Sailing through Sponsorship Noise.

Yesterday, more than 1850 boats competed in the JP Morgan Round the Island Race. So, that's 1850 possible news stories multiplied by the number of crew plus a few sponsor press releases and a myriad of results. There was only one story that mattered to the UK media though, Lewis Hamilton, the 'British' F1 driver was aboard Hugo Boss.

On these pages, we try to show that, even if you don't have the budgets of these big companies, you can still learn how to make the most of your sports marketing money by watching the best. Hugo Boss is a fantastic case study.

If you read our story last week about David Beckham's shirt, you will know that not all sponsorships manage to generate awareness with a wider audience. Until now, you may not have known that Hugo Boss is a partner of the McClaren F1 team, but this was a win-win opportunity for everybody that ensured maximum marketing exposure.

By putting Lewis Hamilton, alongside Britain's top Olympic sailor; Ben Ainslie, on a 60 foot, carbon fibre, racing yacht, the marketing gurus managed to promote Hugo Boss, McLaren and sailing all in one go. Even though Hugo Boss collided with another boat at the start and compromised the 'podium' finish, the headlines were guaranteed.

When Hugo Boss started working with Alex Thompson on his Open 60 campaign, they showed how, with a bit of thought, a racing yacht could become a huge floating billboard. The current boat's hull and sails are aligned to highlight the brand from every possible angle and of course the value of naming rights are apparent.

So what can smaller companies with more modest budgets take away from this example? Spreading sponsorship budget across multiple, complimentary sports allows you to take advantage of cross-promotional opportunities that benefit all.

Do Coaches need to know the Game?

I've got a problem with coaches. Not all coaches mind you, just the ones that set themselves up as motivators, but have no technical knowledge about the subject at hand. This is especially true of the trendy new job of 'life coach.'

Now a newly published study by Amanda Goodall, Lawrence Kahn, and Andrew Oswald (Opens in PDF) finds that having expert knowledge of the thing you are coaching definitely matters. The Abstract of the report says "We show that a strong predictor of a leader's success... is that person s own level of attainment, in the underlying activity... Our data come from 15,000 professional basketball games and reveal that former star players make the best coaches. This expert knowledge effect is large."

How Large? The report finds substantial evidence that the difference between having a coach who never played NBA basketball and one who played many years of NBA all star basketball is, on average, approximately 6 extra places up the NBA league table. In a league where there are 29 teams, this is significant.

The report also tries to draw some conclusions as to why this is the case. One possibility is that the same quality that drove the individual to the top of the game still exists, an 'x-factor' that determines success. Other explanations include an ability to impart expert knowledge that can only be acquired by playing the game. A third hypothesis offered is that players who are recognised as 'greats' command more respect from those who are at the top of their game in the present, whereas lesser players, or those who have never played the game would find it harder to convince current players of their credentials.

There may be exceptions, but at last there are some hard facts that show that a coach with expert knowledge will provide better results than a coach who is 'motivating' only.

Who's on Beckham's Shirt?

Quick. Think. You've seen this image in all kinds of press. The front page of the Sun, the back page of the News of the World, the front cover of Sports Illustrated. So why can't you name the sponsor?

If you are in the industry, or a die hard Galaxy fan, you may know the answer, but a straw poll reveals that 9 out of 10 people can not tell you the sponsor's name. So much for the use of sports properties as mobile billboards. So much for extrapolated numbers of coverage. If ever there was an argument that the 'exposure' model of sports sponsorship is flawed, this is it.

You can almost imagine the board presentation. "Next year, the world's most famous footballer will be playing in a shirt with your brand on it. Your brand will be seen by millions of people around the world. If you were to pay for that kind of exposure at market rates, you would not be able to afford it... "

Unlike a billboard, which allows other images, associations, strap lines and messages to be conveyed in the time it takes to drive past on the motorway, a logo on a shirt is just that. There is no call to action. Just an implied endorsement of the participant. Without activation, the sponsorship is lost in the noise.

So how to do it properly? Well think of a sports property and then name their sponsor. If you can, then they are probably doing it right. In fact, some may have done such a good job that you may be thinking of a sponsor who hasn't been involved for several years.

