With the £79m shortfall now apparently down to £59m, and (not coincidentally) Medal Hopes still merely a soundbite, it was nonetheless surprising to see Beijing golden girl Rebecca Adlington, interviewed in The Times the other day, declaring that her success had not led to any endorsements. 

“Nobody has called to help with any funding…nobody has come forward to help. People mistakenly think, ‘She must be well-off now’, but it’s not quite how it works.”

So not surprising then, in an ever-crunchier world, to see many of our London 2012 medal hopefuls doing the fundraising for themselves, in the shape of the Be Number 1 online campaign, which uses the pixel marketing model pioneeed by Alex Tew’s now-famous Million Dollar Homepage to give donors the opportunity to sponsor individual athletes, including including the ‘Yngling girls’ Sarah Payton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson, BMX ace Shanaze Reade and gymnast Beth Tweddle, by buying pixels on their Be Number 1 pages for as little as £20.

Clever – good luck to them.

By Tim Crow on October 29th, 2008

Tags: Beijing 2008, DCMS, Default, London 2012, London 2012 sponsorship, Olympic sponsorship, Olympics, Sponsorship, Team GB, grass roots sport

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20 men in a room hugging was the scene last Wednesday night at Harlequins at the Guinness Club Together, ‘Rugby Essentials’, event. Guinness Club Together is a grassroots initiative developed to work with rugby clubs. It is free to join and in exchange for collecting and sending in Guinness keg caps, clubs are able to redeem a host of prizes, merchandise and other sought after items from the online catalogue.

The events are being hosted by Guinness Premiership referees, players and coaches demonstrating training techniques, warm-up drills as well as offering advice on the new and controversial Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) . Wayne Barnes, a Guinness Premiership referee, provided an interactive session on the ELVs. Clubs have now been playing the new laws for a few months and this gave them a chance to discuss how they are being interpreted by both the players and referees. It was the coaching portion of the evening that prompted a group of fully grown men to get up and hug each other as Colin Osborne, the Quins coach, demonstrated the wrestling techniques that the squad use to warm up.  The events have been kept small and intimate to ensure that the attendees get an opportunity to interact and really get what they want out of the session.

I am a rugby fan but last week some of the jargon really took it to the next level and I did wonder at times had it been in a foreign language I might have had more chance of interpreting it! It was really great to see the audience so fully engaged and, at times, mesmerised.

The purpose of the ‘Rugby Essentials’ events is for Guinness to target the core rugby audience and club opinion formers and to engage them in their passion giving them a valuable rugby insight that they can take back to their respective clubs. This is a really great way for Guinness to offer a unique brand experience whilst spreading the wealth of its Premiership sponsorship assets.

The Guinness Club Together Rugby Essential events are travelling around the UK in the next month:

Newcastle Falcons - 29^th October (18.00 – 21.00)
Sale Sharks - 5^th November (18.00 – 21.00)
Northampton Saints - 12^th November (18.00 – 21.00)
Saracens - 19^th November (18.00 – 21.00) 

I would love to be a fly on the flood lights when the guests from last week go back to their clubs and attempt to cajole the players into a bit of a wrestle!

By Lisa Woodward on October 29th, 2008

Tags: Brand marketing, Experiential marketing, Guinness, Guinness Premiership, Rugby, grass roots sport

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It’s an interesting rumour that could pass as a viral hoax: “Internet will close tonight for cleaning.” “Please wire me your bank details so I can send you $10m.” “Government will regulate web content to help TV.” (Spot the real one.)

Andy Burnham’s plans to “even up” the regulatory imbalance between television and the internet can go one of two ways. Either TV will become more like the unregulated web world. Or the web will become more like the regulated TV world. Or a bit of both.

In fairness, Mr Burnham is all about promoting “innovation, risk taking, and new talent” and, although scant on details, there’s no doubt that the internet is by far the most innovative platform ever invented. But I think we now know Mr Burnham’s views on grubby commercialism like product placement, so we have to assume that plans to “tighten up” the online content will be a less-is-more approach.

If the plan is to restrict content, either through ISP certification or centrally-managed censorship, it feels we’ve heard this somewhere before: clearly recent Olympic trips to Beijing had more of an impact on the DCMS than anyone expected…

By Morgan Holt on October 27th, 2008

Tags: Branded content, China, DCMS, Default, Digital marketing, Media, Product placement, Television, Viral Marketing

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One Games ends: the road to another begins. Since the curtain came down on Beijing 2008, VANOC has launched an array of Vancouver 2010 initiatives, including a new Vancouver 2010 brand identity, a new motto (‘With Glowing Hearts’), and the release of the first tranche of Vancouver 2010 tickets.

