Tag: Sponsorship


Can too many Sponsors Dilute a Rights-Holder’s Brand? 22nd August, 2013

In sports leagues around the world, success on the field is ultimately driven by commercial revenue. As a consequence, their response has been to bring in sponsors to help facilitate the gap in funding.  But this growing emphasis upon sponsorship has left many people asking – are too many sponsors diluting the right-holder’s brand?

Sponsors make the brand more vibrant

When discussing the ever increasing number of sponsors in sport, it would be hard not to mention Manchester United, having just signed another spread of partners across the globe. The club has recently signed the Indonesian tyre producer bringing the club’s sponsorship total to 33. It begs to ask the question – are these sponsors devaluing the Manchester United brand?

Jonathan Rigby CM for MU, has rejected that the club has anywhere near reached its limit. He states that by implementing a local model amongst the 77 countries they have sponsors in currently, they are appealing to each fan individually, making the brand more vibrant and producing a follow on effect which will ultimately benefit all sponsors involved.

This certainly seems to be the case when you look at their operating profit, which has increased this year by 13.7%. The club has also just signed a new shirt deal worth nearly £500 million over 8 years, increasing their commercial sponsorship revenue to £118 million annually.

More value lies in fewer partners

In comparison, Juventus believe going the other way is more rewarding. The club believes that having valuable relationships with fewer brands will bring you more credibility amongst your following, and as a result will lead to greater financial weight behind the deals. This is the case for Jeep who is currently their headline sponsor, and one of 15 corporate partners.  In a public image driven market, and where it is only public interest which governs your reach; keeping it close to home can be seen as vital.

It’s the end product that matters

Brands enter into sponsorship for a multitude of reasons, but generally speaking, brands sponsor rights-holders for the audience, exposure, association and to fulfill their own brand objectives.  For rights-holders, one of the main things they rely upon, aside from funding, is the fans/ their audience.  As a platform, sponsorship allows both the rights-holder and brand to connect to their audience in a wholly tailored way.

The focus, therefore, shouldn’t be based on the amount of sponsors, but upon the end product – what the partnership has created for the fan, the overall experience and the club. MU’s model works because it has such a wide fan base and global sponsorship platform that allows them to associate with their following in all corners of the world. Juventus, on the other hand, has had success through its emphasis upon a few partners that have a strong affiliation to the club, keeping it close to home allows them to stay true to both the sponsor and the rights-holder’s objectives.

The Outcome

So long as the sponsorship is delivered and is aligned to the brand’s objectives and these objectives align with those of the rights-holder, the end product should ultimately benefit both club and sponsor.  Dilution of the brand will come when parties lose sight of their overall objective.


Sponsorship: It’s not all about the money 21st August, 2013

Recently I came across a short article posted by Richard Branson on Twitter where he stated that ‘people who focus on finance generally fail’.

Now although a little brash, Branson’s comment struck me as rather relevant when it comes to considering sponsorship. The value of a sponsorship opportunity should not be based solely on costing but on the value that sponsorship can bring to the brand.

Finding value in a sponsor proposition is a tenuous topic – brands enter into sponsorship for varying reasons and the true value of each sponsorship is dependent upon what the brand themselves want to gain from it.  For some, the value of a sponsorship opportunity might come from the reinforcement it could provide during a re-brand campaign while others may see value in reaching new audiences.   In this respect, a big budget sponsorship opportunity may not always fulfil the sponsor’s objectives in the same way a lower budget opportunity may see a sponsor reaping huge rewards.

There are of course big businesses with big budgets that can afford the high cost sponsorship opportunities and benefit greatly from them. Companies such as PepsiCo and Coca Cola spent upwards of $280 million on sponsorship in 2012. With budgets like this, these companies can consider the higher ticket sponsorship opportunities like the Olympics and the Super Bowl. But as the marketing director for Nokia said recently, if you can’t outspend, out smart.

