Great Southern Bank wins big at Effies and AMI Awards

Great Southern Bank collected three awards at the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) Awards and a prestigious Effie Award this week, recognising the effectiveness of its sponsorship activities and efforts to promote its brand to millennials.

Australia’s largest customer-owned bank received two national AMI awards for the effectiveness of its Brisbane Heat sponsorship and the ‘House Party’ activation it created at the Gabba last Summer for Big Bash cricket fans, developed in conjunction with MKTG Sports and Entertainment.

Megan Keleher, Chief Customer Officer at Great Southern Bank, said sports sponsorships were important in building the bank’s brand awareness, appealing to new audiences and attracting a younger demographic.

“We are still a relatively new name to many Australians, and these partnerships are a cost-effective way to fast-track brand awareness and consideration through national exposure and on a year-round basis.

“Our name on the jerseys and innovative in-stadium activations such as the House Party fan deck we created at the Gabba during the Big Bash are connecting our new brand to loyal stadium audiences, as well as to large national TV and digital audiences,” she said.

The ‘Effie’ was awarded in the Challenger Brands category, recognising the effectiveness of the bank’s marketing and its efforts to help younger Australians realise their home ownership dreams.

Ms Keleher said a big focus over the past 12 months had been aligning the bank’s marketing activity to its purpose of helping all Australian own their own home.

“We’ve been very clear on our target audiences, with a deliberate focus on helping millennials. Our ’Happily Clever After‘ campaign has helped us acquire 30,000 new customers in the past year – who are on average younger than our existing customers. We issued a record $5 billion in new home loans over the same period, including a 50 per cent increase in lending to first home buyers.

“Our brand marketing activities and sports sponsorships have both helped increase awareness and consideration of the Great Southern Bank brand. The proportion of customers likely to choose us today is almost twice what it was under our previous brand CUA.”

Great Southern Bank’s ’Happily Clever After‘ brand campaign was developed in conjunction with Richards Rose, Growth Mantra, Kantar and Carat.

“Our partnership with Great Southern Bank has always been a rewarding one. The rapport and respect we have built with the entire Great Southern Bank team is immense,” said Adam Rose, Executive Creative Director at Richards Rose.

“For the clever strategic and creative work we’ve created together to be recognised at the Australian Effie Awards takes that to another level.”

About Great Southern Bank

For over 75 years, we’ve been putting our customers first, and today we look after the financial needs of more than 382,000 Australians. We have changed our name from CUA to Great Southern Bank but we remain customer owned and firmly focused on helping all Australians own their own homes.

Media contact:

Michael O’Toole
Manager, Corporate Communications
Mobile: 0428 051 754
Email: Michael.otoole@gsb.com.au