Our Approach

Akarana welcomes brand partnerships that create genuine value for our community. Any brand activity on site must:

Align with Akarana’s values and charitable purpose
Respect the wider Akarana community and environment
Be appropriate for the site and proposed audience
Work alongside existing partnerships and agreements
Comply with relevant site, operational and safety requirements
Where appropriate, contribute towards the charitable work and community programmes of Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust
Every opportunity is considered individually.

Akarana reserves the right to approve, decline or request changes to any proposed activity.

What is a Brand or Community Activation?
A brand or community activation is an activity that brings a product, service, experience, initiative or partnership to the Akarana site and community. This may include:

Brand experiences
Product sampling
Product giveaways
Health and wellbeing experiences
Free services or activities
Community initiatives
Pop-ups and displays
Product launches
Sponsored activities
Partnerships with clubs or community programmes
Branded experiences
Photography or video content
Social media activity connected to an activation

Not every activity will be suitable for Akarana, and approval will depend on the nature, scale and purpose of the proposal.

Activations Connected to Community Groups and Clubs
Akarana is home to a number of clubs, groups and community programmes.

We recognise that these groups may develop relationships and partnerships with external brands. However, a relationship between a community group and a brand does not automatically provide approval for the brand to undertake an activity at Akarana.

Where a brand wishes to activate in connection with an Akarana community group, club, programme or event, the proposed activity must be submitted to Akarana for review before it is confirmed or promoted.

This helps ensure that all activity
Is appropriate for the Akarana site
Works alongside other activity taking place
Does not conflict with existing partnerships or agreements
Has appropriate operational and safety considerations in place
Creates a positive experience for the wider Akarana community.

Community groups and clubs are welcome to introduce potential partnership opportunities but cannot independently approve brand activations on Akarana premises.

Existing Partnerships and Site Considerations
Akarana has existing partnerships, agreements and operational requirements that must be considered when reviewing proposed activations.

This may include considerations around
Food and beverage
Coffee and beverage partnerships
Product categories
Sponsorship arrangements
Branding
Licensing
Catering
Use of facilities and spaces
Other site requirements.

For this reason, all branding, products, signage and activity must be discussed and approved before an activation takes place.

Where an existing agreement prevents a particular product or activation from proceeding as proposed, Akarana may work with the partner to identify an alternative approach.

For example, an approved partnership may be able to incorporate branded coffee sleeves or supporting collateral where branded coffee cups or competing products are not appropriate.

Branding and Promotion
All proposed branding associated with an activation must be approved in advance.

Depending on the activity, this may include:

Signage
Product displays
Promotional material
Branded equipment
Sampling stations
Merchandise
Photography
Videography
Social media content

Akarana approval is required before signage, displays or branding are installed or distributed on site. Brands should not assume that access to Akarana’s marketing channels is included as part of an activation. Any promotion through Akarana’s

Social media channels
Website
Email communications
Digital screens
Other marketing channels

must be specifically agreed as part of the activation.

Where social media is involved, agreed activity may include appropriate:

Account tags
Brand attribution
Collaborative posts
Stories or reels
Content sharing

The level of promotional support will be agreed on a case-by-case basis.

Giving Back to the Akarana Community
Akarana is a charitable trust, and our work extends beyond the events and activities that take place on site.

Where a brand receives meaningful benefit from access to the Akarana site, community or audience, Akarana may seek an appropriate contribution towards the charitable work and community programmes of Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust.

The nature of any contribution will depend on the individual opportunity and may take into account:

The scale and duration of the activation
The level of brand exposure
The audience involved
The nature of the experience
Whether products or services are being sold
The level of support requested from Akarana
The overall benefit provided to the Akarana community

In some cases, Akarana may waive or reduce a contribution where an activity provides significant community, health, wellbeing or charitable benefit.

Any contribution or partnership arrangement will be discussed as part of the review process.

Before Your Activation Can Be Approved
If your proposal is considered suitable in principle, we may request further information before providing final approval.

Depending on the activity, this may include:
A detailed description of the activation
Proposed dates and times
Set-up and pack-down requirements
Proposed location and footprint
Staffing requirements
Products or services involved
Branding and signage
Equipment or power requirements
Photography or videography
Social media and promotional activity
Health and safety information
Insurance documentation

Any other information relevant to the proposed activity

For larger or ongoing partnerships, Akarana may also require a written agreement or Memorandum of Understanding.

Approval
Submitting a proposal or discussing an idea with an Akarana team member does not constitute approval to undertake an activity on site.

All proposed brand and community activations must receive approval from Akarana before they are:

Confirmed
Promoted
Advertised
Announced on social media
Undertaken on site

Approval may be subject to specific requirements or conditions.

Submit an Activation Proposal

Complete the online form here

Contact

If you have a general question about a potential activation or partnership, please contact:

Emma Kilpatrick
comms@akarana.co.n