In 2012, Inov8, a leading off-trail running brand, sponsored Mark Bayliss in his Arch to Arc (Marble Arch, London to the Arc de Triomphe, Paris) triathlon. This sponsorship was, in the grand scheme of things, a relatively low cost sponsorship but provided Invo8 with priceless opportunities. The success of this example lies in the synergy between the inov8 brand and Mark Bayliss. In completing the event, Mark Bayliss became the first person to complete the channel swim without a wetsuit, setting a new world record and raising money for SportsAid.

Mark’s achievement perfectly complimented Inov8’s brand values – celebrating the grit and glory of the committed athlete.  The reach of the sponsorship might not have been particularly broad, but it provided Inov8 with a direct channel to their target audience and allowed the brand to present their values in the form of a successful athlete.

In the current financial climate, it is important to consider all aspects of a sponsorship opportunity, understanding what your brand needs to gain from the sponsorship and the value that particular proposition can bring.


Community Sponsorship Done Well – TMD Properties Sponsors St Michael’s School Association 17th July, 2013

I recently came across the following sign in Highgate the other day.  It was pretty impressive upon first glance; however, after more research, I was so impressed by TMD’s sponsorship that I’ve dedicated a whole blog to it.

Community sponsorship is often overlooked, assumed by companies that it is merely a fundraising portion of their CSR.  However, if managed and promoted well, sponsorship of the community you work in can provide significant value for very little cost.  In the case of TMD Properties, they were able to generate enormous goodwill amongst their audience – young families looking to rent or purchase properties in Highgate.  Sponsoring St Michael’s School Association not only got them directly in front of their target audience, but also enabled them to showcase their support to the wider community on all the sales and letting boards throughout the borough.  Although their boards would have been up anyways – sponsorship has made them stand out from the crowd, cleverly using contrasting colours to ensure that the signs resonate.

The sponsorship has even gone further to include social media and press releases.  TMD include all their involvement with St Michael’s School Association within their Facebook page and Twitter feed – ensuring their involvement is recognised by communities further afield.

Following TMD Properties’ great example, I have put together my top 5 tips for brands looking to get involved with community sponsorship:

  1. Think of your audience: Although sponsorship of your community generates goodwill, it is important to remember who your customers are.  Although it probably would have been a great thing to sponsor the old folks home in Highgate, it would unlikely generate a return on their investment.
  2. Utilise your channels: Small sponsorship can make a big impact if you ensure that your sponsorship is integrated within all your marketing and communication.  Social media is an easy win because it is free; however, think one step beyond this and integrate your involvement internally as well in order to create staff affinity for your company.
  3. Get involved: Don’t just give money and expect an immediate return.  TMD Properties actively got involved and attended the events that St Michael’s School Association put on – highlighting that their sponsorship wasn’t purely whitewash.
  4. Think beyond money: Financial investment is typical the request from community sponsorships; however, what they likely don’t realise is how you might be able to help them further in ways that don’t cost you anything.  For example, the local craft fair may need a venue on Saturday to work on projects that they are selling on Sunday – if your office is available (and doesn’t mind a bit of glitter), this could be a great partnership and a huge benefit to them.
  5. Have fun: Community sponsorship is all about your community – so get out there, have fun, and create relationships that last!

Slingshot Sponsorship Announced as National Business Awards Finalist for the New Business of the Year Category 16th July, 2013


Slingshot Sponsorship has been shortlisted for the New Business of the Year Award at this year’s National Business Awards. Slingshot Sponsorship is a new breed of sponsorship agency – with their head office in London, they work across the globe helping clients develop strategies that maximise the commercial potential through partnerships.

The extremely prestigious awards recognises the best in business with winners being revealed at the National Business Awards gala dinner held on 12 November in London.

Michael Hayman, Co-founder, Start-Up Britain who is the judge for the category said: “Slingshot Sponsorship stands out as a disruptive force in their sector. Demonstrating solid growth and a clear commitment to CSR, it impresses as a determinedly entrepreneurial business, working with blue-chip clients.”The extremely prestigious awards recognises the best in business with winners being revealed at the National Business Awards gala dinner held on 12 November in London.

