Ally CMO Andrea Brimmer shares 50/50 Pledge updates

The GIST: Tomorrow marks the two-year anniversary of Ally’s 50/50 Pledge, which aims to close the gender gap in sports advertising with an equal spend on women’s and men’s sports. The GIST checked in with Ally CMO Andrea Brimmer last week to commemorate the milestone and discuss where the brand hopes to expand next.

The update: Brimmer expects Ally to get “pretty close to 50/50” by the end of the year, far ahead of its scheduled 2027 deadline. Right now, the company estimates the spending split at 56/44 with slightly more going toward men’s sports like NASCAR.

• Ally kicked things off by announcing its Team Ally initiative last May, followed by sponsorship of the Ally Tipoff, the Atlantic Coast Conference, and The Soccer Tournament in 2023. This year, it became the sponsor of the U.S. Open, the Las Vegas Aces, and Wrexham Women in addition to renewing its NWSLPA agreement. Whew.

The strategy: Ally has a three-prong strategy for women’s sports. Ally creates media opportunities with legacy media partners and works with emerging female-owned platforms like Goals, Re—Inc, Just Women’s Sports, and The GIST. The third prong is to put money directly in athletes’ pockets, something it has done through Team Ally and its esports investments dedicated to women gamers.

The wins: In 2023, Ally’s brand value grew 32%, marking the biggest jump it’s seen in five years. Trust in the brand rose 10% last year, up 60% since 2017 — a surprising feat in an industry that’s been hit by a downturn in consumer trust. And brand love equals big business: Brimmer said deposits are up as Ally’s stock soars 70% YoY.

Next steps: Brimmer noted that Ally “would love to continue to expand in the women’s basketball space.” The brand is also thinking about its involvement in the media industry, specifically about how to pair with platforms like Amazon and ESPN as they get further into their NWSL deals. Brimmer also looks forward to supporting growth of brands like The GIST and Just Women’s Sports.

The takeaway: Ally has been rewarded with significant ROI as an early adopter in the women’s sports ecosystem, which includes supporting media entities and athletes. By committing to its pledge, the bank has been aggressively expanding in women’s sports while there are still many open opportunities, something that likely won’t be the case for long. On a (bank)roll.