Aon x The 44th Ryder Cup | Defining Decisions
The 6th Annual Awards
- Best Branded Content
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
Aon’s golf partnerships provide a unique platform to story tell and connect with our audience around their passion points. The portfolio’s centerpiece is our Worldwide Partnership with the Ryder Cup. Leveraging this iconic platform, we draw parallels between decisions in golf and business. Last September, the event returned to European soil as teams competed in Rome, Italy. The core of this strategic and robust activation program was The Nicklaus-Jacklin Award Presented by Aon, given to the player who best represents the spirit of the event. Together, Aon and the Ryder Cup launched a campaign reintroducing the award to the world. At its heart was Defining Decisions, a series featuring Ryder Cup captains, legends, and award namesakes Mr. Jack Nicklaus and Mr. Tony Jacklin. The content featured BTS stories of pivotal decisions made in the Ryder Cup, illuminating high-stakes moments that shaped the history of one of sports' most iconic events.
How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?
This award’s inspiration is drawn directly from one of the most genuine displays of sportsmanship in sport’s history – a moment that exemplifies the true essence of the Ryder Cup – but also underpins Aon’s brand proposition ‘the Business of Better Decisions’. By harnessing the power of this piece of Ryder Cup history and delivering it to audiences through multi-channel storytelling, Aon created an authentic tie between the event and its core values. The Ryder Cup is unique as it is one of the few moments where sport transcends the national level and unites fans across borders. The appointment viewing aspect of the competition extends beyond golf’s traditional audience, providing a rare opportunity to increase global awareness and drive understanding in equal measure. The results are clear, as the event has increased from one worldwide partner in 2018 to 7 in 2023. Content like Defining Decisions creates a blueprint for companies attempting to reach sports fans without over-commercializing their brand message, challenging newcomers to create original and authentic platforms and partnerships that help elevate the event, drive brand engagement and preserve the essence of the competition. A world where, if done with intention, high tides can raise all boats.
Objective
Widely regarded as one of the greatest acts of sportsmanship ever seen in golf, this award is inspired by the historic ‘Concession’ between Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin at the 1969 Ryder Cup. It honors two icons in the game and recognizes the player who best represents the spirit of the event – who sees the bigger picture and makes better decisions both on and off the course. The creation of this award is an everyday reminder for fans and Ryder Cup contenders that while the Ryder Cup represents the best of the game of golf, this award represents the best of the Ryder Cup. With the event fast approaching, teams worked to promote, educate and build excitement around the award. Central to the campaign was Defining Decisions, a contemporary series which explored key thematics of the award through historical and modern context by Nicklaus and Jacklin themselves, as well as a supporting cast of Ryder Cup icons from both US and European teams. Ultimately, the goal was to reintroduce audiences to the award by contextualizing its relevance through historical anecdotes of golf legends – past Ryder Cup captains and players – to highlight the decisions that would go on to make history.
Strategy & Execution
The Concession was an iconic moment in Ryder Cup history and showcases exactly what is so compelling about sport, golf, and the Ryder Cup itself. Golf is an individual sport by nature, but every two years, the world’s best cast aside their rivalries to come together and compete as one team – for pride, for each other, and for their continent. Throughout this competition, players must ultimately make better decisions for the good of the team, a theme that was central to the series across all episodes. Through a blend of legacy, nostalgic storytelling and excitement for the upcoming competition, the content captivated golf fans across a variety of platforms. The custom and stylized series was comprised of a launch promo, six digital episodes and a custom broadcast series that focused on Nicklaus and Jacklin as the central characters of the storytelling around the spirit of the event and the meaning behind the award itself. The digital episodes were strategically syndicated across digital and social platforms in the lead-up to the Ryder Cup to create excitement for the award. The in-telecast broadcast segments aired live during the tournament and reached an estimated 724 million households across 201 countries/territories.
Organizations
- Aon
- Ryder Cup Europe
- PGA of America
- NBC Sports
Links
Credits
Sinead McEvoy
Global Head of Client Experience
Aon
Taylor Strick
Global Partnerships Leader
Aon
Jamie Johnson
Communications and Engagement Manager - Partnerships
Aon
Tom Jackson
Head of Ryder Cup Productions
European Tour
Chris Coles
Partnership Director
European Tour
Ross Maietta
Senior Content Manager
Ryder Cup Europe
Austin Chow
Executive Producer & Director
The Unlisted Company
Mary Ross Chow
Senior Production Manager
The Unlisted Company
Marshall Douglis
Director of Photography
The Unlisted Company
Isaiah McNeill
Senior Editor
The Unlisted Company
Steven Cortez
Audio
The Unlisted Company
Kari Larsen
Hair & Make Up
The Unlisted Company
Rachel DiDomenico
Hair & Make Up
The Unlisted Company
Christian Hafer
Cinematography
The Unlisted Company
Eric Dennis
Cinematography
The Unlisted Company
Sean O’Sullivan
Cinematography
The Unlisted Company
Andreas Apostol
Cinematography
The Unlisted Company
Daniel Milchev
Cinematography
The Unlisted Company
Luke Reissman
Head of Partnerships
PGA of America
Jessica Burdett
Senior Account Manager, Partnerships
PGA of America
Kristen Brockman
Account Coordinator
PGA of America
Christy Marburger
Executive
CAA Sports
Dan Crowther
Executive
CAA Sports
Steve Harrison
Executive
CAA Sports
Connor Middleton
Executive
CAA Sports
Ellie Baisden
Executive
CAA Sports
Savannah Sheehy
Professional
CAA Sports
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 6, 2024 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
