Author: Emma Bodansky

The Olympic Legacy 17th September, 2012

Within the sponsorship arena there has been much discussion about how worthwhile short-term partnerships such as the Olympics are in terms of a return on investment for sponsors. As the excitement surrounding the Olympics and Paralympics begins to fade, attention has moved away from what sponsors are doing in terms of activation surrounding the games to how they will move forward and look to maintain the legacies of their Olympic involvement.

Olympic sponsors who have achieved their short term goals of an increase in revenue should now look to consider how they can maintain an Olympic association in the future. A continued involvement with the development of sport in the Olympic aftermath will show that these brands were not just involved with the Olympics solely to profit financially, but as a commitment to a longer journey.

Gillette’s ‘Great Start’ campaign is an example of Olympic sponsor Procter & Gamble’s determination to maintain Olympic association through a commitment to sport. Their ‘Great Start’ campaign aims to inspire the younger generation of Olympic athletes by encouraging young people to pursue careers in coaching. With six time gold medallist Chris Hoy as one of the brand ambassadors for the campaign they have partnered with ‘sports coach fund UK’ to fund coaching qualifications by awarding ‘Great Start’ grants. Existing and new coaches can apply via http://www.facebook.com/GilletteUK.

The improvements the Olympics have bought to less prosperous areas of London are an example in itself of how the games have had the capacity to change the lives not only of those competing but also of local communities. With continued involvement in sport and the community brands have the chance to play a vital role in maintaining the legacy of London 2012 through helping people to continue to enjoy and take part in sport. This in turn will maintain awareness of involvement with the iconic event whilst increasing brand loyalty on a long term scale.

What Car? Awards Safe and Secure with TRACKER 8th August, 2012

TRACKER, the leading provider of vehicle tracking and telematics systems, is to be an associate sponsor of the annual What Car? Car of the Year Awards, which takes place on January 9, 2013. TRACKER will also sponsor the luxury car category.

What Car? publishing director Andrew Golby said: “It’s great news that TRACKER is to be involved with the What Car? Awards again next year. The Awards grow in importance year on year and the influence of any company being involved is hugely beneficial and far-reaching.”

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards are the most coveted accolades in the automotive industry. They are presented to cars that set the highest standards in their sector after being put through the toughest, most rigorous tests by the most experienced team in the business.

TRACKER managing director Stephen Doran said: “TRACKER is proud once again to be involved with the What Car? Car of the Year Awards. What Car? has long since promoted the power of working together to beat car criminals and our sponsorship of the Awards enables us to reinforce our message to its growing readership of the importance of vehicle security.”

“Our recently launched Mesh Network is the latest innovation that places TRACKER at the forefront of stolen vehicle recovery solutions. It brings together the motoring community to support the police in identifying stolen vehicles and returning them to their rightful owners.”

TRACKER has been leading the way in the field of vehicle tracking and telematics since 1993, with more than a million market-leading security and award-winning fleet management systems fitted to vehicles including cars, motorcycles, HGVs, LCVs and plant and construction equipment.

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards event is attended by more than 1000 leading industry figureheads alongside the most influential motoring correspondents from the wider media.

The event is to be held at the Grosvenor House in London on January 9, 2013. For more information and table bookings visit www.whatcarawards.com.

Cobra in the Fast Lane with What Car? 30th July, 2012

Cobra, a leader in the provision of security, safety and telematics solutions for the automotive and insurance industries, continues to sponsor the Performance Car of the Year category in the What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2013.

What Car? publishing director Andrew Golby said: “It’s great news that Cobra is to be involved for the third year running with the annual What Car? Awards – the performance category is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting categories. We look forward to working with Cobra to deliver the best What Car? Awards yet.”

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards are the most coveted accolades in the automotive industry. The Awards are presented to cars that set the highest standards in their sector after being put through the toughest, most rigorous tests by the most experienced team in the business.

Cobra is the European market leader for stolen-vehicle tracking and location-based services, through its CobraTrak and NavTrakbrands. The company supplies stolen-vehicle tracking and recovery services at a pan-European level to Audi, Bentley, Ferrari, Infiniti, Lamborghini, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Renault, Rolls-Royce and Tesla.

Cobra also provides telematics services to vehicle manufacturers, and to insurers for the new breed of usage based insurance policies, including supplying the telematics technology that powers the highly successful Co-Operative Young Driver Insurance.

