Hollis Sponsorship Bulletin

General Electric (GE) has extended its sponsorship of the Olympics through to the 2020 Games in a multi-million deal.  The International Olympic Committee said the US conglomerate will continue as a top-level sponsor for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the 2018 Winter Games and 2020 Summer Olympics
GE, which has been an Olympic partner since January 2005, will provide transportation systems, energy, lighting and water treatment. TOP Partners of the International Olympic Committee include: Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, Dow Chemical, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter & Gamble, Samsung and Visa.
GE CEO Jeff Immelt said: “The Olympic Games provide a unique opportunity to showcase our innovative technologies and services.”

Global Radio’s Heart has secured  Sky as sponsor of Heart Breakfast across the network for six months, starting on Monday 4th July. Brokered by Mediacom, the deal is Heart’s biggest ever sponsorship and enables Sky to reach an audience of nearly 3.5 million people each week across 17 regional Heart Breakfast shows on the UK’s largest commercial radio network.

As official airline partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, British Airways is giving its support to British talent through a series of brand and athlete partnerships. The airline has partnered with both UK Athletics (UKA) and British Swimming offering discounted and complimentary flights and support to UKA athletes, coaches and staff in the run up to the Games. This support extends to the GBR Swimming, Disability Swimming, Diving, Synchro and Water Polo teams.

British Airways is also supporting individual talent on their way to the London 2012 Games, and has signed up World Champion heptathlete Jessica Ennis, who joins sailing Olympic medallist Ben Ainslie, gymnast Olympic medallist Louis Smith and Paralympic medallist Shelly Woods as BA ambassadors.

These sporting heroes along with UKA and British Swimming athletes feature in a new print advertising campaign.  The athletes and governing bodies will also work with the airline to help spread interest in the 2012 Games internally through British Airways’ employee engagement programme. 

A PR and media campaign has been launched to support this and demonstrate how British Airways is helping athletes – whether through flights for training, qualifying or competitions, a bespoke fear-of-flying course, or a holiday from their training schedule.

Luisa Fernandez, British Airways global sponsorship manager, said: “We are delighted to work with such talented athletes who are set to soar to new heights at the London 2012 Games. They are a true inspiration to current and future generations of British talent, and we are proud to support them on their journey.”

This British Airways London 2012 activity forms part of the BA Great Britons programme, which alongside celebrating the best of British sporting talent offers career-defining opportunities in the fields of food, film and art.  Budding British talent can apply to collaborate with Heston Blumenthal, Richard E Grant and Tracey Emin on a creative project running up to the London 2012 Games – applications are open until July 27, 2011 at www.ba.com/greatbritons.com

West Bromwich Albion unveiled Bodog, one of the world’s largest online gaming brands, as its new official club sponsor for the next two seasons earlier this week.
Bodog Europe, the official licensee of the Bodog brand for online gaming in Europe, will officially become club sponsors from July 1 and will have additional high-profile branding at The Hawthorns. The gaming brand will also become the club’s official betting partner.
Patrik Selin, CEO of Bodog Europe, said: “In choosing a sponsorship partner we were looking for a club with a genuine team spirit and we are delighted to have found that in West Bromwich Albion.  In the social media era a sponsorship should be about backing the investment with a return commitment to the club and the fans and we are looking forward to working closely with all parties.”

Brand engagement network, Havas Sports & Entertainment, has appointed Dan Connolly as UK Sports PR Director to lead its dedicated sports PR division, run in partnership with sister agency Cake.  Jim Dowling, Cake Managing Partner, will drive the department’s creative output from Cake, the ideas agency, whose services include consumer PR, experiential marketing and social media.
 
Havas Sports & Entertainment’s current sports PR client list includes Annecy 2018, the French bid for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Friends Life T20 Cricket, ASDA cricket and the Global Sports Forum Barcelona.

Connolly, who was formerly Head of PR for England’s Bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has prior agency experience with clients such as Nike, the RFU and Barclays sponsorship of the Premier League, has overseen the international media relations and strategy for Annecy 2018, since joining in January 2011.

The team calls on a range of expertise across Havas Sports & Entertainment including Cake, the industry leading Havas Sports Insight team, the network’s strategy and sponsorship consultants and the Havas Sports & Entertainment global digital and social media division.

Havas Sports & Entertainment, Global President and CEO, Lucien Boyer said: “Our UK Sports PR offer combines Havas’ expertise in sport with Cake’s cutting-edge creativity to develop campaigns that engage and excite audiences.  It’s important for us to have someone with Dan’s background in place who can work across Havas Sports & Entertainment and Cake to draw upon our network’s best talent.

Havas Sports & Entertainment, UK CEO, Keith Impey added: “Havas Sports & Entertainment is an eclectic mix of characters and backgrounds from the sports and entertainment world.  Havas Sports credentials combined with the creative spirit of Cake is a unique blend.”

With under three months to go until Rugby World Cup 2011 kicks off in New Zealand, Land Rover, as the Official Vehicle, has delivered its fleet of special Rugby World Cup 2011 vehicles to the country in preparation for the Tournament. As Official Vehicle of Rugby World Cup 2011, Land Rover will supply vehicles to the organisers, teams and officials.

The vehicles will be specially customised with Rugby World Cup 2011 branding, RWC 2011 number plates, and commemorative badging to promote the association throughout New Zealand.

John Edwards, Global Brand Director, Land Rover said: “Land Rover’s sponsorship of Rugby World Cup marks a significant development in the partnership between Land Rover and Rugby. Land Rover is proud of its heritage within the sport and is pleased to extend its support on a global basis. The five year agreement with RWCL, which includes becoming a Worldwide Partner for Rugby World Cup 2015, will enable Land Rover to engage with customers, staff and Rugby fans all around the world, as well as in the host countries of New Zealand and England.”

