What happened

Remember that shop where you bought your school shoes? The place where you’d patiently sit and have your feet measured at the beginning of each school term? The smell of leather, the nostalgia…

Clarks are turning that perception on its head: ‘that little shoe brand’ has launched a new range, Clarks Originals and is looking to tap into a more fashion savvy teen audience. In its latest campaign, OriginalsLIVE, the brand aims to connect to its new demographic by tapping into the latest new music and giving fans money-can’t-buy experiences.

OriginalsLIVE is Clarks’ platform to showcase their connections, collaborations and very own creations in music and music culture. Every year they champion new ventures, providing unique content and experiences fans won’t find anywhere else.

The 2012 live gig series sees Joy Formidable (currently supporting the Foo Fighters on their US tour) playing unusual locations in Bristol, Manchester and London, with the actual venue not being revealed until 48 hours before.  Tickets are all released via Twitter, Facebook and the brand’s own webpage.

Locations like the Victoria Baths in Manchester, Factory 7 in London and Bridewell Police Station in Bristol have been used on the current tour. The use of unconventional venues further added to the surprise and delight element of the campaign – generating extra buzz in the host cities and online.

Exclusive content from the gigs is all available online along with regular updates from the artists themselves through video blogs and post-gig content.

Why we love it

Changing perceptions about a brand is no mean feat, especially for one that is surrounded by so much nostalgia. Tie-ups with one of London’s last independent record stores, Rough Trade East, and well known up-and-coming artists like Joy Formidable and Trojan Sound System, have added a sense of real credibility to a brand that is seen as reliable and even quaint to many of us.

The results speak for themselves: the brand has over 15,000 followers online and a constant dialogue with their audience through daily updates on Facebook – largely through tapping into Joy Formidable’s existing fan base. The gigs to date have been a resounding success with sell-out shows in Manchester, Bristol and London.

Perceptions don’t change overnight, though, and what’s interesting about Clarks’ approach is that it’s long-term; the campaign is now in year three, with plans already in the pipeline for late 2012 and 2013. This, paired with their collaborative approach with artists – rather than simply ‘badging’ existing gigs – only reinforces a reason for the brand to be there – they are the curator, not the sponsor.

By Oli R on March 20th, 2012

Tags: Default, Experiential marketing, Music

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In a year of huge cultural, historical and sporting relevance, brands will be (and already are) fighting for ‘white space’ and unique ways to engage with the British public. During this very busy year the strategy and tactics that brands choose are critical, which is why we decided to use this Synopsis to look at some of the activation trends we are expecting to see in 2012.

At a macro level, experiential marketing (EM) is a growth trend in itself . Experiential specialists have long debated the need for integration with digital media to extend the reach of the live activity beyond a single interaction. Momentum has been driven primarily by the growth of social networks, which provide longevity, an extended audience and a measurement tool for the effectiveness of such campaigns.

Marketers are more concerned than ever about customer experience and innovation, but with a need to find simple, differentiating tactics, expect 2012 to be a year of the ‘Ts’.

TECHNOLOGY

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

RFID is a system that can transmit the identity of a person wirelessly using radio waves.  A portable device (for example a wristband, PDA, card, smart phone or even just a sticker) automatically transmits the data to an RFID reader, where it is then processed.

RFID has been used for many years - in fact, you may be using it in one form or another every day. I used RFID technology at least five times before I reached my desk today via my Oyster and Engine building access cards.  In 2006, the Emirates Stadium opened with an electronic ticketing system and members of ‘The Arsenal’ use their membership cards to enter the stadium, removing the need for gate security staff.

