channels, an array of audience-relevant influencers were briefed to land #PlayYourPart and to urge their followers to get to the ProShop and make their contribution to SAGDB.

Finally, we gave golf fans a further incentive to tune into the live broadcast through FanMode – an interactive online platform allowing them to make their presence felt at the tournament devoid of fans.

+R100K raised through the #PlayYourPart initiative and donated to the SAGDB

+R6M in earned media value through campaign broadcast elements on SuperSport

+100K real-time fan engagements through the Fanmode platform over four days

+30M total impressions driven by macro and micro-influencers