Wellness & NutritionAYA × Robbie Henshaw — National Brand Ambassador
AYA appointed Robbie Henshaw as its national ambassador, combining integrated media, retail, PR and digital activation across Ireland.
Overview
The campaign
AYA Supplements partnered with Sport Endorse to appoint Irish rugby star Robbie Henshaw as national ambassador for 2023. The integrated campaign combined above-the-line and below-the-line activity, including photography, PR, retail, digital marketing and later television activation, giving AYA a credible nationwide sports partnership with long-term potential.
The challenge
AYA wanted a sports figure with nationwide relevance, strong social media engagement and the confidence to handle media duties. The requirement went beyond a single sponsored post. The selected athlete needed to represent the brand across a broad Irish audience and remain credible in advertising, public relations, retail and digital environments.
The campaign also required careful coordination between AYA, Uniphar, the athlete and several media workstreams. A national ambassador programme can involve image rights, photography, approval processes, television scheduling and public appearances, so AYA needed a partner able to secure the athlete and support delivery without fragmenting communication across multiple suppliers.
The Sport Endorse solution
Sport Endorse connected AYA with Robbie Henshaw, a professional rugby player, British & Irish Lion and established Leinster and Ireland international. The public Sport Endorse success story confirms that Henshaw was selected as AYA's national ambassador for 2023 and that the partnership included both above-the-line and below-the-line marketing activity.
Internal HubSpot records show that the Uniphar and AYA campaign was created in September 2022. A note dated 23 November confirmed the partnership with Robbie and AYA, while earlier planning covered a December photoshoot involving Henshaw and Amber Barrett. The internal record also documents support around campaign statistics, final planning, PR and media buying.
The partnership developed beyond the initial 2023 activation. A separate completed record for "Robbie H. AYA TV 6 Nations Image Rights Q1" confirms a six-week television campaign planned from late January to mid-March 2024, together with first-quarter image rights and a signed 2024 talent agreement. Sport Endorse also published Henshaw's Ireland AM appearance in December 2023, where he discussed Irish rugby and his partnership with AYA. This continuation demonstrates that the initial ambassador selection created value beyond a one-off launch.
Athlete fit
Robbie Henshaw matched AYA's brief because he combined elite sporting credibility with broad national recognition. His record with Leinster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions gave the partnership immediate authority among rugby supporters, while his experience in interviews and major sporting environments made him suitable for the media responsibilities required by the campaign.
The fit also supported an integrated national strategy. Henshaw could appear consistently across outdoor advertising, retail activation, PR, digital marketing and television without the endorsement feeling detached from performance and active lifestyles. Rather than choosing an athlete solely for follower numbers, AYA secured an ambassador whose sporting reputation, communication skills and public profile could sustain a longer relationship.
Deliverables
- One national ambassador, Robbie Henshaw, selected for AYA through Sport Endorse.
- National 2023 campaign structured across above-the-line and below-the-line marketing activity.
- Campaign photography planned, including a December photoshoot involving Robbie Henshaw and Amber Barrett.
- Outdoor advertising, retail activation, PR and digital marketing included in the integrated campaign scope.
- Sport Endorse support extended to campaign planning, PR coordination and media buying discussions.
- Media duties included Robbie Henshaw's Ireland AM appearance discussing rugby and his AYA partnership.
- A six-week television activation was planned for late January to mid-March 2024 around the Six Nations period.
- First-quarter 2024 image rights and a signed talent agreement supported continuation of the ambassadorship.
Results
The verified records confirm one national ambassador appointment, two integrated campaign layers and four named activation areas: outdoor, retail, PR and digital. The initial completed HubSpot record spans 394 days from creation to close, while the later television record confirms a six-week campaign window. Reach, impressions, engagement, sales impact and retail conversion were not available in the reviewed sources and have not been estimated.
“Robbie Henshaw is a perfect fit as a Brand Partner for AYA. We want to grow AYA’s brand awareness in the Irish market, and partnering with Robbie will see AYA’s brand identity grow from strength to strength.”— Aine Devlin, Marketing Manager, AYA
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