Jackie Fast, Managing Director of Slingshot Sponsorship said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted at the National Business Awards. We are an agency that always strives to deliver more in everything that we do and it is an honour to be recognised for all our team’s hard work.  It is especially relevant in the business sector where commercial partnerships are becoming vital to organisations in light of public funding cuts and the recent economic climate.”

Over 150 of Britain’s leading businesses, business leaders and social enterprises have today been revealed as finalists for the 2013 National Business Awards. The finalists announced today represent 15 categories including the Croner Employer of the Year, the Smith & Williamson Entrepreneur of the Year and Santander Small to Medium-Sized Business of the Year. The Leader of the Year finalists   and Decade of Excellence winner will be announced over the coming months.

This year’s shortlisted businesses have a collective global turnover of more than £341 billion, covering activities as diverse as telecoms, construction, entertainment, publishing and manufacturing.  One fifth of the finalists turnover more than £1 billion annually – with the lowest turnover peaking at £30k and highest reaching £55 billion. They represent regions from all over Britain including London, Exeter, Glasgow and Cardiff.

Dame Helen Alexander, Chair of judges for the National Business Awards, said: “These organisations and leaders represent exceptional success over the past year.  The environment has been tough; these are the firms leading the way to growth.  There’s a broad spectrum of sectors represented, as well as organisations of very different sizes, reflecting the diversity of British business and the vitality of our economy.  Congratulations to all our finalists.”

Alex Evans, Programme Director of the National Business Awards said: “The quality of finalists is outstanding every year – with Britain’s most promising new businesses and most impactful social enterprises recognised alongside top performing SMEs and the most sustainable mid market and large cap firms.”

www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk


Majestic Athletic Partner With Outlook Festival 2013 15th July, 2013

Majestic Athletic, the American Sportswear manufacturer, has been announced as the ‘Official Fashion Partner’ of Outlook Festival 2013. The partnership kicked off with the unveiling of the Majestic X Outlook varsity jacket through both parties’ Facebook channels to much acclaim. This has been followed up by the staggered release of Outlook-affiliated music artists modelling the summer varsity, as well as a consumer competition which has seen 1,500 entries, totaling over 200,000 impressions across a two-week period.

Mark Underwood, Managing Director for Majestic Athletic EMEA, said:

We are delighted to be announced as the Official Fashion Partner of Outlook Festival. Both Outlook and ourselves share similar values and audiences and so the relationship is very much a natural one. We have already launched the Outlook X Majestic varsity jacket (which has had a hugely positive response through our social media channels) and have loads more exciting music and fashion campaigns in the pipeline. Watch this space…


As Outlook’s exclusive fashion partner, Majestic have also been granted use of a wide range of Outlook imagery, musical and video content with which to launch its own Facebook Page. This will be further supported by VIP competitions to Majestic consumers with the chance to win Majestic outfits to wear on their VIP all-expenses paid trip out to Croatia.

Jonathan Scratchley, Director of Outlook Festival, commented:

The Majestic partnership is a really exciting one for us. There’s a lot of crossover between the music that we represent and the fashion they create, which allows us to offer another dimension to our audience in their relationship with Outlook. A lot of the artists we work with are wearing the jackets already and there’s a lot of social activity planned in the build-up to the event, as well as a strong Majestic presence over in Croatia itself.

This presence will include a Majestic Athletic merchandise area, where on-site artists will work to produce bespoke designs across jacket sleeves, giving customers a completely unique and personalised souvenir of their time at Outlook 2013.  There will also be a gifting suite within the VIP area next to the Headline Stage to provide some of the festival’s biggest names the chance to sample and take home some of the elite products in Majestic’s Summer range.


GB Taekwondo appoints Slingshot Sponsorship to develop sponsorship strategy and sales for their Road to Rio Olympics 11th July, 2013

GB Taekwondo, one of the biggest sporting stars to come out of London 2012, has appointed sponsorship specialist marketing agency Slingshot Sponsorship to develop strategy and sales across their commercial properties in the lead up to the Rio Olympics.  The initial activity will allow corporate sponsors to grow with the sport both nationally as well as abroad.

