CRDB Bank joined the Kili International Marathon three years ago and the bank now looks back at those three years with much pride because of what has been achieved and the role that it has played in taking athletics to greater heights.
The CRDB Bank Ag Head of Marketing, Ms Joyce Nsekela Says, “We started as supporting sponsor in the water table but within our second year of sponsorship we sponsored 5km Fun Run as headline sponsor now popularly known as CRDB Bank 5km Fun Run.
It has been an exciting journey as the bank has also gotten a unique platform for interacting with our customers and stakeholders and at the same time advocating for a healthy lifestyle.
“The Kili Marathon event brings together people of all ages and we have different products for different groups hence the decision for us choosing to be headline sponsors,” she says.
CRDB, according to Ms Nsekela is the biggest financial institution in Tanzania and the only suitable bank to sponsor this race that attracts about 6000 runners every year.
“The professionalism, consistency, organization and the international structure of the event was another reason we chose to sponsor Kili Marathon. The creativity and thinking behind this event is quite exceptional and makes this one of the best races that everyone looks forward to every year,” she adds.
The fact that the event also promotes sports tourism and healthy lifestyle is something that CRDB as a bank is also keen in.
This she goes on to say, they also do through their our own platform the CRDB Bank Marathon which takes place in August and motivating their staff to participate in these activities and also engage in local tourism, which is a good way to relax the mind outside work.
She further notes that the water tunnel at water points is one thing that the runners really enjoy where the runners are cooled by as they run through. “We also ensure there is a bit of entertainment at our water points to attract more runners and keep them hyped,” she says.
She also explains that Moshi is usually very busy during the marathon period hence the bank engages in promotional activities that draw them near their customers and potential customers and this runs a few days before the marathon, on the marathon day and after the marathon and we have seen the results.
The People’s Expo is another unique point that has given CRDB Bank great mileage as the bank’s staff members engage with participants and other customers who are normally at the stadium on the event day and may want to activate their accounts or get any information on the products that the bank is offering.
“It’s not all work, we have a huge relaxation area where runners can get different services like massage so they can relax after the long run and all this is free of charge for all runners.
“We have a long term contract of three years which for us it is not just about the business but the impact that the event has to the people of Moshi and the nation as a whole,” she concludes.