The ability of RFID technology to unite live and digital, by allowing consumers to share a real-time brand experience and messages in a controlled fashion with social networks, has seen the technology flourish.  At the recent Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange London,  RFID technology was implemented for guests to share their real time nightlife experience on Facebook. After a simple registration process guests could ‘check-in’, ‘like’ and post photos directly to their walls by tapping their RFID wristbands on ‘Facebook Interactive Pods’.  All posts were predetermined by Smirnoff which provided an element of controlled messaging. The event was amplified to 1.6 million people on Facebook. Laura Moody of Blondefish, the event technology company who deliver this RFID solution for Smirnoff comments:  ”The use of RFID technology in the event space is delivering  powerful results for both the live audience and brand sponsorship. Consumers and brands are embracing the way RFID can deliver a more personal, memorable and interactive live experience. As guests share their experiences on social media they become advocates for the brand, delivering huge levels of online brand amplification.”

It is not only events that are seeing the benefits and word-of-mouth that RFID can offer. In 2011, Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel installed Facebook pods for guests to “make all their Facebook friends jealous.”

With the costs of RFID coming down and the possibilities endless, there are some exciting developments that could change the face of experiential marketing.

Music festivals are quickly discovering the benefits of using RFID.  It is making ticketing and admissions more efficient, while ‘cashless’ payment methods are reducing security problems (there is no need to carry a wallet), driving purchases and allowing brands to track spending patterns.

The ability to analyse individuals’ purchasing patterns allows a brand to deliver personalised content and offers.  This not only drives spend (Mastercard in Canada has seen a 25% increase in spending by users of its RFID credit cards), but can also make customers feel more connected to the brand.  Minority Report’s vision in 2002 of personalised advertising seemed something for the very distant future – but RFID is bringing it closer.

Augmented Reality & Blippar™
Image recognition is another way to connect the real world to the virtual one and 2011 saw plenty of brands experimenting with QR codes.  However, it is safe to say that QR codes haven’t exactly set the world alight – usage has been low and according to a survey of 794 online respondents by Simpson Carpenter, just 36% of consumers know what QR codes are for, while only 11% have actually used them.

However, 2012 could be the year that Image Recognition finally takes off, thanks to Blippar™ – the 2.0 QR code. Blippar uses your phone’s in-built camera to bring a static image to life and provide an interactive experience. The difference between this and a QR code…the ‘wow’ factor.

Having previously used QR codes, Domino’s wanted to step up the innovation and required a more dynamic tool. Its current Blippar™-powered campaign promotes the brand’s ’555′ deal. Consumers simply hold their smartphone up to a Domino’s poster and it comes alive, allowing them to download deals, get the Domino’s mobile ordering app, become a Facebook fan and find out more about their local store.

KitKat are giving customers the chance to vote for their favourite new flavour by scanning posters using the Blippar™ app. The brand is also cleverly integrating geofencing into the campaign so that customers will be alerted whenever they are within a certain distance of a store which sells the  KitKat Chunky flavour they voted for.

Sponsorship activation can really benefit from the ability to dynamically interact with static branding. We are not expecting Blippar™ pitch logos quite yet, but over the next few years we will certainly see the decline in static stadium and event branding and advertising. In January alone a number of big brands have started to use Blippar™, and expect loads more to follow during the rest of 2012.

THEATRICS

With an influx of 2 million tourists to London, there is a huge opportunity for brands to engage with consumers in 2012. Brands will need to be clever to cut through the noise, and ‘drama’ can provide the essential memorable hook for consumers.

Flash mobs
Flash mobs bring an experience to people in unexpected moments. Flash mobs are essentially a group of people getting together to do something unexpected, before quickly dispersing. They are becoming more and more popular, bringing a sense of wonder to those that encounter them. Brands have harnessed the power of flash mobs to engage with customers and create interesting content and brand experiences, as T-Mobile showed with their famous ads.

Flash mobs don’t require a lot of money, making them an ideal tactic for a small business, or when budgets are squeezed. The beauty of Flash mobs is their complete integration with social media and their potential to go viral and provide entertainment to not only the people who were there, but those who want to watch and share.