Andrew Smith, Managing Director of Cobra said: “It’s a great fit for Cobra as a key supplier to so many car manufacturers to be involved with the What Car? Awards. The Awards are an excellent benchmark that really help consumers when making a buying decision. With so many cars and derivatives on sale, it is becoming an increasingly difficult decision – a What Car? Award elevates a car above the crowd.”

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards event is attended by more than 1000 leading industry figureheads alongside the most influential motoring correspondents from the wider media.

The event is to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on January 9, 2013. For more information and table bookings visit www.whatcarawards.com.

Slingshot Sponsorship Nominated for the Corporate Engagement Awards 2012 25th July, 2012

Slingshot Sponsorship has been shortlisted for the second year running at the Corporate Engagement Awards.

Slingshot Sponsorship has been shortlisted for three categories at the Corporate Engagement Awards for their innovative approach with consumer publication What Car? Magazine. Categories shortlisted include Best Collaborative Approach, Best Execution of Corporate Sponsorship Activity and Best Relationship Building Sponsorship Programme.

Andrew Golby, publishing director at What Car? commented:

It is a huge achievement to be creating award winning partnerships at What Car? We have seen first-hand how partnerships can truly achieve more together and it is great how our collaborative approach with Slingshot has helped to create this.

At last year’s awards Slingshot Sponsorship collected two Gold Awards and two Silver Awards for their corporate partnership programme with The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and credit and business information specialist Equifax.

The Corporate Engagement Awards is the only European benchmark of best practice in all aspects of the corporate partnership & sponsorship process, and three nominations in such competitive categories is a fantastic acknowledgement of Slingshot’s hard work as they enter their third successful year.

Slingshot Sponsorship delivers and develops long-term brand strategies that engage targeted audiences through sponsorship rights. Integrated and tailored in each approach, Slingshot diversifies across a range of industries with clients based in publishing, events, trade associations, charities, motorsport and music.

Jackie Fast, managing director of Slingshot Sponsorship and also a judge at the Corporate Engagement Awards, is thrilled to be shortlisted:

It is such an achievement to not only be nominated for a second year but to also be nominated within three categories alongside some very high profile campaigns. Slingshot Sponsorship has gone from strength to strength and I am thrilled that our hard work and unique approach is being recognised. I am also delighted to be appointed as a judge for the 2012 awards and I am looking forward to helping identify the best partnerships within the industry.

The winners of the Corporate Engagement Awards will be announced at the awards ceremony in London on September 18^th 2012.

The Invisible Brand 17th July, 2012

Sponsorship in the past has focused largely on naming rights and branding. However, increasingly brands are moving their attention away from this approach towards more creative activations and a less ‘visible’ form of sponsorship.

Invisible Sponsorship

Festivals are a good example of where understated sponsorship can be the most effective. With a different music festival virtually every weekend of the summer in the UK, it is no surprise that plenty of brands want a piece of the action. However, festival sponsorship requires careful consideration on behalf of the brand.

Often a highlight to their summer, people tend to approach festivals with a more relaxed vibe and are therefore more open-minded and receptive which can make sponsorship of these events hugely appealing from a brand perspective. However, too much obvious branding and a lack of relevance to the event could have a negative effect. Festival goers want to relax and enjoy the music and brands should not make them mistake of trying to get involved if they won’t be perceived as bringing something positive to the experience.

Festival goers complained that gaming brand Xbox’s sponsorship of Bestival was not in line with their outdoor experience and this created a negative perception of Xbox’s involvement with the event. Whereas, alcohol brands have such a good response from sponsorship of festivals because the brand is integrated into the event, and in turn leads to people associating it with their positive experience.

When approaching a sponsorship campaign surrounding an event such as a festival brands should consider:

Creating the chance for the audience to experience the brand at the event in a relevant format through experiential activities
Amplifying the best attributes of the event through the sponsorship campaign – adding to the experience not taking attention away
Providing exclusive content in some form to share with the audience
Ensuring the brand has relevance to the event in some format

It is no surprise that the positive environment surrounding festivals continues to entice brands, however, it is important that brands think beyond the obvious message and provide real value to the event in order to gain the crowd’s approval.

What Car? Announce Sponsorship Deal with Hankook Tyre UK 9th July, 2012

What Car? has signed a new associate sponsorship deal with Hankook Tyre UK for the 2013 What Car? Car of The Year Awards. Hankook will also continue to sponsor the Ultra-low-carbon car category.

