Ally CMO Andrea Brimmer discusses impact of women’s sports investment at NWSL Championship

The GIST: Prominent women’s sports sponsor Ally activated at the 2024 NWSL Championship in Kansas City this weekend as the financial brand continues investing in the women’s game. Ally is working hard to close the sports sponsorship gender gap, which has helped the brand stand out among competitors.

• Ally CMO Andrea Brimmer spoke with The GIST on Friday about how its investment in women’s soccer continues to pay off. Let’s get into the key updates.

⚖️ Ally will end the year with around 48% of its investments committed to women’s sports. This brings the bank close to achieving its 50/50 Pledge of an even split of investment in men’s and women’s sports by 2027.

📊 The bank’s sports sponsorships spurred boosts across several KPIs. Brand valuation is up 31% YoY, marking its biggest jump over the last five years. “Literally every single one of our KPIs is at historic highs: Our awareness, our consideration, our trust, our likability, and our sentiment,” Brimmer explained.

• This is uniquely high for a bank — Brimmer noted positive sentiment in the banking category is usually in the 30% to 35% range, but Ally generates 95% positive sentiment, 3x higher than any other bank. On top of the world.

☀️ Ally is doubling down on its latest partnerships. The brand intends to focus on its collaborations with the USGA, Las Vegas Aces, and Unrivaled, as well as content production with Hello Sunshine.

💼 The company is putting on a clinic for women’s sports sponsorship. CarMax CMO Sarah Lane cited Ally as a brand that inspires its investment strategy, and Brimmer also noted execs at Lumen, State Farm, Delta, Chase, and Morgan Stanley are “really starting to come into the space,” which is critical considering only 6% of Fortune 500 companies are investing in women’s sports.

• “Brands that you would think would never be bedfellows, that are technically competitors, getting together and saying, ‘What can we do to advance what's happening in women's sports.’ It's unlike anything I've ever been a part of in my 30-plus year career,” Brimmer said. “The power of women.”