Try it with the following examples: a) Tiger Woods, b) Roger Federer, c) Jeff Gordon, d) Kimi Raikkonen, e) Andrew 'Freddy' Flintoff, d) Manchester United.... Answers below.



Answers.
LA Galaxy Team Shirt Sponsor - Herbalife
a) Accenture, Nike, Gatorade.
b) Emmi, Gillette, Jura, Mercedes Benz, Nike
c) Dupont, Nicorette, Pepsi
d) Marlboro, Fiat, Shell, Martini
e) Vodafone, Barclays Capital, Woodworm
f) AIG, Nike

Activating Sponsorship to a Wider Audience

A great example of using a sponsorship across different markets. This distinctive yellow Aviva advertisement ties in with the company's backing of the English yachtswoman Dee Caffari.

The Open 60 yacht most recently completed the Artemis Transat and will shortly compete in the Vendee Globe.

It's great to see some joined up thinking and some good activation of the sponsorship on the water.

It's also good to see the activation outside of the sailing press. Traditionally, one would expect to see an ad like this in a publication like Yachting World, however Aviva are running the campaign in 'mass-market' publications like Time. 'Intelligent Life', the quarterly publication from the Economist is a niche publication, but importantly a non sailing title and shows that the marketing folk have considered multiple, but targeted audiences.

HotelClub's New Sposorship Scheme

More evidence that companies are considering Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) factors when deciding how to allocate marketing and sponsorship budgets.

HotelClub has launched a new sponsorship programme aimed at community level organisations including schools and charities.

Jon Wild, Global Marketing Director at HotelClub, explains that a conscious decision was made to move away from large corporate sponsorship and instead focus efforts at a local level – “When people think sponsorship they think flashy endorsements at sporting events, but our programme is about funding projects that make a real difference to local communities.”

Wild adds, “We are really excited about seeing how organisations invest the funds, it might be with a fundraising event, new computer equipment or we might see something different thrown into the mix! Either way, it is going to be very rewarding initiative for both parties.”

The scheme shows that different companies look for different outcomes when it comes to sponsorship.

The ? Mens Tennis at Queens

Wimbledon starts today, the famous Grand Slam event held on grass on the outskirts of London. Traditionally the men warm up at Queens Club and since the seventies that tournament has been sponsored by Stella Artois.

This year, perhaps as part of the Belgian beer's campaign to position their brand as something other than the drink of football hooligans and 'wife beaters', the Stella name was dropped from the hoardings and flags and replaced with just the Artois name.

Next year, the familiar red will not be seen at all. The title sponsorship for the pre-Wimbledon event at Queens is up for grabs.

For more - read Claire Beale's article "Adland wonders what returns it might get from serving up tennis"

Popular Sport Websites

Where do sports fans get their fix online? In America at least, the big brands are still capturing the attention of fans.

Nielsen Online have released the results of the top sports sites during the month of May, with Yahoo coming out on top of all of the sites. Yahoo recieved 21.7 million unique visitors, an increase of 13.2% from April, and up nearly 55% from May of last year.

ESPN.com came in second with 17.2 million unique visitors, and FoxSports.Com was third at 13 million.

Running down the list - MLB.com (12 million); AOL Sports (9.9 million); eBay Sports (9 million); SI.com (7.9 million); CBSSports.com, CBS College Sports (7.7 million); Fantasy Sports Ventures Network (5.5 million); and NFL.com (5.1 million).

In terms of video - ESPN is leading the way.

Sailing Sponsorship to promote Tourism

Keeping in tradition with its revered maritime heritage, the Oman Sail Team has gained world recognition by finishing fourth place in the first iShares Cup Extreme 40 Series, ahead of the pre-race favourites.

Supported by the Sultanate of Oman as part of its long-term charter to promote the country as a world-class sailing destination and as a place for investment, business and leisure, the Oman Sail Team’s preselection was based on completing gruelling land and sea assessments and intensive sail training.

The iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series is showing how sailing can compete with other sports through its innovative sponsorship – including the Sultanate of Oman’s striking coat of arms (khanjar) on its sails and the excitement generated by the sleek Extreme 40 yachts for the iShares Cup. Adding further spice to the series was the recent purchase of the Extreme 40 yachts by America’s Cup syndicates, Alinghi and BMW Orade.