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards are the most coveted accolades in the automotive industry. The Awards are presented to cars that set the highest standards in their sector after being put through the toughest, most rigorous tests by the most experienced team in the business.

Andrew Golby, What Car? publishing director said: “It’s great news that Hankook Tyre is to be associate sponsor of the 2013 What Car? Awards once again. It is one of the largest and fastest-growing tyre manufacturers worldwide, and the collaboration allows it to communicate with the ever-growing What Car? audience. Tyres are big business, because at some time, every motorist will need to invest in new tyres.”

Each year, Hankook produces 12 million innovative, high-quality and high-performance radial tyres for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, trucks, and buses as well as motorsports (circuit racing/rallies).

The benefits of the sponsorship deal includes the alignment with the most authoritative and trusted brand in motoring, brand positioning and awareness, extensive PR opportunities, networking and brand association with the awards via a multi-channel promotional campaign.

Tony Lee, Managing Director of Hankook Tyre UK said: “All of us at Hankook are looking forward to working with the What Car? team on what is without doubt the premier UK automotive awards. Tyres may not be very glamorous but they are so very important and we hope that the sponsorship will in turn put Hankook on the shopping list of What Car? readers”.

Andrew Golby continued: “Winning a What Car? Award is good for a car maker’s business. The authority of the What Car? brand sells cars, plain and simple. It adds power to advertising and marketing campaigns and is a huge draw for customers.”

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards event is attended by more than 1000 leading industry figureheads alongside the most influential motoring correspondents from the wider media.

The event is to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on January 9, 2013 with top-class entertainment yet to be announced. Previous headline acts have included Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Al Murray and Jo Brand. For more information and table bookings visit www.whatcarawards.com.

PREVIOUS WHAT CAR? CAR OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2012 Volkswagen Up 1994 Peugeot 306

2011 Audi A1 1993 Ford Mondeo

2010 Peugeot 3008 1992 Volkswagen Golf

2009 Ford Fiesta 1.25i 82 Zetec 5dr 1991 Rover Metro

2008 Jaguar XF 2.7D V6 Luxury 1990 Rover 214 Si

2007 Vauxhall Corsa 1989 Ford Fiesta

2006 BMW 320d 1988 BMW 735i

2005 Land Rover Discovery 1987 Renault 21 Savannah

2004 Volkswagen Golf 1986 Saab 9000 Turbo 16

2003 Seat Ibiza 1985 Volkswagen Golf

2002 Toyota Corolla 1984 Peugeot 205

2001 Ford Mondeo 1983 MG Metro

2000 Skoda Fabia 1982 Mercedes 200T

1999 Rover 75 1981 Volkswagen Golf

1998 Land Rover Freelander 1980 Vauxhall Astra

1997 Renault Mégane Scénic 1979 Peugeot 305

1996 Peugeot 406 1978 Renault 20

1995 VW Polo

Red Bull Puts Cliff Diving on the Female Map 5th July, 2012

Slingshot alongside Scandinavian colleagues BITE manage the sponsorship for the Red Bull Cliff Diving Series in Grimstad, Norway. The World Series is cliff diving at its most death defying, with divers descending from heights of up to 28 metres. The Norway event, the second stop in the World Series calendar, takes place this weekend 6-7^th July.

This year we managed to secure former female Olympic and World Champion Kari Traa and newcomer Anna Bader to this event in Norway and this recent article (translated from Norwegian) highlights this fantastic partnership that was built to promote the introduction of female cliff diving in the World Series in 2013.

Taken from an interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK:

“Women should be bolder”, says former Olympic and World Champion Kari Traa as she tries to get more women involved in cliff diving.

On Tuesday Traa was at Justøybroa in Lillesand to sponsor the German Anna Bader, a lone female in the midst of the male-dominated sport. Next year it is determined that female divers will participate in the world series, and so, Bader was invited to Norway by Kari Traa to make a so-called “teaser dive.”

“The last seconds before the precipice, I am very focused. I’m trying to find the right feeling and energy, so at the moment I jump I am one hundred percent focused. It takes a lot of courage, but women are certainly able to carry on with this. I am really looking forward to women competing next year”, said the smiling 28-year-old to NRK.

Tuesday’s event was just a taster of what will happen in Grimstad during the Red Bull Cliff Diving this Saturday.

For more information on BITE and Slingshot Sponsorship’s joint services in the UK and Europe, please click here.

