Connecting with the Youth- Successful Sponsorship Strategies to Young People 3rd December, 2013

Digital media proliferation has led to social media platforms becoming paramount to successful sponsorship strategies directed at the youth. Younger consumers also tend to be far more receptive to campaigns based around their passions, of which sport and music are the most universal.

Deloitte and Further Education

Sponsorship campaigns in Universities are becoming increasingly common, with the most well-known examples coming through sport. Deloitte’s collaboration with the British Universities and Colleges Sport body (BUCS) is particularly successful. The 5-year partnership deal focuses on a ‘Leadership Academy’ model which delivers events to BUCS members to experience and develop leadership and communication skills.

Through the partnership, Deloitte has first-hand access to thousands of graduates which enables them to maintain their position as one of the top graduate employers (#2 in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2013). It also gives Deloitte an opportunity to build a rapport with students, making them a leading choice for career-searching graduates.

Spotify and Bacardi on Tour

Consumers tend to be more receptive to campaigns that draw upon personal interests. ‘Spotify on Tour’ tapped into this by teaming up with Bacardi to bring music based experiences to fans across America. They created intimate gigs and festivals with renowned artists such as Ed Sheeran and Kendrick Lemar with an emphasis on musical discovery for real music lovers.

The project was supported by a dedicated ‘Spotify on Tour’ which enabled sharing of tour dates, exclusive images and video content. The campaign resonated with the younger generation, which in turn helped Spotify increase its Facebook ‘likes’ to over 2.7 million.

Coca-Cola – Fusion of Music and Sport

Sporting events also represent golden opportunities to engage with young people. Coca-Cola directed its sponsorship of London 2012 towards the youth with the innovative ‘Move to the Beat’ campaign. ‘Move to the Beat’ celebrated British talent by combining the critically acclaimed architects Pernilla & Asif and award winning DJ Mark Ronson. It was based over four different platforms: the Coca-Cola song, documentary, Facebook app and the Coca-Cola Olympic Games pavilion, and had the overall objective of bringing ‘teens closer to the Olympic Games by fusing sport with their passion for music’. The campaign generated a vast amount of online activity including 245 million search impressions, an additional 1.5 million Facebook likes and 21,000 Twitter followers. In addition, Coke became the 2nd most talked about brand during the London Olympics.

Much of the success of these campaigns can be attributed to the use of highly  relevant content for young people and the right platform for the market. Given the significant changes to the way young people are now marketed to it will be fascinating to see how the sponsorship landscape continues to evolve and how brands adapt to this fertile marketing demographic.


Thinking of warmer climates: Why UK brands are investing in festivals abroad 27th November, 2013

The fact that the heating is permanently on in our office, my (much maligned) Parka jacket has come out from the back of the wardrobe and I’m already bored of the hype around Christmas can mean only one thing: it’s November.  In order to stave off the cloying, high-pitched tones of Santa’s elves and remind us of warmer times, our friends at Outlook have released their 2013 Festival highlights – a 9 minute long adventure through the myriad of music and magic that is Fort Punta Christo, Croatia, for four days at the end of August each year.

The video itself takes me back to an incredible two weeks working at Outlook and Dimensions Festivals this summer, but it’s a scene at 4:22 that reminded me just how successful the sponsorship around both festivals was for 2013. The scene (below) is UK-based DJ EZ performing a headline set wearing the official festival jacket, which was created by the festival’s fashion partner, Majestic Athletic. Over 500 of these jackets were created to announce the partnership, with an initial 100 being used for promotional purposes (gifting, Facebook competitions and artist fashion shoots) with the remaining 400 selling out within the first 48 hours of going on sale at the festival itself.

Majestic’s sponsorship of Outlook was a major success for the brand, as were the campaigns by the other partners we brought in for 2013. Although all four key partners were successful, investing big chunks of UK marketing budget in festivals 1,000 miles away was a leap of faith for all parties: a ‘shot in the dark that paid off’ were the words of another sponsor who I recently had a sign-on meeting for 2014 with. So, why were the sponsorships so successful and why are UK brands increasingly looking to partner with foreign-based (in particular Croatian) festivals instead of the closer and well-trodden events in the UK.

The experience

I think anyone who’s spent a week partying in an abandoned Austro Hungarian fort that overlooks the Adriatic Sea, sunbathing on a beach all day while eating fresh calamari for 50% of what a burger costs in the UK would find it hard to argue that festivals along the coastline of Croatia have one-up on your standard ‘music-in-a-field’ UK festival. The exotic location and the novelty of the experience make stronger, lasting ‘holiday-like’ memories that invariably influence brand-attitudes and ultimately purchasing decisions amongst festival goers when they return back home.