Another recently-launched initiative is ‘The Vancouver 2010 Club - A Patron’s Programme’, a limited-edition high-rollers’ Olympic experience, which includes premium tickets, a car and driver, a concierge service and a place in the Olympic Torch Relay. VANOC is marketing 100 of these packages at C$285,000 (£140,500) each, and is reporting strong demand.

VANOC has rebuffed inevitable criticism of the concept by pointing out that the tickets involved do not come from the public allocation, and that the scheme is underpinned by philanthropy, as each package automatically donates 100 event tickets to the Vancouver 2010 Charitable Ticketing Fund, which is distributing 50,000 tickets to underprivileged children.

I applaud VANOC’s initiative. It’s a win-win for all concerned, and is simply a logical extension of a major NPD trend of recent times - products and services created specifically for the super-rich.

And what all commentators on the scheme have missed is that without this type of philanthropy, the Olympics would not have been re-born.

Two-thirds of the funding for the Athens 1896 Games, the first of the modern era, came from private donations, and the largest expense of the Games, the refurbishment of the Panathanaiko Stadium, was financed by a single benefactor, George Averoff.

By Tim Crow on October 24th, 2008

Tags: Beijing 2008, Brand marketing, London 2012, London 2012 sponsorship, New Product Development, Olympic Torch Relay, Olympic sponsorship, Olympics, Vancouver 2010

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Q: How is the success of the campaign being evaluated?

A: There was no measurable element to the campaign, making it difficult to assess.

These words taken from a recent Event Magazine case study of a one day marketing campaign for GSK’s hayfever brand, Piriton, highlight an area which has, for a long time, been a hot topic within the sponsorship world. Since the early days of sponsorship, research and evaluation techniques have developed significantly, bringing the sponsorship industry in line with many of the ‘traditional’ marketing disciplines like Advertising and DM in terms of measurability. The likes of Millward Brown, SMS (Sports Marketing Surveys) and the TNS Group are world leaders in market research and evaluation and, along with other specialist agencies, have developed techniques honed to measure the use and effectiveness of sponsorship and the brand’s ROI.

With these many techniques at our fingertips, how then are we to develop and encourage the use of Experiential Marketing - a relatively new area - within brands’ campaigns when the brands and agencies themselves are not taking the time or spending the money to evaluate their experiential activity? We all know that most Marketing Directors look for measurable ROIs to evaluate their brand’s success so it is essential that we agencies work with the client to plan and develop experiential campaigns ensuring that they include an element of evaluation to measure their success.

Millward Brown and research agency 2CV recently undertook a study in which they collated opinions from media planners and clients on the events sector. The result was “those that had used experiential activity were more likely to use it again over traditional forms of marketing” -an encouraging response to a relatively young discipline that is gaining more and more recognition amongst brands looking to engage with consumers on a one to one level.

An example of a well executed experiential activity that implemented a measurable element is the Snow Globe, produced by Synergy for BA during their sponsorship of the National History Museum Ice Rink in 2007. Customers were invited into the giant globe to have their photo taken in the snowy interior. The customer was handed a daily code which they had to input on the BA website in order to download their photo or forward it as a festive greeting to family and friends. Each stage of the process was monitored to measure how many people were touched by BA during the activity and an impressive 91% of customers went online to view their photo with a further 47% referring their photo on to friends or family. Compare this to an average of 3% redemption usually seen in competitions and the experiential activity is shown to be vastly more engaging.

Looking at the activation elements of the Piriton campaign mentioned above, free bus rides were given to visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show between Victoria and the venue. Whilst a good way to engage with the consumers, an evaluation development on that element could have been to hand out a sample or gift with a feedback card to measure responses from guests heading to/from the venue. Guests were also given reusable hessian shopping bags containing tissue packs and information on the causes and prevention of hay fever. This could perhaps have also contained a free or money-off voucher for redemption of Piriton products or an opportunity to win an experience or gift through entering a competition. These methods could all have helped in measuring the activity and evaluating its success, providing the Marketing Director with proof of his ROI.

Whilst these suggestions are perhaps not the most exciting or creative of methods to gauge consumer feedback, the point is that a simple extension of an idea, a little use of creativity to expand an already great concept, can provide ways of measuring its success and take brands that one step further towards undertaking further experiential activity when next year’s budgets are being handed out by the big bosses on the top floor.

By Dordie Brett on October 20th, 2008

Tags: Experiential marketing, Sponsorship, Synergy

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If you are a fan of the ‘A’ Team you may remember that the BA Baracus character was scared of flying. Well it seems that this is the case for the real life Mr T. He is starring in the Snickers ‘Get some nuts’ campaign and is flying to the UK for an experiential marketing tour but is terrified to get on a plane over here. His new friends at British Airways have stepped up and are giving him free flights and a ‘fear of flying course’. A BA spokesperson said, ‘We pity the fool that wouldn’t want the honour of flying BA back to the UK.’ Brilliant.

