Nine has announced a record six major sponsors for the 2021 season of Australian Ninja Warrior, with leading health insurer AIA Australia joining Nutri-Grain, ALDI, Energizer, KFC and Bendigo Bank.
Season five of Australian Ninja Warrior premieres this Sunday, June 20, and will feature innovative, bespoke in-show branding that compliments both the editorial of the series and the brands’ campaign messaging.
“Ninja Warrior’s return brings with it a stellar group of brand partners, all looking to capitalise on the exceptional communal viewing this family favourite delivers. We are thrilled to be working with each partner, using deep sponsorship effectiveness know-how to ensure we deliver strong ROI,” said Nine’s director of Powered, Liana Dubois.
As part of AIA Australia’s sponsorship, Nine’s Powered Studios has produced eight integrated TV commercials utilising four Ninjas and Australian Ninja Warrior sideline commentator Shane Crawford that reflects the brand’s ‘Small steps to a healthier you’ campaign.
Featuring high profile Ninjas Zac Stolz, Chris White, Raphaela Wiget and new Ninja, Dylan James, the TVCs will run throughout the series in line with their appearances during the series. The sponsorship package will also include branding on digital perimeter screens around the obstacle course and in the pool.
AIA Australia and New Zealand CEO and managing director, Damien Mu, said he was thrilled to be involved with Ninja Warrior, as it showed what can be achieved by people at the peak of their performance, who have a dream.
“We are focused on helping Australians live healthier, longer, better lives. Whether your dream is to be an elite athlete or simply to improve your health, it’s inspiring to see how far you can go with small steps every day,” he said.
Energizer, returning for its third year, will have its branding in-show on The Power Tower and bespoke branding on the on-screen timer shown during Ninja runs. ALDI, also in its second year of sponsorship, will have its branding displayed on the Leader-board and Hero-board. Returning for its fifth year, KFC will be back as a premium sponsor through billboard association. All sponsors will also have branding shown on digital perimeter screens around the course. Bendigo Bank will also leverage the power of Australian Ninja Warrior through billboard association.
Returning for its second year, Nutri-Grain will have branded commercial break ‘engagers’ re- capping in-show moments from Ninja runs. Nutri-Grain ambassador Ky Hurst will also compete in this season as a Ninja.
This year, on the toughest course ever designed, Ninjas will be challenged in new and unexpected ways. For the first time ever, Ninjas will be able to choose their own path, taking them through to the Warped Wall, which is now ten centimetres higher. There will be 26 new obstacles including the Underwater Escape and the Dragon Back.
More than 200 aspiring, everyday athletes have been training day in and day out to prepare for their turn to tame the world’s most difficult obstacle course. Mums and dads, tradies and farmers, students and business owners from all over Australia will put their bodies on the line to see if they have what it takes to conquer Mt Midoriyama and win the title of Australian Ninja Warrior 2021
Season five of Australian Ninja Warrior premieres this Sunday, June 20.