How do you take a 120-year-old brand into the future? The AA is working its website, adding functionality in a new app and showing up where people need it. It’s all about the members, says CMO Jenni Ryan.
When it comes down to it, the AA is about three things, says chief marketing officer Jenni Ryan. The members, the branded products and – of course – the AA brand itself.
“AA membership is really the core of what we’re about: looking after our 1.1 million members,” says Ryan.
But the other elements work hand in glove. The branded products exist to make members’ lives easier, and everything sits under the umbrella of the brand – consistently seen as one of the most trusted in Aotearoa.
“It is such an honour to be working with a 120-year-old brand. I’m a marketer from New Zealand, and this has got to be the brand in terms of its heritage – loved, trusted, connected,” says Ryan, who has been CMO since May 2023.
To the next 120 years
Even cherished heritage brands have to move ahead, and Ryan’s been working on how to take the AA brand forward into the next 120 years.
“My remit in the last two years has been looking at all three of those things and how do they help support the broader journey we’re on.”
It’s a digital journey in part, with a website overhaul going live in March and improvements to the app this year. Ryan describes this as “phase one” in a wider transformation.
“The website refresh is pretty exciting for us because it was kicking off a broader programme around our digital maturity.
“It was quite an extensive piece of work – moving about 5,000 pages of previous content across into a new platform. And then taking the opportunity to think: how would a member or a customer navigate our site? We have a lot of products and services, how do you streamline that?”
Join the dots
The app – launched back in 2013 – is getting some love too.
“We are currently working on the app side of things and thinking about joining the dots so it’s not just your digital membership card, but you can also see the member benefits you’ve had in the past year as well as other benefits open to you.
“You might’ve had your car serviced at an AA Auto Centre and had a benefit of X number of dollars. You might’ve had your policy with AA Insurance and had a benefit of X dollars, you might’ve also gone to Pita Pit and got your discount, and you might’ve gone to Specsavers and got your discount there too.
“We’re excited about the app because it will bring that to life for Members really easily. It will also let them know their list of benefits, so it will prompt awareness.”
Personal touchpoints
Like most major brands, the AA is looking at how it incorporates AI in its processes, to smooth the flow of information to call handlers, for example, or streamline roadside assistance.
“But the personal touchpoints and connection that we had with our members is part of our secret sauce,” she says – and there’s no danger of that being replaced by machines.
“If you think about the AA’s origins – it’s by members for members. Our members sign up and they’re actually part of a club.”
This club ethos makes the relationship with AA far more than transactional for many, says Ryan. Just ask the “loyalists” who remain members despite not driving so much these days. What keeps them coming back?
“For many, it is the trust of knowing the AA will be there for them on the roadside if they need them. It is also their AA Directions magazine or their member benefits – it is that feeling of being part of that club and knowing what the AA does from a community perspective,” says Ryan.
A greater role in society
The AA’s research and advocacy role is likely to be less well known with some New Zealanders, but it does significant and wide-ranging work around road safety.
“We do policy and advocacy work with the Government, we support Kaitiaki o Ara/Students Against Dangerous Driving, we have road safety initiatives within schools.
“We look to play a greater role in New Zealand – that is core to our brand values. And that has been incredibly helpful to our brand health over the years. I think it drives love to ‘trusted’ and ‘connected’, and the friendly expert nature of our brand.”
It doesn’t hurt that the AA is one of only two services drivers must use to renew their licence. Even non-members are likely to interact with AA staff, so internal culture plays an important part in driving pride in the brand.
More than just branding
A new team member is making an outsize contribution. Ray, a little bobblehead character, was introduced in the AA’s latest TV campaign in May. He’s quickly become a rising star, says Ryan.
“It’s been about 10 years since we’ve been on TV. Pleasingly, at the end of a five-week campaign, the top lines show that ‘trust’, ‘expert’ and ‘friendly’ is higher than what was already a tier one rating,” she says.
The messaging about over 45 ways to save has hit home too. But it wasn’t just a branding exercise.
“The other part for us was having a bit of fun with it,” says Ryan. And that’s where Ray comes in.
The yellow overall-clad character might look like a 2” inanimate object, but “he’s actually taken on a big persona internally,” laughs Ryan.
“He pipes up on different internal comms. He likes mince’n’cheese pies and talks about his favourite parts in New Zealand – all that kind of stuff. It’s proven quite engaging internally for people to be able to put a face and a name and a character to something that we all hold so dear.”
Ray of sunshine
A company-wide call-out decided his name.
“What we liked about ‘Ray’ was that the ad was about the joy of the solution. The AA comes along and saves the day. And Ray is yellow, he’s like a little ray of sunshine and he brings the joy.
“It’s a pleasure to see the effect he’s had. There’s a lot of pride that comes around AA Roadservice and to have a character talking to that, and with such Kiwi values, has really resonated.
“The amount of inquiries we’ve had since we went live with the campaign – ‘Can I have a bobblehead? Where can I buy Ray?’ It’s been really fun to see. And look, the journey continues with Ray.”
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 84, Sept-Nov 2025. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
Essential marketing intelligence. Don’t miss it.