“Not only did the crew find themselves rubbing shoulders with some of the best professional sailors in the world, including a double Olympic gold medallist and the winning skipper of last year’s America Cup, Oman’s entry into world sailing included winning the second race on the first day of the three day regatta. The Oman Sail Team is now a team to be reckoned with,” said Mona Tannous, Oman Ministry of Tourism’s Australian Director.

“Oman has a proud maritime heritage so the profile and competition of the iShares Cup is an event of great interest to us. We know the iShares Cup attracts Olympic and America’s Cup competitors, and Oman is looking forward to entering its own team on the World’s sailing stage and competing with the best,” said Her Excellency, Dr Rajiha bint Abdul Amir bin Ali, the Sultanate of Oman’s Minister of Tourism

Line 7 to Sponsor Australian Match Racer

Line7, one of the leading Sailing Clothing brands has announced its sponsorship of Australian Match Racing sensation, Torvar Mirsky and his MRT. Torvar is the leading Australian Match Racer on the ISAF rankings, ahead of heavyweights James Spithill and Peter Gilmour.

MRT will be joining Adam Minoprio and his Blackmatch Racing in becoming the newest members of Team Line 7. The clothing brand is also one of the leading sponsors of the World Match Racing Tour for the 2008 season, which boasts an impressive line-up of several America’s Cup syndicate teams, along with the new young prospects such as Adam Minoprio and Torvar Mirsky.

Mirsky, who is based in England for the European season, sails with a core crew of Graeme Spence on bow, Tudur Owen on trim and Kinley Fowler on trim. The team have achieved great results both in Match Racing and Fleet Racing over the recent years. Together they are able to compliment one another’s strengths and produce great results both on and off the water. As a self funded, self run team, each member must take on organisational duties in addition to their sports role.

Torvar Mirsky commented that 'It’s a really good sign that all of our hard work is being recognised by a top brand such as Line 7' after the deal was confirmed last month. 'The sponsorship has given us a stronger affiliation with the World Match Racing Tour, and we are a team that prides ourselves on being presented as professionally as possible. Now that we have a leading clothing brand supporting us, this is going to be much easier to achieve. We are still finding our feet on the Tour, but this deal has boosted our status, and is going to help us gain a permanent spot on the Tour.'

Pat Langley from Line 7 commented, 'We have been keeping a close eye on Torvar and the team for sometime now and have been really impressed with the professional approach they are taking towards reaching their goal of becoming the best team on the WMRT.

Combined with our support of Adam Minoprio and Blackmatch racing team, these two teams are a great representation of what Line 7 is all about - Australians and Kiwi’s taking on the world to be the best.'

INTERVIEW with BrunoTrouble

INTERVIEW OF BRUNO TROUBLE

(Originally Posted on Scuttlebutt)

Bruno Troublé's name is intimately linked with the business of yacht racing. Founder of the Louis Vuitton Cup and organiser of the event for many years, Troublé tells us what he expects from the World Yacht Racing Forum and why people involved in the industry can’t miss the event.

Bruno, what are the main assets of sailing as a top level sport?

For me, sailing means freedom (no yellow lines), elegance, purity (by opposition to pollution), travels (that’s why Louis Vuitton is there), responsibility and team work. You need to understand that just five generations back, the only link between the continents – to deliver love letters or a declaration of war – was a sailing boat. We all have this somehow in our soul, whether we are sailors or not.

How do you consider the current state of our favorite sport?

Our sport suffers from its huge complexity and variety. There are as many world champions as participants! The public just can’t understand it, and the abundance of trophies increases year after year.

We need to bring some order back; otherwise the media will just get tired of sailing.

What should be done to help promote our sport?

There should only be one world championship per discipline:

• Men’s dinghies / keelboats
• Women’s dinghies / keelboats
• Multihull
• Cruise-racers
• Offshore

And perhaps a yearly Nations Cup with one boat per country in each discipline. And an America’s Cup every 3-4 years.

Do you think the actors of the yacht racing industry need a platform to meet and discuss their key issues?

I think that the concept of a yearly meeting between all the actors of the yacht racing scene is a great idea, as long as all the world leaders of the industry are there, together with the participants, the organizers and the media.