Boris Johnson is obviously a Flash mob fan:- the Mayor of London is using them to promote London as a city of history and culture during the Cultural Olympiad this summer. Mark Rylance, one of Britain’s greatest Shakespearean actors, and his crew of 50 actors (all disguised as ‘normal people’) will stage ‘Flash performances’ of sonnets and speeches.  The unexpectedness of the experience will make it unforgettable for the people involved, while the content (both the planned scripts and unplanned audience reaction) will undoubtedly be shared around the world.

It is not a leap to imagine brands considering this as an opportunity for engagement during the Games, with consumers themselves (if wowed by the experience) providing the communications medium. There are, however, a few rules to making a flash mob successful and preventing this looking like a poor ‘am-dram’ performance:

1) Simplicity & originality for maximum impact

2) Good quantity and quality of ‘performers’ recruited for wow factor

3) Participants and location must blend together for the element of surprise

Sadly Qantas didn’t follow these simple rules for this effort to promote a new route:

Pop Ups

2011 was the year of Pop Ups, and we think that this trend will continue to grow in 2012, particularly with available commercial property sitting vacant. Pop Ups are by no means a new phenomenon with restaurants, shops and galleries embracing them; however, it is now brands that are starting to realise the benefit of a temporary location that makes a statement, delivers an immediate impact and captures the consumer’s imagination. Combine a Pop Up with an event drawing millions in attendance and you have a powerful brand experience.

In 2011, Chanel took Pop Ups to a new level with the arrival of the Hollywood glitterati for the Cannes Film Festival. Golden mosaic-tiled walls, dedicated make-up and nail bars, an exhibition space of Chanel gowns and suits previously worn by actors, and a private lounge on the first floor with views of the red carpet leading up to the Palais des Festivals all helped to deliver the ultimate Chanel experience.

This summer we will see a plethora of Pop Ups appearing across London and much can be learned from those that have gone before them.

1) Locations. Good footfall, transport links and signage will benefit the Pop Up with a steady stream of customers. However, some of the more interesting locations aren’t on the high street, in which case building a strong communications programme and integrating with social media and technologies such as location-based services are essential

2) Content. Build a story. Offer a unique take and provide a new way for customers to consider the brand. New content will give the feeling of exclusivity

3) Innovative branding and stylish fixtures including digital media

THROUGH THE LINE INTEGRATION

So who will be the winners in 2012? From our perspective it will be those that have developed personalised, innovative, simple and, most importantly, integrated experiential campaigns.

Nike has made a strong start in the battle of the sports brands with its #makeitcount campaign. It is a brilliant example of a campaign which fully integrates ATL, experiential and digital to deliver great content and brand experiences.  The campaign uses simple, standout photography and video to deliver a powerful message and a simple call to action…how will you #makeitcount in 2012?

But the really exciting thing is the way Nike has integrated experiential and social media into its campaign and made it relevant for everyone from elite athletes to gym dodgers (like me).  Customers are invited to have their picture taken by a professional photographer in the style of the campaign and are given the chance to create a handwritten pledge as to how they will #makeitcount.  The photo and message are not only shareable via social media channels, but will be displayed outdoor as part of the campaign.

@Nike has created its first single, dedicated Twitter feed. So far over 60,000 people have responded to the cry with #makeitcount. The first tweet on this account is from Nike founder Bill Bowerman: ‘If You Have A Body, You Are An Athlete’.

And, if you are ever in doubt that simplicity provides impact, check out another offering from Nike:

Experiential has always been able to deliver powerful brand experiences.  The issue has been the reach and the fact that it has only ‘touched’ relatively few people. But as we can see, digital and social media channels are unlocking the full potential of experiential marketing by extending this reach exponentially.

And, of course, the power of sponsorship is that it gives brands the content and access they require to create experiential activity around their customers’ core passions.