GB Taekwondo’s enormous success of gaining two medals from only four athletes at the London Olympics has presented a huge return for Team GB and an incredible opportunity for brands to align with.  The 2000 year old martial art has over 60 million participants worldwide with over 100,000 in the UK alone.  Slingshot Sponsorship will be working with GB Taekwondo to identify and uncover their assets in order to connect with this diverse sporting audience – contributing to a stronger engagement with brands during the growth of the sport in the lead up to Rio Olympics.

Steve Flynn, Operations Director at GB Taekwondo said:

We are really pleased to be working with Slingshot Sponsorship who are helping us showcase the sponsorship opportunities within our sport. Their expertise will allow us to maximise our commercial potential and amplify our activity – both with the sponsors we are currently are working with as well as identifying new commercial partners that will help us achieve our objectives in the lead up to Rio.

Jackie Fast, MD at Slingshot Sponsorship said:

We are thrilled that GB Taekwondo have chosen us as their sponsorship agency.  Sitting at such a vital turning point coming out of London 2012, we cannot wait to start helping them develop and grow their commercial potential – creating relationships that will help them realise their Rio Olympic goals.


Secret Cinema: The Changing Nature of the Live Experience 10th July, 2013

Last month, I was fortunate enough to get tickets for the first night of Laura Marling’s eagerly anticipated ‘immersive live music experience.’  For their most recent venture, the magical minds behind Secret Cinema – ‘a growing community of all that love cinema, and experiencing the unknown’ has teamed up with Miss Marling to launch Secret Music, alongside the release of her album ‘Once I Was an Eagle.’

Through their relatively short existence, Secret Cinema has grown a fan base of epic proportions and, if my experience last month was anything to go by, I can understand why.  Secret Cinema has an innate ability to transport attendees into a different world, delivering first class events based upon a truly unique model, which in my opinion, is beginning to alter the future of the live experience.

After purchasing my ticket for the event, I received an invitation dated 1927, a dress code of Vintage Black Tie and a list of required objects that ranged from a bouquet of flowers for the mistress of the house, a photograph of an ex-lover and a satchel filled with unwanted clothes.  The venue for the evening was the ‘Grand Eagle Hotel’ an old school that was filled with butlers awaiting your arrival, giggling maids, croquet on the front lawn, a smoking room with women lazing on chaise lounges watching gentlemen play chess and pool, rooms named after Marling’s songs filled with film projections, wild leaves and tree trunks.  Actors milled in and out between guests playing out narratives and creating whispers of secret happenings – and then, of course, a beautiful set from Marling herself.

Yet aside from the immense production throughout the evening, one thing stood out for me, the complete absence of camera phones.  Upon arrival, each guest was politely asked to hand over all technology, which meant the entire evening was void of irritating flash and smartphone screens shining on your face, everyone was there simply, for the experience – and it was wonderful.

The banning of camera phones has begun to be implemented at more and more gigs, with bands such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Savages championing their absence – requesting that guests fully immerse themselves in the live experience.

From a sponsorship point of view, this is an interesting occurrence.  At its core, sponsorship is about engaging with audiences, and enhancing the overall experience of events – and in many instances low budget filming disconnects attendees from this.  What is more, in many cases, videos popping up around YouTube ruins it for all those with tickets eagerly awaiting the event.

The ban of camera phones at events also allows rights holder/artist to use video content and photos in an interesting and unique way, delivering it to the attendee as a kind of gift.  As you can see below, each evening, the Secret Music team take a photograph of the audience and post in on their Facebook the following day for attendees to enjoy.  Alt-J have also championed this with the creation of a new piece of technology called Soundhalo which delivers  an entire live set for download immediately after it is performed.

For sponsors, having ownership of such precious memories allows them to communicate this back to event attendees, allowing the brand-consumer journey to continue further than the event itself.

I was well and truly immersed into another world for the Marling-Secret Music venture and I welcome more of these experiences in the future.


