By Adam Raincock on May 18th, 2011

Tags: Advertising, Blogging, Brand marketing, Celebrity, Default, Digital marketing, Music, Social Media, Synergy Loves, Synopsis

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The signing of Michael Jordan by Nike in 1984 has been voted by you as the Greatest Sports Marketing Innovation of the last 50 years. The embryonic deal, which created a product line based purely around a player whilst defining the relationship between corporate organisations and sports stars, won with 18% of your votes as part of Synergy’s recent online debate.

It beat some stiff competition – the handshake between McCormack and Palmer which signalled the start of IMG came second on 12%, closely followed by Patrick Nally’s creation of football rights packages and the launch of ESPN both with 10%.

Charlie Brooks, Director of Communications at Nike (unsurprisingly) backs your vote: “In terms of the definition of ‘innovative’ there is no doubt that the Jordan-Nike partnership was a real game changer. It has helped defined the way the Nike brand, and the industry overall, has behaved ever since in terms of sports marketing and creating athlete signature products. It’s telling that almost three decades later, and long after he quit playing, the Jordan brand continues to resonate with fans and consumers”

Significantly, the most recent innovation in the top ten list dates from 1992 – despite some strong contenders including Twenty20 cricket. Does this reflect a case of rose-tinted glasses, a more mature market based on evolution rather than revolution or that marketing in sport is simply no longer as innovative as it once was?

The top ten is as follows:

Nike / Michael Jordan (1984) – 18%

McCormack starts IMG (1960) – 12%

Patrick Nally rights package (1978) – 10%

ESPN launched (1979) – 10%

Red Bull ‘extreme series’ launched (1991) – 7%

Creation of IOC TOP programme (1985) – 6%

Cassius Clay changes his name (1964) – 6%

UEFA CL re-structure (1992) – 6%

Formation of the English Premier League (1992) – 6%

Kettering Town FC takes a shirt sponsor (1976) – 5%

Thank you all for your comments, debate and votes throughout the process – we hoped you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have.

By Adam Raincock on January 25th, 2011

Tags: Brand marketing, Default, Media, Muhammad Ali, NFL, Olympic sponsorship, Public relations, Social Media, Sponsorship, Sport, What's the Greatest Sports Marketing Innovation?

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Synergy has appointed Tom Gladstone as Account Director. Gladstone arrives at Synergy after seven years at IMG where his role focused on consulting, integrated marketing and sponsorship activation for a number of major sponsors of international sport.  Click here for the press release and click here for coverage on Hollis.

By Adam Raincock on March 5th, 2010

Tags: Press Clipping

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GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP feature with Diageo Senior Sponsorship Manager Lee Bailey. Click here to view feature.

By Adam Raincock on March 5th, 2010

Tags: Press Clipping

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Marketing Week feature with Betfair’s Group Marketing and Brand Director Oscar Nieboer and Synergy’s Tim Crow. Click here for the full article.

By Adam Raincock on March 5th, 2010

Tags: Press Clipping

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I saw this story about Jenson Button ‘de-briefing’ his girlfriend on the Sun website, and I thought it was really refreshing to see a sportsperson reveal something of their true personality. Are we not bored of hearing the same old cliched statements and ‘sit on the fence’ sentiments?  I actually think sponsors and more importantly the consumers that they want to talk to would welcome a bit of personality, and that sportspeople, rights owners and brands should embrace this rather than shying away from it.

I must add that I have never been a big fan of Button, I thought of him as over hyped and lacking in talent but not only am I being made to eat my words, stories like this actually make me warm to him slightly.

By Adam Raincock on March 31st, 2009

Tags: Brand marketing, Default, Formula 1, Jenson Button, Public relations, Sponsorship

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