By Lisa Parfitt on January 25th, 2012

Tags: Advertising, Branded content, Content, Digital marketing, Experiential marketing, Facebook, Flash mobbing, London 2012, Mobile, Synopsis

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Betfair is constantly pushing the envelope to find innovative ways of using their sponsorship assets. Whether that is quirky player challenges to capitalise on the sporting agenda, a ten pin bowling viral showcasing Betfair’s mobile offering (see video below), or a pioneering deal to place QR codes on GB’s beach volleyball players’ bottoms at the London 2012 Test Event, the emphasis is on doing things differently.

Bringing a fresh approach to sponsorship activation comes naturally for a company founded and driven by innovation. Another pillar of Betfair’s marketing philosophy is to ‘live and breathe social’ – as outlined by Betfair’s Head of Online Marketing, Ben Carter (@bensaint). Social is not treated as an add-on to marketing activity, but is put at the heart of campaigns. As a sponsor of Manchester United, with their 21m+ Facebook likes, it makes sense for Betfair to engage the club’s fanbase through social channels.

So what did Synergy suggest when given a couple of hours’ access to some Manchester United players on an (inevitably) wet January afternoon in Manchester? Stage a live Q&A with United players on Betfair’s Facebook page, giving fans the chance to interact with their idols by submitting questions or posting comments during the live broadcast via Facebook and Twitter.

Working alongside Betfair’s in-house production team, real-time broadcast experts Livestream, and MUTV, we helped deliver Betfair presents Man Utd live - an exclusive 30 minute programme hosted by TV presenter Rachel Brookes and featuring Michael Carrick, Ashley Young and Nani. Supporters were able to watch the action by simply ‘liking’ the Betfair Facebook page, and could submit questions or comments by tweeting @BetfairSports with the #MUlive hashtag.

Once again, doing things differently paid off. Over 40,000 people tuned in to watch, close to 1,000 questions were received during the broadcast, and tweets of the #MULive hashtag reached over 3.8 million people (source: Tweetreach).  Synergy’s PR team managed the external pre-promotion through football blogs and forums, and the post-event syndication of content and quotes to key media targets, resulting in over 100 pieces of online coverage. Quotes featured in three national print newspapers, and branded footage was included in ITV Granada Reports in the build up to the weekend’s game against Arsenal.

What else did we learn from our inaugural live interactive Facebook broadcast? For a start that Nani regularly gets the hairdryer treatment from Sir Alex. For more insights, you’ll have to watch the webcast for yourself….

By Tom Gladstone on January 25th, 2012

Tags: Betfair, Default, Facebook, Football, Manchester United, Sponsorship, Synergy

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At the end of last year Synergy worked with Sky to launch the Sky Sports Scholarships. This programme supports some of Britain and Ireland’s most exciting athletes to help them fulfil their potential on the international stage and prepare them for life in the spotlight. Sky will tell the athletes’ stories through Sky Sports channels to build their profiles, engage its customers and inspire the stars of the future. Details of each of the athletes and the support Sky is providing can be found here.

Sky have been one of the leading investors in Sport in UK and Ireland for the past 20 years – not only through their broadcasts, but also through programmes like British Cycling, Sky Sports Living for Sport and the ECB Coach Education Programme. Sky Sports Scholarships extends this support to individual athletes, providing them with crucial funding (helping to cover the costs of coaching, training and competition), valuable mentoring support and media relations advice from Sky Sports News talent.

Eight of the 11 athletes were welcomed at Sky Studios on 2nd November for the announcement of Sky Sports Scholarships. The athletes completed live interviews on Sky Sports News, web-chats, green-screen filming as well as camera and social media training and a chance to meet their Sky Sports News mentor.  To see behind the scenes footage and more information about the Sky Sports Scholarships click here.

Having been so closely involved since the very beginning of the programme (working up the campaign strategy, developing the brand messaging, identifying the right athletes, negotiating the contracts, creating the activation strategy and managing all the logistics), it was great to see it finally ‘go live’.  And it is just the start of an exciting new component of Sky’s long term commitment to improving sport in the UK and Ireland at every level.