Slingshot Sponsorship to Deliver ‘Team Boris’ for the Mayor’s Charities at Prudential Ride London 2013 9th July, 2013

Slingshot Sponsorship has been announced as the representative agency for Team Boris raising funding for the Mayor’s Charities for this year’s Prudential Ride London which is taking place across the city during the 3rd-4th August 2013.

Throughout the Prudential RideLondon campaign, Slingshot Sponsorship will be co-ordinating ‘Team Boris’ – a London-wide campaign to promote the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson’s involvement with Ride London, on behalf of his charities that aim to support London’s future.  Slingshot Sponsorship will be creating, developing and co-ordinating the Team Boris campaign with the objective of securing funding and support for the Mayor’s charities.

Developed by the Mayor of London and his agencies, Prudential RideLondon promises to be a world-class festival of cycling set in the beautiful backdrop of the capital city.  The unique event combines fun and accessible elements of a free family ride in central London with the excitement of watching the world’s best professional cyclist’s race in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic and Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix. Amateur cyclists will also participate in the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 to raise money for the Mayor’s Fund for London, The Legacy List and the Mayor of London’s Fund for Young Musicians.

Jackie Fast, Managing Director, Slingshot Sponsorship expressed ‘We are honoured to be tasked with the development and co-ordination of ‘Team Boris.’ Being based in London, it is sometimes hard to believe the extent of poverty that exists throughout the capital, the Mayor’s charities are engaging in some truly inspiring work and we are excited to explore exciting opportunities around Prudential Ride London to assist this cause.’

The Mayor’s Charities run a range of projects that will create 500 apprenticeships and other employment opportunities for local young people;  deliver 3,000 much-needed music grants to inspire young Londoners; provide 5,000 free breakfasts to hungry school kids; supply 400 reading volunteers to help children who are struggling and inspired over 3,000 school children with creative education projects connected to the Olympic Park – as well as supporting the capital’s most innovative arts organisations. These schemes ensure young Londoners achieve their full potential life, education, arts and music.

Please visit www.teamborislondon.com for more information and follow @TeamBorisLondon on Twitter for updates.


I went to Glastonbury and all I got was this crappy T-shirt 1st July, 2013

As another Glastonbury passes, it makes me think of all of  the sponsorship activity that will be taking place over the next couple of months.  While much of it still remains the same (or the same but packaged up in a different box), I have noticed a shift into better commercialisation by the rights owner and more tailored sponsorship activation by brands compared to last year.

One area that is undeniably a huge commercial opportunity for festivals is merchandise and licensing.  This is a completely untapped market and one that is bountiful.  Although no ‘Hard Rock Cafe’, the festival ‘brand’ is growing through social engagement and digital interaction.  The offshoot benefit of a larger audience is the commercial potential through new revenue streams.

For such a global, well-respected and creatively-driven festival, I was surprised this wasn’t reflected in their merchandise choices  (found here).  Although, their approach is not dissimilar to many of the other UK festivals, highlighting that their resource allocations are based predominantly on core revenues of ticketing, pouring rights, and sponsorship.  It still is surprising that the pinnacle of the UK festival experience, Glastonbury, hasn’t taken the time to create truly memorable merchandise to combine with the memorable experiences of the festival.

Which leads me on to how smaller musical festivals can be a much better sponsorship platform to create brand experiences and conversations due to their drive of innovation and flexibility.  One of our clients Outlook Festival recently launched their Outlook X Majestic Athletic Varsity Jackets this year in collaboration with festival sponsor Majestic (check them out here).  Used for Outlook Festival competition giveaways, special VIPs, and of course for purchase – this limited edition jacket something you’d actually purchase – and something I’d much rather walk away with compared to the Glastonbury coffee mug.

Some of Slingshot Sponsorship’s key tips for creating merchandise partnerships with music festivals:

  1. Think of your audience and what they want to buy
  2. Create something completely unique
  3. Allow for creative input from all parties and, when appropriate, your festival go-ers
  4. Think big
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