For the full article and to see Bader’s cliff dive on Tuesday at Justøybroa click here.

Warranty Direct Announced as the Headline Sponsor of What Car? Awards 2013 28th June, 2012

What Car? has announced that Warranty Direct will be headline sponsor of the What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2013, which will be held on January 9. Warranty Direct will also sponsor the City Car category.

Andrew Golby, What Car? publishing director said: “We are delighted to be working with Warranty Direct, which is the industry’s leading provider of direct consumer warranties.”

The benefits of the sponsorship deal includes the alignment with the most authoritative and trusted brand in motoring, brand positioning and awareness, extensive PR opportunities, networking and brand association to the awards via a multi-channel promotional campaign.

Duncan McClure Fisher, managing director of Warranty Direct Ltd, said: “We are looking forward to working with What Car? to help deliver the best ever What Car? Awards. A What Car? Award is essentially a huge stamp of approval that car buyers can trust. Hopefully they will be so pleased with their new car they will want to keep it and care for it with a Warranty Direct warranty when the original warranty expires.”

Andrew Golby continued: “Winning a What Car? Award is good for a car maker’s business. The authority of the What Car? brand sells cars, plain and simple. It adds power to advertising and marketing campaigns and is a huge draw for customers.”

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards event is attended by more than 1000 leading industry figureheads alongside the most influential motoring correspondents from the wider media.

PREVIOUS WHAT CAR? CAR OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2012 Volkswagen Up 1994 Peugeot 306

2011 Audi A1 1993 Ford Mondeo

2010 Peugeot 3008 1992 Volkswagen Golf

2009 Ford Fiesta 1.25i 82 Zetec 5dr 1991 Rover Metro

2008 Jaguar XF 2.7D V6 Luxury 1990 Rover 214 Si

2007 Vauxhall Corsa 1989 Ford Fiesta

2006 BMW 320d 1988 BMW 735i

2005 Land Rover Discovery 1987 Renault 21 Savannah

2004 Volkswagen Golf 1986 Saab 9000 Turbo 16

2003 Seat Ibiza 1985 Volkswagen Golf

2002 Toyota Corolla 1984 Peugeot 205

2001 Ford Mondeo 1983 MG Metro

2000 Skoda Fabia 1982 Mercedes 200T

1999 Rover 75 1981 Volkswagen Golf

1998 Land Rover Freelander 1980 Vauxhall Astra

1997 Renault Mégane Scénic 1979 Peugeot 305

1996 Peugeot 406 1978 Renault 20

1995 VW Polo

The Age of Digital Sponsorship 26th June, 2012

Media platforms are becoming increasingly fragmented and consumers are able now more than ever to control how they get their information and how they engage with brands. This has led to digital media becoming the driving force in the implementation of many of the most successful sponsorship campaigns. Digital media provides a means for brands to reach out to the widest possible audience whilst engaging with them across new levels not previously available.

IBM brings digital to Wimbledon

IBM through their partnership with the Wimbledon Tennis Championships have created an augmented reality phone application. The app acts as an onsite guide and interactive map for Wimbledon, allowing users to simply point their phone to navigate around the Wimbledon site as well as allowing users to stream live feeds. The IBM Seer Aggregator enables fans to receive Wimbledon tweets to their phones from sources including players, commentators and a team of IBM scouts. Fans can also keep up-to-date with live feeds and information about matches played on any court transforming how fans can keep up with the action as it happens and enriching their experience of Wimbledon.

Johnnie Walker invites fans to ‘Step Inside the Circuit’

Johnnie Walker joined forces with McLaren in 2005 and have since created the innovative ‘Step Inside the Circuit’ campaign via Facebook. The campaign invites consumers to go behind the scenes and follow the progress of Lewis and Jenson on the track as well as their lives away from it. The campaign includes an online video ‘Drive of a Lifetime’ on the company’s Facebook page. The video puts users in the shoes of the drivers taking them from pre-race activities to stepping into the car before the start of the race. The Facebook connect function then personalises the film using photos and details from the user’s Facebook account, together with text-to-speech technology and video input from the user’s webcam transporting fans into the glamorous world of F1.

Digital media has become the most successful means with which to make sponsorship campaigns more interactive and to create a deeper relationship with consumers. With so many innovative digital campaigns already paving the way within sponsorship, it is inevitable that campaigns will continue to become more exciting and interactive as brands strive to stand apart from their competitors.

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