“RBC Training Ground” has paid dividends, not just for identifying and nurturing athletic talent, but also for building the bank’s brand equity, according to chief brand officer Shannon Cole. Now in its 10th year, the program is a talent identification and athlete funding program designed to find young athletes with Olympic potential, particularly from diverse backgrounds.

Last week, the bank added “significant program updates” including a new, incremental pool of funds for athletes facing financial barriers to high-performance sport, a women’s-only hour at all events and an impact council to help steer future DEI initiatives.

Cole (pictured, above) tells strategy those updates came after RBC saw “incredible” audiences at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, with viewership that’s both linear and and digital. “So fandom for the Olympic movement is continuing to be something that’s really strong for Canadians, with so many tuning in at some point during the games to show their support for athletes.”

Top 30 RBC Future Olympians rugby player ShonDreya Smardon of Ottawa (left) and Speedskater Béatrice Lamarche of Québec City (right).

Cole adds that RBC’s authentic approach to different communities – and giving young athletes the chance to participate free of charge – is resonating with people. “The more barriers that we can sort of remove, the better we’ll be for it, and the better we can reflect the athleticism that we see across the country and all corners of it,” she says.

According to bank insights, RBC is top-of-mind and more than double the rate of the next highest brand when asked to name “companies that support young athletes with Olympic potential.”

Among all Team Canada-affiliated programs, the brand says its “RBC Training Ground” ranks the highest in awareness among Canadians and that awareness of the program is strongly and positively associated with favourable perceptions of RBC – particularly among non-clients.

Bank insights also suggest that among those who are aware of RBC Training Ground, non-clients are 50% more likely to consider banking with RBC, “twice as likely to feel RBC is a brand with modern and fresh ideas, and twice as likely to believe RBC provides value beyond financial products and services.”