The audience: adventurous and committed

Whether it’s booking flights, changing currency or remembering your passport, getting to Croatia takes more effort than going to Reading. There’s also the reality that your mum can’t pick you up if you drink one too many tequilas and lose your wallet containing all of the above. In short, this means that the 30,000 hardy souls that descend on Pula for Outlook and Dimensions each year, not only rely less on their parents, but are also likely to be more adventurous and instigators of brand trends, rather than followers. For a drinks or clothing brand these are the exact people they want to target as they are the people that will promote their brand when they return home.

In addition, the effort involved to get to Croatia illustrates the commitment the audiences have to the festival they’re flying to go to. From research we’ve done into customers of Outlook, over 65% of them have been to the festival on more than one occasion, meaning an increased level of loyalty and therefore more receptive to the brands that the festival has chosen to further compliment their experience at the festival.

Social – reduced burden on experiential

The ascension of social has given festivals (and therefore its sponsors) a year-round platform to speak with this committed following on a daily basis, rather than through sporadic and often un-targeted communications. This has allowed for sponsors to leverage their benefits for prolonged periods of time and puts less pressure on them spending vast amounts on on-site activation. One of the key reasons for UK brands failing to invest in Outlook and Dimensions has been this lack of understanding of the social benefits available and the worry that their on-site activations will be even more expensive and more difficult to carry out than if they worked with a UK-based event.

The Sun – Because no one likes the rain. Apart from ducks.



How to Make an Impact through Social Media: Slingshot Sponsorship Partner with That Lot 16th October, 2013

Slingshot Sponsorship is delighted to announce a partnership with That Lot Creatives to provide a Bootcamp service on how to make an impact through social media.  The Bootcamp aims to provide organisations with an insight into the sponsorship industry with a focus upon developing sponsorship proposals and approaching and securing sponsorship.  Over the past three years, Slingshot Sponsorship has developed the Bootcampto become a highly tailored service suited to all organisations.

Jackie Fast, Managing Director, Slingshot Sponsorship stated: “We have successfully delivered tailored Bootcamps for over 50 organisations.  The success of the Bootcamp has been through Slingshot’s insight into the development of the sponsorship industry and it felt like a natural progression to advance the offering into the digital sphere.  Social Media has become an ever increasingly important tool and we are thrilled to be working with That Lot to develop an astute Bootcamp for future clients.”

That Lot is a new social media agency, headed by writer, comedian and Twitter obsessive David Schneider (150,000 followers and counting) and the UK’s foremost professional tweeter, David Levin (@BBCApprentice and @BBCTheVoiceUK).

David Schneider commented: “David Levin and I have worked closely with Slingshot to create informative, enjoyable workshops that give individuals and companies the tools to really cut through online platforms. We want to make sure that people leave our course inspired and able to tweet and post with impact and humour.”

The courses form part of the Bootcamp offering from Slingshot and can either be added to the current Sponsorship Bootcamp or provided on a standalone basis.

David added: “I’m a bit of a Twitter evangelist, keen to spread the word about how to do Twitter better. Working with Slingshot is a great fit for us. I’m not saying that, together with them, we’ll turn every company or individual Twitter feed into @OscarWilde, but we’re confident we can help people grow their influence online enormously.”

Opportunities for the Social Media Bootcamp are currently available.


Above the Line Marketing makes way for Social and Digital Wave 3rd May, 2013

For a long time brands have revolved their marketing campaigns around ‘Above the Line’ (ATL) strategies, which consisted of utilising all types of broadcasted mass media.

Although the reach of ATL marketing is undoubtedly wide-ranging and a great platform for unique concepts, the economic downturn and the rise of digital technology has forced companies to think more ‘Below the Line’ in regards to their goals for a profitable future.

Sustainability

One of the primary reasons why ATL campaigns have not had as drastic a growth in recent years is due to the extraordinary budgets that are required to ensure cut through. Citi Bank’s ‘Live Richly’ campaign is a campaign that spanned over 5 years and cost over $1 billion dollars. The campaign reached people through their inner desire to enjoy life and the concept was very catchy, but this is simply not a sustainable method of engagement for many SME’s in this economic climate. For many, splashing out on mass media campaigns is not feasible anymore due to a recession-scarred business community. There is simply too much risk involved considering that the ROI for marketing departments is under such scrutiny.

Less money, less problems

Companies are desperately attempting to reach consumers on a more personal and frequent basis, which is why they are choosing to engage with people on social media platforms as well as mobile proximity marketing. Television ads and mass media may seem all encompassing, but they lack the specific ability to personalise its audience relationship the same tailored way social media does.

With large scale campaigns of this size, further risk exists with the inability to quickly adapt to change in culture or need.  A perfect example of this is the launch of Diet Pepsi’s ‘tall, skinny can’ in 2011, which scheduled its debut around their sponsorship of New York Fashion Week long before the actual date. However Pepsi were unable to adapt their pricey campaign to the ongoing outrage regarding size zero models and its affect on young women. The campaign simply could not adapt quick enough, which highlights a great advantage of online media.

