ADVERTISINGMARKETING: Sponorship is about getting into the hearts and minds of people who are passionate about something, according to Ms Lisa Browne, sponsorship manager of Bank of Ireland. Speaking yesterday at the last Marketing Institute breakfast of the season, Ms Browne explained how the bank was leverging its €4 million sponsorship of the Special Olympics World Games in June. It cost €3 million to buy the sponsor rights and the bank will spend €1 million promoting that sponsorship.
The sponsorship deal was signed in August 2000 and Ms Browne headed to the United States to talk to previous corporate Special Olympics sponsors. "In every case, they said they were delighted they had sponsored the games and would do so again," said Ms Browne, "but every single one said they wished they had started their support programme earlier."
It was a lesson the bank took on board. "From the start we looked on it as a 35-month project; once the games start in June 2003, we see that our work will be done."
During that time, the bank will aim to leverage the sponsorship externally to customers but also internally to its 10,000 staff members.
"Through the Host Town programme, we have been able to involve staff all around the country," she said. "Their participation is not in any way compulsory, although we make sure all staff know about the games, but we have seen a great level of involvement at local level."
The games organisers needed 160 towns to volunteer collectively to provide accommodation for visiting athletes and their families. One smart brand identification strategy was to make it a requirement that towns applying to be host towns had to have their applications signed by a Bank Of Ireland manager. The host town programme meant 14 regional and two national launches with the attendant PR spin-offs.
The "old money" coin collection, which involved placing collection containers in branches, has been a strategic element in brand awareness, although it elicited some negative comments from the public. "We were simply facilitating the collection of the money which is still rolling in and should top €1.2 million. It is quite separate from our contribution."
Between now and next June, the bank will have to be vigilant in protecting the sponsorship. The row over ambush marketing is a current one with FIFA, the world soccer body, complaining that companies that have not paid to become official sponsors are using the forthcoming World Cup in their advertising. Adidas paid a reputed £10 million sterling (€16 million) to sponsor the games but Nike is perceived to have stolen a march with its superb soccer-themed advertising campaign.
It is not inconceivable that another company could attempt to muscle in on the Special Olympics. However, Ms Browne feels the three-year groundwork to establish the link between the brand and the event will ensure the public are well aware exactly who is the premier sponsor.
ACNielsen Media International has renewed its contract with the Irish Television Management Committee to provide audience ratings.
The committee, comprising RTÉ, TV3 and TG4, put the contract out to tender and eventually awarded the five-year contract to ACNeilsen, which has have provided the service for the past six years.
