Looking for the win win

Photo: In 2015 our Good Sort, Andrew, split his winnings. His first cheque for $8,000 helped Awatere Rugby Club.

The days where consumers are happy with a one way relationship with a business are long gone. Our customers are busy people and it’s about fitting into their lives, rather than expecting them to fit into ours. Easier said than done though, which is where sponsorship often comes into the picture. For us, sponsorship enables us to become more relevant to our customers and be active in their, and our, community.

So what’s happening?

Good Sorts of Sport – we wanted to take our NRL Referee sponsorship one step further by celebrating the people who make a big difference behind the scenes for school and club sports. We have many mums and dads at AA Insurance who spend a good part of their weekends coaching, driving to and from events or providing the oranges so we know how hard these volunteers work. Just like the referees, these unsung heroes are an essential part of the kiwi grassroots sport, so we thought it was time to show our appreciation.

Henry Perenara, NRL Referee and the face of our Good Sorts of Sport, has recognised his coach, John, who used to pick him up every day for club practice. Henry’s said many times that he attributes the actions of Good Sorts like John to his success.

There are so many Good Sorts out there and it is a great chance to give back to the community. Last year I had the privilege to present Andrew Lawson, coach and the winner of 2015 Good Sorts of Sport with not one, but two, giant cheques. Andrew volunteered at both Seddon School and Awatere Rugby Club, and he decided to split his winnings between the two, to purchase sports-related gear and equipment. I got to go to Seddon School and Awatere Club where he coaches, and met some wonderful people who were genuinely appreciative. This is one of the most rewarding parts of my job when you get to help people make a difference.

Photo: Our Good Sort winner in 2015, Andrew receives his second cheque for $2,000 which helped Seddon School.

About the writer:

Melodie Vickars is our Brand, Sponsorship and Acquisitions Manager at AA Insurance. She’s got a wealth of knowledge and experience of sponsorships, having worked on international and local sponsorships such as Dreamworks and BlueLight.