QBE Insurance launches Swans and Swifts partnership campaign

QBE Insurance has rolled out a new campaign that taps into the local sporting heartland to illustrate why insurance coverage matters. Featuring players from the Sydney Swans and NSW Swifts, the campaign positions the company as a protector against unexpected life moments—from a broken car window to a power surge—whether for home, car or business.

The campaign builds on QBE's long-standing partnerships with both teams. The Swifts partnership was recently renewed as a principal sponsorship, reinforcing QBE's commitment to both AFL and AFLW at a time when sports insurance sponsorships are increasingly valuable for brand association. For the Swans, the partnership is longstanding, allowing QBE to frame itself as an embedded part of the club's broader ecosystem.

Rather than traditional sponsorship assets, The Core Agency created six short stories that sit within QBE's existing 'Before & After' brand platform, using the 'Q the' mnemonic to frame scenarios. Spots include "Q the winning team," "Q the practice session," and "Q not knowing your own strength"—each setting up a moment where insurance becomes essential. The 'Q' framing turns the brand name into an active verb, making it less about the company and more about the action of asking the right protection question.

The campaign stars NSW Swifts players Maddy Turner, Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley alongside Sydney Swans athletes Nick Blakley, Isaac Heeney, Callum Mills and Chloe Molloy. Their presence grounds the campaign in local recognition and athletic credibility, moving beyond generic insurance messaging into territory where audiences actually follow these players. Rather than celebrity endorsement, the approach uses athletes to anchor relatable scenarios drawn from sports life—a practice session injury, a power surge at home.

David Hirsch, head of marketing and insights at QBE Australia Pacific, explained the logic behind the approach: "Life is full of unexpected moments, from breaking a car window while practicing ahead of the big game, to a power surge while watching the match." The campaign extends across home, car and business insurance—reflecting QBE's broader portfolio beyond just the obvious sports-adjacent risks. The decision to include business insurance signals that QBE is positioning itself not just as a sports-sponsor, but as a serious coverage provider across all customer segments.

The campaign runs across digital channels including Foxtel Go, Kayo, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. This mix targets both younger audiences scrolling social media and established sports viewers on streaming and traditional digital platforms, allowing QBE to reach fans where they actually consume sports content.

For QBE, the campaign represents a fresh angle on an old partnership model: rather than simple logo placement, the spots use recognisable athletes to anchor relatable insurance scenarios. Over 130 years in the market, QBE is betting that audiences will remember the brand not for its history, but for how the company showed up when things went wrong—a message worth repeating in an increasingly cluttered sports sponsorship landscape.