Written for Media. Published by City Press and South Africa Today.

Customer Experience & Marketing Intelligence agency, One Custom, is helping Laureus Sport For Good South Africa build and grow a network of supporters who will power the organisation’s work for social change with the same fervour that South Africans showed in helping the Springboks claim the 2019 Rugby World Cup title. Launching this week, the Laureus Supporters’ Club is a new initiative that will enable sports fans to not just donate to supporting the organisation’s good causes, but become a part of the Laureus family.

Many South Africans know of the Laureus World Sports Awards, thanks to the Springboks being named Laureus World Team of the Year for 2020 – but few know that the organisation also uses the power of sport to support an array of community projects in 35 countries around the globe. The organisation supports 25 projects in South Africa and has raised R80 million since inception, largely with the help of its network of sporting greats including Bryan Habana, Natalie du Toit, Amanda Dlamini, Jacques Kallis, Ryk Neethling, Lucas Radebe, Cameron van der Burgh and a host of other stellar names.

One Custom have considerable experience in building member platforms and driving engagement with fans by offering the opportunity to be part of something they hold so close to their hearts. Director Paul Geary says that nothing unites people like a sense of belonging, and supporters’ clubs offer us the chance to become part of something we love. “Initiatives like the Laureus Supporters’ Club are about supporting, not simply giving,” he says. “Joining a supporters’ club offers the chance to become part of a team, working towards a common goal – and sharing in that sense of achievement when you achieve the shared aim”.

Geary says that the mechanism for supporting the Laureus Supporters’ Club ensures that it will continue to grow and be able to support its community projects more sustainably. “Supporters can sign up for a monthly contribution, which gives them the opportunity to be continuously involved with the work that Laureus does,” he says. “Long-time Laureus partners Mercedes-Benz have donated a vehicle which supporters can win by joining the Supporters’ Club at inception – which is a wonderful incentive – but we believe that supporters will also sign up for the tangible benefit of making a continuous personal impact in the communities in which the organisation works. For the supporters, there’s a tremendous sense of belonging to a cause, and for Laureus, there’s a chance to build a diversified revenue-generating model that will help it grow its initiatives”.

The Laureus Supporters’ Club (club.laureus.co.za) website has all the details on how to join and support the tremendous work the organisation does in communities across the country.