Before its fruitful engagement with ASB, Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club was not maximising its potential for attracting sponsors. Therefore, the need for a collaboration was ignited.
Building the waves through a renewed engagement strategy
Leveraging ASB’s established relationship with the Club, where ASB not only functioned as a sponsor but also had an active on-ground presence through Nick, a club member, Sorrento Surf Club saw a golden opportunity. As a new surf season dawned, especially with the focus on their children’s “Nippers” program, they seized the moment to breathe fresh life into their sponsorship strategy.
Riding the crest: Establishing objectives
Sorrento Surf Club aimed to increase its visibility and appeal to sponsors, all the while providing quality clubwear and merchandise to its members. The objective was multifaceted, targeting everything from equipment and age manager tops to commemorative apparel for state champions, touring team outfits, and expanding the Club’s shop offerings in the upcoming season.
Delivering high-quality merchandise to attract sponsors
ASB developed a comprehensive strategy, not only to produce and deliver high-quality merchandise for the Club but also to increase the attractiveness of the Club to potential sponsors. The crux of the plan was to alleviate the financial risk associated with producing branded merchandise – an issue that had challenged the Club in the past. ASB pledged to cover the costs upfront, freeing the Club to focus on attracting and securing sponsorships.
Making waves as a community-driven surf club
The impact of ASB’s strategy was both immediate and transformative. Sorrento Surf Club received high-quality merchandise, adding a professional and unified look to their clubwear and equipment. The approach also bore fruit on the sponsorship front – in just two months, the Club secured five new sponsors, none of whom had any prior association with the Club. Sorrento’s successful transition sparked interest from other groups, positioning the Club as a leader in surf club sponsorship strategies.Â
David Tasker, the Club’s board member, commented:
Thanks to our partnership with ASB, which allowed us to introduce high quality and well-designed tents and Age Manager apparel, we not only stood out on the beach but were also able to attract several new sponsors who could see how professional the Sorrento Surf Lifesaving Club would represent their brand on the beach.