By Lisa Parfitt on January 25th, 2012

Tags: Content, London 2012, Sponsorship, Synergy

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Over a month on from the Rugby World Cup Final and the post mortems are just about complete. Global TV audiences of 4 billion have been reported, social media round-ups published, teams of the tournament have been selected by all and sundry, and the New Zealand Herald has discovered some other sports to write about. Only England seems relentlessly stuck in review and recrimination mode, with new personnel and processes being announced on a weekly basis. While the RFU sifts through the carnage of dwarf-throwing, ferry jumping, ball-swapping and under-performing, here’s a slightly lighter examination of the brand marketing activity that surrounded the world’s third biggest sporting event.

In the previous Synopsis, Synergy’s new head of content, Colin Burgess, outlined the key ingredients for successful content that will illicit the deepest audience engagement: authority, authenticity – and the holy grail of all marketing – making it memorable. Applying those criteria to sponsor content during the Rugby World Cup goes a long way to explaining why activity might or might not have resonated with rugby fans.

Authority first. This is largely determined by the content’s provenance – it needs to be produced and delivered by a trusted and credible source. Some brands activating around the Rugby World Cup have a natural advantage in the authority stakes for various reasons:

1) Their inherent role in the game and on the pitch (the likes of adidas, Nike and Gilbert)

2) Through their long-standing presence as a rugby sponsor (see O2, Guinness and Heineken)

3) By their connection with the host nation (for example Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand)

Throwing in a few brand ambassadors is another well-trodden path to creating or supplementing a brand’s natural authority and giving the content a credibility boost. A great example of this, and fantastic use of owned media, came from Air New Zealand, who painted their fleet black and produced a safety video featuring members of the All Blacks team. Nearly 1m online views for a 4 minute safety video. Job well done.

On to authenticity and content that connects through personal or social relevance. To get the kitemark of rugby authenticity, sponsors adopted a variety of techniques:

1) Showing an understanding and empathy for the particular humour, culture and spirit of rugby fans

2) Playing on the history and heritage of the game and previous tournaments

3) Tapping into events as they happen in the tournament to become part of the narrative of the Rugby World Cup

Below are Synergy’s nominations for the brands that most successfully delivered authentic content during the World Cup, embodying those three techniques.  But in keeping with rugby’s community spirit, please add your own nominations for the best brand content around the 2011 Rugby World Cup in the comments section below:

O2, with a tradition of giving free pies and pints to customers at Twickenham, adapted their customer proposition to fit early morning rugby viewing. Ashton donning an apron, Jonny making tea (after numerous practice sessions, no doubt), and Jonno with the control (no comment…). Relevant content from a long-standing rugby sponsor. If only it had been Guinness not Greene King in the breakfast packs…

Steinlager proved that an ambush marketer can still exhibit authority (what is more relevant to All Blacks supporters than beer, and a Kiwi brand at that?), authenticity (connecting through the collective anguish of New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup chokes) and a brilliant creative idea (reviving the Steinlager white can)…

Wilkinson Sword showed their quick thinking and wit by creating a pre-Final advert encouraging Lievremont to shave his ridiculous moustache.

It was precisely the fact that these campaigns came from a place of authority and authenticity that made them the most memorable.

But, all in all, the Rugby World Cup will not go down in the Sponsorship Hall of Fame as a high-water mark of sponsorship activity.  So what was missing from sports marketing activity and particularly content around Rugby World Cup 2011? The answer is ‘just about everything’ from the 4th Era of Sponsorship: interactivity, genuine collaboration and contribution from fans within brand campaigns (beyond the standard encouragement to tweet a hashtag…), exciting use of mobile, and memorable, game-changing innovation.