Land Rover’s support of RWC 2011 and RWC 2015 builds on the company’s well-established, long term relationship with rugby. Land Rover was Official Vehicle of the British and Irish Lions on their 2005 and 2009 tours to New Zealand and South Africa.  In the UK, Land Rover has been Official Vehicle of both England Rugby and Premiership Rugby since 2002, and is committed to developing the grassroots of the Game through the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup, a nationwide tournament for under 11s and under 12s. They were also the Official Vehicle of the final phase of the Top 14 Orange in France and Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens 2010.

Event branding specialist Icon has completed a successful project for Aberdeen Asset Management, as sponsor of one the largest collegiate rowing competitions in the US, the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta.  The event, which is held in Philadelphia every May, attracts entries from over 100 US and Canadian colleges and Universities, and Aberdeen views its sponsorship of the event as pivotal to establishing its brand in the US and its headquarters in Philadelphia.

Engaged by Aberdeen’s appointed agency WSM Sponsorship and building on the relationship that the two companies already had from working on Aberdeen’s previous sponsorship of the Oxford V Cambridge Boat Race, both agencies implemented a number of noticeable new branding opportunities for the regatta’s title sponsor.

Andrew Hodson, Icon’s sales and marketing director, explained more about the project; “Project and artwork management was handled from London and we were then able to call on our international partners in the US and Canada for the production and operations side of the project. This is a significant project for Icon as it is our first sports event project in the US, a market that offers real opportunities for an organisation with our experience backed by our own international network.”

Commenting on branding at this year’s event, Gary Marshall, CEO of Aberdeen Asset Management said; “The step up in terms of branding this year was very noticeable; commissioning Icon to oversee all on-site branding has really helped us to raise the bar in terms of our brand presence at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta.”

HSBC Premier has signed as Manchester Literature Festival’s first ever Principal Sponsor. The partnership sees the continuation of HSBC Premier’s support of literature, which began with sponsorship of the Oxford Literary Festival in April, as a way of opening up opportunities, making connections and stimulating debate. Manchester Literature Festival’s varied and engaging two week programme of talks, readings and performances each October supports these aims.

Since launching in 2006 the Festival has brought international writers, speakers and visitors, including Martin Amis and Margaret Atwood as well as emerging new talent, to the city with its diverse programming and regular commissions of new work.

With business for HSBC Premier developing in the north of England, this sponsorship presents an opportunity to provide clients and prospective clients with exclusive access to tickets, speakers and VIP events.  Of particular interest to the bank in 2011 is a series of events focusing on emerging markets, bringing leading writers and thinkers from India, China and the Middle East to Manchester for discussion and exchange of ideas, reflecting its wider focus on making international connections.

Richard Knight, Head of HSBC Premier UK, said: “Manchester Literature Festival’s dynamic growth is testament to its engaging and inspirational programming. By bringing people together from around the world and providing a platform for stimulating debate, the Festival reflects HSBC Premier’s belief in the value of using literature to understand different points of view.”

Cathy Bolton, Director of Manchester Literature Festival, said: “We are really fortunate to be working with a business that appreciates the contribution that good literature can play in illuminating the unfamiliar; fostering curiosity and understanding between communities of readers. HSBC’s generous support will enable us to continue programming increasingly ambitious festivals, bringing inspirational writers from across the world to Manchester and showcasing the freshest of home-grown talent.”

Manchester Literature Festival takes place from the 10th to 23rd October 2011 at venues across the city. The sponsorship is part of HSBC’s global Cultural Exchange programme, which encourages the understanding of different cultures as an important part of doing cross border business.

Interdisciplinary medicine, science, sport and performance conference UKSEM has once again partnered with leading running performance brand ASICS.  UKSEM is organised by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) and will take place at ExCel from November 23rd to 26th.   Sports nutrition company, Maxinutrition also continues its support of ASICS UKSEM as the event’s official nutrition partner.
UKSEM organiser Dr Andrew Franklyn-Miller said: “Taking place with just one month to go until our Olympic year, the conference will address key issues affecting athletes poised to compete in the world’s greatest sporting event.”
ASICS UK marketing manager Eóin Treacy said: “At ASICS all of our product development comes from scientific research as well as a commitment to innovation and quality, so we are delighted to be sponsoring the ASICS UK SEM which will showcase some of the best, most current and relevant research in sport and exercise medicine from around the world. In the run-up to London 2012 this is an ideal platform to debate some of the most important issues facing the sports research industry.”
Nutrition partner Maxinutrition, the parent company of Maximuscle, Maxifuel and Maxitone, works with a host of sports governing bodies, including British Triathlon, England & Wales Cricket Board, Welsh Rugby Union and England Hockey, as well as numerous 2012 hopefuls including Dan Keatings, Anthony Ogogo and Pete Waterfield, and sports teams Fulham Football Club and London Wasps.
Further information about the UKSEM can be found at www.uksem.org

Business insurance specialists QBE has agreed a deal with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to become the title sponsor of the Autumn Internationals. The deal will run for four years, starting in September 2012 through to the end of July 2016 and reflects QBE’s ongoing commitment to rugby. It is an extension of the existing partnership with the RFU and complements QBE’s back of shirt sponsorship with Premiership Rugby.

Steven Burns, Chief Executive Officer, QBE European Operations, commented: “The partnership not only deepens our existing relationship with rugby, but also allows the
QBE brand and business to grow in the longer term. We look forward to developing the
series together with the RFU in the coming months.”