Future thoughts

For many brands ATL methods will always have a place in the marketing mix, but in this current climate, brands are getting more bang for their buck by turning to digital campaigns and social media engagement. ATL mass media campaigns are a luxury in this economic slump, but for companies who want to flex their creative muscle, they are still a viable option. However brands must prioritise sustainable business methods and realise that digital and mobile technology is the future, whether it be social media, viral Internet movements, product placements or guerrilla advertising. Brands that fail to adapt will be quickly left behind.

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.

Sony Ericsson Harness Social Media for UEFA 12th September, 2011

The 2010/11 UEFA Champions League final proved to be the event of the football season, featuring a showdown between two European giants, Manchester United and Barcelona. Having both won their domestic leagues earlier in the month, the game was undoubtedly the spectacle to be watched closely by millions around the world.

As the Official Mobile Handset Provider of the UEFA Champions League, Sony Ericsson chose to reach this engaged audience through the power of social media – specifically an innovative approach using Foursquare. Showcasing the capabilities of the Xperia mobile handset range, Sony Ericsson launched two promotions the day before the final.

The first saw fans build their own football team through Foursquare by finding a player in eleven locations around London, each revealing a prize on the inside of their jersey. Prizes included Sony Ericsson PLAY handsets, official UEFA merchandise and a pair of tickets to the 2011 UEFA Champions League final. The second promotion engaged fans attending the final to unlock the Sony Ericsson Xperia Footy Final Badge at the Sony Ericsson Football Hotspot located at Wembley Stadium, in an effort to win tickets to the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco, 2011.

With over 6 million fans on Facebook, Sony Ericsson not only knew their target audience, but created promotions that resonated with UEFA fans in a unique way.  Future plans will see a focus through their social networks throughout the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League season offering Facebook-exclusive competitions, new mobile applications, and further Foursquare promotions.

Stephan Croix, Head of Global Marketing Partnerships and Sponsorship at Sony Ericsson, informed Marketing Week that:

Social media will now become an additional investment in our Champions League sponsorship, we will dial up the volume to help build the brand and continue to drive commercial success.

Sony Ericsson is now the  40th biggest brand on Facebook providing regular engagement with the ever-changing mass mobile handset market.  This platform not only allows the brand to gain valuable insight into consumer trends and demands, but also continues to strengthen the brand further proving the importance of harnessing new media channels within sponsorship activations.

Sponsorship Competitions: Hilton Hotels & London Irish Case Study 8th April, 2011

We recently put together a great sponsorship campaign utilising social media, print and events for official sponsor of premiership rugby Hilton Hotels within the London Irish Rugby Club’s Big 5 events.  By acting as a sponsor of the events, Hilton Hotels were able to access the London Irish fan base through their more engaged channels: the London Irish Facebook page, the St. Patrick’s Party, and local paper Reading Post.

The aim of the Hilton campaign was to promote the Hilton Hotel Spring Sale.  Working with London Irish, we created three different promotions through three different channels:

  • 2 tickets for the Fan Fair rugby game plus one nights accommodation at Hilton Reading promoted on Facebook
  • 2 tickets for the Fan Fair rugby game plus one nights accommodation at Hilton Reading promoted at the popular St. Patrick’s Party 
  • 4 tickets for the Fan Fair rugby game plus lunch with the players promoted through Reading Post

Facebook & Sponsorship

Social media can act as a sponsorship platform to reach an engaged online audience.  We promoted the competition as a free offer for fans of the London Irish Facebook page enabling users to share with their friends.  By positioning the offering within the social context of sharing Facebook provides, it added value to the user experience rather than becoming a disruptive advertisement.  The 5,000+ fans of the Facebook page loved it, achieving the main objective of promoting the Hilton sale, but also driving traffic and generating more Facebook friends for the London Irish Facebook page.

London Irish St. Patrick’s Party

The popular St. Patrick’s Partyattracts a sell out crowd each year.  With live entertainment and experiential campaigns run throughout the stadium, we wanted to ensure that any additional promotions could cut through and make an impact.  To win the Hilton prize, fans were put on stage for a ‘dance-off’ with the band while the Spring Sale information was displayed on screens.  By engaging the crowd through an audience vote, we ensured that the competition was impactful with the lively audience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reader Offer with Reading Post

The local paper, Reading Post, providing a prime front page position to promote both the London Irish Big 5 games as well as the Hilton Hotels Spring Sale through a reader competition.  By working with this publication, we were able to compliment our earlier promotions of online and experiential by supplementing our reach to an older and local demographic.

 

 At Slingshot Sponsorship we aim to add value through partnerships ensuring that any sponsorship campaigns we create build brand engagement.  The combination of diverse channels and integrated sponsorship rights from both parties ensured a successful and engaging response from London Irish fans – creating value not only for the sponsor and the rights holder, but also for the fans.