Let’s hope brands were keeping their powder dry for 2012, and the unprecedented marketing spend we are going to see around the Olympic Games.  And let’s also hope that by Rugby World Cup 2015, we’ll be seeing more innovative, truly engaging and memorable content than this:

By Tom Gladstone on December 6th, 2011

Tags: Advertising, Brand marketing, Branded content, Content, Default, Rugby, Rugby World Cup, Synergy, Synopsis, World Cup

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It’s not news that we’re all watching TV whilst surfing the net, tapping away on our smartphones and engaging others in discussion around our favourite programmes (just log on to Twitter during  X-Factor and Strictly!). What I’d like to applaud here is how broadcasters are taking this social engagement and building communities of loyal fans beyond the TV schedule.

Sunday night saw the last ever episode of the BBC’s thrilling MI5 drama Spooks. After nine years and 10 series it was time for the sliding doors of Section D to close for a final time. I knew I would probably be a little tearful and mourn that I’ll no longer swoon over the incredibly suave terrorist-fighting male cast, nor dream of emulating the leading ladies; however, what I absolutely loved was the show’s commitment to social engagement.

As an avid Tweeter, I was super-excited to find out during Series 9 that you could actually follow the characters on Twitter. The thing that they have got so right with these feeds is that they are active all year round (unlike @bbcLuther who only tweets when Luther is airing). Not only are they active but also attentive. They care about their followers and will take the time to respond to individual tweets.

First up, can you imagine my surprise (and delight) when @Dimitri_MI5 tweeted back to a message I sent about being excited about the final series starting…

I certainly *grinned* on receiving that back, but this was topped off by a response from the boss man himself @Harry_Pearce when I tweeted after the final episode…

I’ve honestly never felt more social media love than that and I’m sure anyone who has received a response or RT will be feeling the same way!

It’s great to see other dramas are taking a lead from Spooks, with ITV’s Downton Abbey creating profiles for all cast members – @LadyMaryCrawley is winning the followers race with over 1,700 at the time of writing. So when you’re watching on Sunday night, you know where I’ll be… wrapped up on the sofa with Blackberry in hand, tweeting away.

By Caroline Ayling on October 27th, 2011

Tags: Default, PR, Public relations, Social Media, Television, Television audiences, Twitter

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On Sunday 18th September, 54,000 runners took part in the world’s largest half marathon, the Bupa Great North Run. The Synergy team developed an integrated campaign to enhance the race experience for runners, spectators and the watching world. The runner experience was developed, with both physical and emotional support throughout their race journey from training and preparation, to the race experience itself.

 

Socialising the Bupa Great North

The big challenge for 2011, was to connect the amazing runner experience with a broader audience. The Bupa Great North Run has had incredible human interest stories since its inception in 1981; today the displays of human endeavour are more powerful than ever. With this insight at its heart, Synergy developed a simple, yet enormously powerful social media campaign to provide non-runners with an opportunity to feel part of the race experience of 54,000 runners.

The campaign was designed to connect consumers with the emotions of runners, utilising Bupa ambassador Mo Farah. Mo laid down the challenge to the nation, requesting messages of support to inspire Great North Runners on race day.

This was all delivered through the Bupa Running social media community on Facebook and Twitter. Over 400 of the best messages were then selected and used to design a giant ‘Mo Farah Mural’.

 

Mo unveiled the mural at the Bupa Great North Show in front of thousands of fans and gathered media the day before the race. Coverage included: Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, CNN, BBC Look North, ITV Tyne Tees and BBC Radio Newcastle.

Race Day

The mural was then integrated throughout the Bupa race day experience, including the now legendary Bupa Boost Zone. Alongside the installation of the Bupa sports physio and massage experience, elated runners were able to celebrate their Bupa Great North Run alongside Mo Farah, and take in the emotive messages of support from across the UK on the Mo Farah Mural.

