Droga5 ANZ has wrapped ASB’s new partnerships with the New Zealand Team and Athletics New Zealand inside a campaign Here for First Steps to World Bests, that uses sports to express the belief that progress happens one step at a time.

The campaign highlights sport, and running in particular, as the simplest form of progress and example of forward motion. Whether it is a child lacing up for the first time or an elite athlete chasing a podium in Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, there is progress in every step. It brings ASB’s new partnerships to life by connecting grassroots participation with elite performance – from inspiring the next generation through Athletics New Zealand’s Run Jump Throw and Get Set Go programmes to backing athletes on the road to major international competition.
 
The hero film carries the journey from grassroots participation through to elite achievement, while supporting cutdown spots focus on the Commonwealth Games pathway and children’s participation.

OOH extends the message, with large-format placements building broad awareness of who ASB supports and why it matters, and smaller-format executions bringing community proof points closer to schools, parks and commuter routes. Digital and social channels deepen the story by showing what ASB’s support enables in practical terms.
 
Together, these stories position ASB as a supporter of progress in all its forms – helping New Zealanders take their first steps in sport and, for some, represent Aotearoa on the world stage. With the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on the horizon, ASB aims to stake a clear, credible position in New Zealand sport.

The campaign is part of a broader integrated programme with Droga5 ANZ developing the creative platform and campaign, McCann leading media strategy and planning, and Quantum Jump leading the ASB direct marketing strategy and Bastion Aotearoa helping shape the partnership strategy and customer experience approach.
 
Helen Fitzsimons, ASB chief marketing officer, stated, “Sport holds a special place in the hearts of New Zealanders. It brings communities together, inspires us to dream bigger, and gives people of all ages the confidence and sense of possibility that comes from making progress towards a goal. Alongside Athletics New Zealand, we’re on a mission to help 100,000 Kiwi kids access sport through ASB Run Jump Throw and Get Set Go programmes. We’ll be backing the New Zealand Team to LA Olympic Games 2028 and Brisbane 2032, and everything in between.”

Stephanie Fahey, ASB head of brand experience, added, “The ASB brand is built on helping every New Zealander get one step ahead. Our campaign aims to build genuine affinity by demonstrating what ASB’s support enables – from helping kids get to the start line for the first time to backing New Zealand’s top athletes on the road to competing on the world stage. This platform is more than advertising, it’s a springboard for integrated brand experiences and we’re excited for how this will show up for ASB customers and New Zealanders over the coming years.”
 
Damon Stapleton, Droga5 ANZ chief creative officer, commented, “Here For gives ASB’s sponsorship story an inclusive, flexible creative territory, avoiding the hype-reel tropes of typical sporting partnerships and positioning ASB as genuinely invested in the journey, not just the win.”

Credits:

Client: ASB
Chief Marketing Officer: Helen Fitzsimons
Head of Brand Experience: Stephanie Fahey
Executive Manager Commercial Partnerships: Mark Graham
Senior Brand Manager: Kimberly Burgess
Portfolio Managers: Conor Beggs & Ollie Crawford
 
Creative Agency: Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song
Chief Creative Officer: Damon Stapleton & Barbara Humphries
Principal Director: Steve Kane
Head of Business Management: James Allan
Senior Business Director: Briar Dye-Hutchinson
Head of Strategy: Stevie Weber
Executive Creative Directors: James Conner & Christie Cooper
Senior Art Director: Erin Clarke
Senior Copywriter: Kat Menary
Head of Integrated Production: T Bielawa
Integrated Producer: Callum Crabb
Senior Finished Artist: Lisa Stowers
Studio Designer: Vivian Heng
 
Partnership & Integrated Experiences Agency: Bastion Aotearoa
Media Agency: Initiative Aotearoa
Direct Agency: Quantum Jump
 
Production Company: FINCH
Director: Alex Roberts
Executive Producer: Rebekah Kelly
Producer: Duncan Bernard
Audio: Liquid Studios
Music Supervision: Jonathan Mihaljevich @ Franklin Road Music & Sound