By Lisa Woodward on October 14th, 2008

Tags: Experiential marketing, Public relations

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What’s in a name?

So, it’s change afoot in the UEFA Cup. Again. In a bid to increase its profile – and no doubt differentiate itself from its slicker, richer, better-fed sibling, the UEFA Champions League – the competition has undergone a radical overhaul. Say goodbye Group Stage, with eight leagues of five; say hello Group Stage with…er…twelve groups of four. Begone, lowly UEFA Cup; enter in its place the mighty UEFA Europa League – a name I’m sure you’ll agree adequately reflects just how reinvigorated, aspirational and totally-not-the-Champions-League this competition really is. Doesn’t it…?

Whilst there is a greater level of subtlety to UEFA’s latest jiggery-pokery than I’m possibly letting on, such changes are not all that much fun to write about (eg. the winning FA Cup team cannot ‘give’ their UEFA Cup place to the losing finalist, in the case that they are already in the Champions League – the place instead going to next-highest team in the Premier League). See: told you.

To be honest, for the clubs concerned, I have a feeling that the only key difference they care about is just a little more fundamental: cold, harsh cash. For example, last year Liverpool raked in a reported £18 million as a losing Champions League semi-finalist. By contrast Spurs’ 2007/08 UEFA Cup run, where the club reached the competition’s Knockout Stage, playing a total of 10 matches, purportedly brought in around £500,000 in prize money. Approximately the same amount of revenue Tottenham made last season for a single live match on Sky Sports.

Can we have our ball back?

Ever thought that putting on London 2012 looked like a bit of a challenge?

Well, if the Games had to be co-hosted with a neighbouring country sharing no common language; if the journey time between certain Olympic venues was in some cases upwards of 9 hours; if the IOC had visited LOCOG a year ago and voiced mild concerns over our preparations – then returned six months later only for things to look even worse; if our national supporters were fearsome regulars on Ross Kemp on Gangs; if Seb Coe and his team were suspended from their duties due to charges of corruption…I could probably understand your concerns. As it is, this is the situation facing Poland, co-hosts of UEFA EURO 2012™.

Although Poland and Ukraine had never been the realistic front-runners during the bidding phase back in 2006/07, corruption and hooliganism in Italy’s game – along with the public support of FIFA’s Sepp Blatter – saw the tournament handed to Eastern Europe.

At present we are told there is no immediate threat to Poland’s position – but with Ukraine unable to act as sole host, Spain now more interested in bidding for the 2018 World Cup, Germany still recovering from 2006, and England ‘otherwise engaged’ in 2012, there are few obvious takers should Poland’s position become untenable. Forget east: whatever way you look at it EURO 2012 may have now officially gone south.

(Almost) Everyone’s a winner

Good news for fans of the Home Nations: by 2016 we may qualify for the European Championships. No, the UK is not bidding to host the tournament. Nope, this won’t be thanks to a future midfield triumvirate of Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz Beckham. And no, all decent teams aren’t being disqualified from qualification. It’s in fact simpler than that: UEFA are letting more nations into the Finals. 

With the expansion from 16 to 24 teams, UEFA EURO 2016™ will be an interesting tournament from several angles. From a commercial perspective, the return on investment for brands sponsoring the event is likely to be greater, as there is an opportunity for more of a sponsor’s European markets to engage with their consumers via Football – the flipside of this likely to be that the contractual fee from UEFA rises accordingly. And as a fan, there’s a 50% greater chance that your team might actually make the tournament. Okay, maybe 10% if you’re Scottish…

By Jonathan Izzard on October 10th, 2008

Tags: Default, Football, Football Sponsorship, London 2012, UEFA Champions League

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Every year I am disappointed that I can’t watch my favourite equestrian events on TV for more than a two hour highlights package.  Time and time again (what used to be) well-loved events get a few measly hours coverage on a Sunday afternoon.  For three day eventing, one of the reasons is that TV coverage is expensive requiring an extensive outdoor unit over a period of four days but it is also because the audience interest for equestrian events is shrinking. Showjumping suffered this fate in the 90’s and has never really recovered and now eventing seems to be following the same path.

So it’s good to see that British Eventing have a plan to kick start a turnaround – the question is will it work?  Express Eventing is their latest idea.  Inspired by the success of twenty20 cricket and World Rally’s in-stadia Super Special Stages, it aims to create a fast-moving single day event in one venue that features all the stars of the sport.