Bupa Boost Zone and The Mo Farah Mural

Inside the Bupa Boost Zone

By David Gerty on October 13th, 2011

Tags: Experiential marketing, Facebook, Marathon, PR, Public relations, Social Media, Sponsorship, Sport, Synergy, Synopsis, Twitter

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As a huge fan of both football and Twitter, I have followed the phenomenon of footballers using the social media platform to talk directly to fans with nothing short of delight (and indeed written, and no doubt tweeted, about it too). From Ryan Babel mocking-up Howard Webb in a Manchester United shirt to Darren Bent allegedly telling Spurs owner Daniel Levy in no uncertain terms to sort out his transfer to Sunderland, the medium has contributed significantly to breaking down the barriers between player and fan, which, in this age of the sheltered millionaire footballer, I’m definitely not alone in welcoming with open arms.

However, this summer I made a new, and even more exciting, discovery – @Joey7Barton. With Barton’s tweet that “somewhere in those high echelons of NUFC, they have decided, I am persona non grata” attracting significant media coverage (in fairness, more for the revelation that Newcastle United were letting him go, than the flowery language), I was lured into his Twitter world. There I found Joseph Barton, the footballer philosopher, offering up daily quotes from Nietzsche, lyrical poetry from The Smiths, and reviews of his trips to London museums.



Surely this wasn’t the same player I’d seen drag Gervinho off the floor by the scruff of his neck during the first game of the Premier League season at Newcastle? And yet, whilst the red mist is still prone to descend, the rehabilitation of Joey Barton is in full swing, helped in no small part by his ability to create his own brand on Twitter. Yes, many remain if not unconvinced then at least a bit confused by his culture vulture social media persona, but there’s no doubt that without Twitter, he wouldn’t have been able to convey it to the world as he has done.

Of course, the phenomenon of sports, and in particular football, stars as brands in their own right is by no means a feature borne of the Twitter age. Remember, Twitter is only five years old, younger than brand Beckham and younger still than Gazza, Kevin Keegan and George Best. Indeed, footballers have been commercial entities in their own right for years (and see this amusing history of their attempts to cash in on this).

George Best lends his name to Best Potato Crisps

And yet I do believe that Twitter has brought something new to the party. It gives footballers a way to convey to the world who they want to be, no longer restricting their public image to that carefully defined by their club and publicist, or by the tabloid headlines. Whilst these were the channels through which a footballer’s brand would be built in the past, players are now able, in at least some small way, to bypass them, possibly defying an image crafted by a PR, or using Twitter to defend the on and off the field transgressions reported in the papers.

But whilst I may love the fact that Twitter allows footballers and famous individuals to talk directly to me (and, I accept, their thousands, or indeed millions, of other followers), the interesting question is whether using Twitter can significantly build a commercially successful personal brand. Will it impact upon the value and nature of sponsorship deals and endorsements? At the moment, not really. Nike terminated its boot contract with Joey Barton in 2008 after he was imprisoned for assault, and the deals have not exactly been forthcoming since then.

Twitter might be a good place to start building your brand (and a forum for – declared – advertising by celebrities), but it is most definitely not where it ends. A Twitter personality is still only one small element of a footballer’s commercial arsenal; the money follows skills on the pitch, good looks, big clubs and to a certain extent, the ability to stay out of trouble (though brands have shown themselves willing to stick by big names even when scandal has descended in the past).

However, that is certainly not to say that footballers should stop tweeting – mainly because without Joey Barton’s philosophical gems my days would most definitely be that little bit worse! Click here for a fun infographic of sports stars on Twitter, and try the following for some insights/hilarity from some of our favourite footballers:

Jack Wilshere: @JackWilshere

Rio Ferdinand: @rioferdy5

Kaka: @KAKA

Wayne Rooney: @WayneRooney

Darren Bent: @DarrenBent

By Jessica Enoch on October 10th, 2011

Tags: Barclays Premier League, Celebrity, Default, Football, Newcastle United, Twitter

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Three cheers, then, to the IRB for publishing a weekly round-up of Rugby World Cup-related social media activity by fans. As I tweeted yesterday, all rights holders should be doing this – a point echoed by numerous sponsors, who contacted me to say they’d now be making the same point to the rights holders with which they contract.     

But here’s the thing. One of the IRB social media round-ups highlighted an issue I’ve had for many years with the marketing of the Rugby World Cup.

I’ve always been uncomfortable with the IRB describing the tournament as the world’s third biggest sporting event behind the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup (which it routinely does – see the penultimate paragraph here for example).

It’s a very clever marketing soundbite (which many rugby journalists now routinely repeat) but it doesn’t stand up to detailed analysis.

The IRB anchors this claim primarily on those old chestnuts of cumulative TV viewers and TV footprint, but those are currencies which only matter to sporting officialdom: most brand marketers aren’t remotely interested in them as a measure of either audience engagement or value.

The reality is there’s a vast chasm on this notional list between the top two and the Rugby World Cup in terms of audience criteria that really matter to brands: things like the number of unique viewers, the number of fans engaging online, and the number of countries in which the event/sport has salience (mass appeal).

And against these more meaningful criteria, there are plenty of sporting events which have a bigger reach and/or footprint than the Rugby World Cup. To quote just a few examples, the F1 World Championship, the Indian Premier League, the NFL, and the UEFA Champions League.

And none of this should be a surprise because when you consider rugby’s footprint.

It’s salient in only eight major markets (the IRB Tier 1 countries Argentina, Australia, England, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa) with a combined population of 309 million (4.4% of the world’s population) in only one of which (New Zealand, the smallest market at 4 million) it is the number one sport.

All of which is illustrated nicely by this IRB infographic, showing the location of the last 1,000 Tweets mentioning #rwc2011 during the Rugby World Cup opening ceremony.

So, hat-tip to the IRB for blazing a social media trail among rights holders. But please, don’t play the ‘biggest’ game – play the best.

By Tim Crow on October 5th, 2011

Tags: Default, Rugby, Rugby World Cup, Social Media, Twitter, World Cup

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It’s that time of year again, when the ultimate red carpet is rolled out at the Kodak theatre, just as much gossip is spreading about the designer dresses as the statuettes, and agents are practically selling their children in order to get into the Vanity Fair after-party. It’s Oscars time.

I completely adore this night in the film calendar. Granted, us UK folk have to show some serious dedication in order to watch it live (a 1.30am start on Monday morning on Sky Premiere HD), but it’s worth it. And hopefully this year I might actually last past the red carpet interviews (but the dresses really are the best bit…).

So in celebration of Academy Award weekend, this week’s Synergy Twitter #FF special is dedicated to all things Oscars.

Follow and enjoy.

1. The Academy – @theacademy (the big guns)

2. The Oscars – @oscar_awards (the official Awards stream, great for all the build up buzz)

3. Vanity Fair – @vanityfairmag (top magazine and hosts of the best Oscars party in the world. Ever)

4. Oscars Awards – @oscarsawards (the Tweet Meme aggregator feed of all things Oscars)

5. E! Red Carpet News - @redcarpet (Live from the Red Carpet with E! Entertainment)

6. Empire Magazine – @empiremagazine (our favourite film buff monthly read)

7. Natalie Portman – @INataliePortman (top choice for Best Actress nod this year and well-deserved in our book)

8. Helena Bonham Carter – @_HelenaBCarter_ (doing it for the Brits with The King’s Speech, new to Twitter so deserving of a big welcome)

9. BBC Film 2011 – @BBCFilm2011 (superb film preview knowledge)

10. Kevin Spacey – @kevinspacey (Academy Award winner, amazing actor/director and all-round great guy. Synergy became even bigger fans this week….)

Fire up the popcorn, put the coffee pot on the boil and drag the duvet to the sofa. Or else, catch-up on Monday…

By Lucie Bartlett on February 25th, 2011

Tags: Film, FollowFriday, Oscars, Social Media, Twitter

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