This isn’t the first time that British Eventing has tried to boost interest for their sport through a new format.  The Eventer’s Grand Prix, featuring showjumping and cross county only, taking out the (arguably boring) dressage element has been well-received and is now an integral part of the event calendar, featured at Hickstead’s Royal International Horse Show.  But it has not made significant inroads on audience interest levels.

If by using this new format they are attempting to recruit a broader audience, I think they have a tough job on their hands.  One event that appeals to more than the horsey set is the Olympia Christmas Show.  This continues to be a success and draws crowds looking for a Christmasy evening out as well as a chance to watch international showjumping.  The key to this format is that they offer a lot more than just horses.  With aisles of shops and Christmas treats the crowds are enticed through the doors to experience something a little different during the holiday season.  

Badminton, Blenheim and Burghley also continue to draw large gates by offering a ‘great day out in the country’, where dogs run about, children enjoy ice cream, the hunter wellie wearers lap it up in the Veuve tent and Joules clad yummy mummies peruse a more extensive shopping experience than most city malls. A one day sport-focused extravaganza in a stadium in Cardiff doesn’t appear to offer the same benefits. There has been no mention of shopping and other attractions and without this I wonder if it can attract a wider audience.

Is this therefore only an extravaganza for aficionados? If so is it exciting enough to win new followers to the sport without the added extras?  I believe it is critical that they convince enough horsey people to travel to Cardiff to give the event an atmosphere - the Millennium Stadium is a big space to fill. Secondly, they need to persuade a broadcaster that the event will work for TV, be cost effective to produce and have enough interest to win audiences.   Only time will tell, but maybe our equestrian heroes can once again fill our TV screens.  Harvey Smith and David Broome were there in the 1970s. Can Express Eventing reclaim this prime time Saturday night spot?  I certainly hope so.

By Holly Anderson on October 7th, 2008

Tags: BBC, Equestrianism

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So ITV is trialling technology that fills empty spaces with brand logos. After a thoroughly unscientific poll of those I met today the general response is “Ugh!” but I think it’s unjustified - and missing the point.

When I first skim-read the article I thought ITV was proposing an on-screen advertising overlay a la YouTube, which would have been truly horrible. But no, this is a smart techno way of getting brands involved in the editorial at a time when no one wants to see them interrupt the story.

It’s a silly supposition that ITV will allow advertising brands to unsophisticatedly plaster the walls of The Rovers Return with their posters, or for Microsoft to spray its logo in the sky while Morse solves another provincial conundrum. The creative force that gets these shows on air is just too strong to let the channel screw it up so badly.

No, what strikes me is this is just product placement ‘in post’. Whether a brand pays for a neon sign to be digitally superimposed on the Woolpack door, or whether it was there during shooting - if the brand paid for it, then it’s product placement. Pure and simple. And forgive me if I missed a meeting, but doesn’t Andy Burnham have a dim view of such nefarious practices?

By Morgan Holt on October 6th, 2008

Tags: Branded content, Broadcast sponsorship, DCMS, Digital marketing, Media, New Product Development, Product placement, Television, YouTube

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Brands like Abercrombie and Fitch and Topshop have made a conscious effort to recruit shop staff to reflect and deliver their brand values.  Why then am I so bothered seeing, each night on my journey home, a gathering of Topshop’s young trendy ‘experiential marketing team’ hanging out at Oxford Circus all smoking whilst sporting a t-shirt with the brand proudly emblazoned on it?

One of the things I like about Topshop/man is that the staff working there reflect the style and target customers of the brand (OK, so I maybe pushing the upper age limit of being target market, but still).  This may not register immediately with the average shopper when they’re making their purchase decisions, but I’ve no doubt that subconsciously they feel more comfortable about asking for assistance and shopping in locations where people who look like them work.

Essentially this means that Topshop’s retail assistants could be seen as their experiential marketing staff.  They’re integral to the look and feel of the shop and delivering the brand experience to customers.  Being a brand ambassador doesn’t start and finish within the four walls of London’s biggest shop however, it starts and finishes when the branded t-shirt is put on and taken off.

Smoking has taken on a pariah status amongst many today, me included.  I have friends of both sexes and various ages who won’t date people purely on the basis that they smoke.  If this is an important consideration for them in regards engaging in one type of relationship, it begs the question of how it affects them in building others too e.g. the relationship between the brand and customer.

While I don’t necessarily have the same strength of view as some of my friends on tobacco, seeing Topshop/man staff lounging about smoking and flicking their fag butts into the street does considerably take the gloss off my impression of the brand.  Being involved in representing client brands myself, both individually and through experiential marketing staff I manage on a client’s behalf, I’m always extremely sensitive to the behaviours displayed at all times.  I wonder what Sir Philip Green thinks?

By Malph Minns on October 2nd, 2008

Tags: Brand marketing, Experiential marketing

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