The Science Museum is exploring the science of music at its May Lates which is partnered by MasterCard. MasterCard will host its MasterCard Bar offering complimentary drinks, canapés, a specialist talk as well as a themed workshop for cardholders who have registered in advance at pricelesslondon.co.uk.
The 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League Tournament was followed by 1.1 billion football enthusiasts around the world. Through MasterCard’s sponsorship promotions people in over 60 countries were given the chance to connect to one of the most popular sporting events of the year.
For the new cycle, MasterCard will place renewed focus on the fans, offering multiple ways for the tournament‟s followers to benefit from its involvement as a sponsor. This ranges from the cardholder offers made available on the UEFA Champions League MasterCard webshop through to ‘priceless’ experiences designed and delivered especially by MasterCard.
In the last two years, thousands of fans experienced their own ‘priceless’ moment of sporting history, which included parents getting the chance to see their child accompany a sporting hero onto the pitch, or winning exclusive access for their child at special pre-match practices. MasterCard further enhanced the experiences by creating joint promotions with other UEFA Champions League Tournament co-sponsors, showing the power of partnerships within sponsorship where fans can benefit from multiple sponsors at the same time.
New for this cycle, MasterCard will also offer UEFA Champions League experiences directly for fans with a link to those cities hosting the matches. Cardholders living or visiting these locations around Europe will be able to have direct access to the club tournament.
The Natural History Museum has announced a three year partnership with MasterCard, who will be sponsoring the Museum’s After Hours and Night Safari evenings,
At After Hours visitors can experience the Museum and its exhibitions in the evening and the Night Safari is an opportunity to meet NHM scientists and take a closer look at specimens not usually on display to the public. The Natural History Museum is home to 300 scientists and over 70 million specimens.
MasterCard cardholders that register at pricelesslondon.co.uk will have the opportunity to use the MasterCard Bar at each After Hours event, where they will be served complimentary cocktails and canapés. MasterCard will also be hosting its own series of private Night Safari events, for 150 cardholders each time.
Dr Michael Dixon, Director of the Natural History Museum, commented “We are delighted to be working in partnership with MasterCard. At the Natural History Museum we are committed to sharing our spaces, collections and scientific expertise with new audiences, and so this is a fantastic opportunity to develop this within our After Hours and Night Safari programmes.”
Paul Trueman, Head of Marketing for MasterCard UK & Ireland, said: “MasterCard is evolving from a brand that celebrates Priceless moments to one that enables Priceless experiences, thereby bringing additional benefits to choosing to use MasterCard and building further emotional engagement with consumers. London is already an iconic, much-loved city and our aim is to enhance experiences of the Capital for all MasterCard cardholders from London, the UK and abroad, through long-term partnerships such as this one with the Natural History Museum that underpin Priceless London.”
MasterCard and The R&A have announced a global partnership which will see the payments company become a Patron and the Official Card of The Open Championship for four years from 2012. The announcement was made today at Royal St George’s Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent, host of The Open Championship 2011.
With a history of over 15 years’ association with golf sponsorship, the agreement is a further opportunity for MasterCard to build on its sporting heritage. The partnership complements MasterCard’s existing stable of sport and cultural sponsorship properties and player endorsements.
Alfredo Gangotena, Chief Marketing Officer at MasterCard, said: “We are immensely proud to become a global partner of The Open Championship and thrilled to have the chance to bring golf fans from across the world closer to the game. Our association with The Open Championship is a unique opportunity to offer our cardholders priceless access and experiences around the most historic tournament in golf.”
Mike Tate, Director at The R&A, commented: “MasterCard’s expertise, commitment to heightening the fan experience and longstanding association with golf across the world make it a natural partner for The R&A and The Open Championship.”
Organised by The R&A, The Open Championship is the oldest and most prestigious Major golf championship in the world and the only Major hosted outside of the United States. The annual tournament is attended by 200,000 spectators each year and has global media exposure in over 187 countries.
utside of Europe, MasterCard sponsors the PGA TOUR, the PGA Champions Tour and the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By MasterCard in Orlando.
MasterCard currently enjoys relationships with Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell, Camilo Villegas, Boo Weekley, Brandt Snedeker, Natalie Gulbis and five-times Open Championship winner and golfing legend, Tom Watson.
The Walt Disney Company, Euro Disney Associés S.C.A. and MasterCard announced today a six-year strategic corporate alliance across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Russia & CIS.
The agreements make MasterCard the official partner in the payment services category of The Walt Disney Company EMEA & Russia and of Euro Disney Associés C.S.A.. As a result, this provides MasterCard with opportunities to create and deliver promotional opportunities for its cardholders across the breadth of Disney including motion pictures and the more than 100 Disney Stores across the region and in Disneyland Paris, Europe’s number one tourist destination.
This is the first pan-European family entertainment sponsorship platform for MasterCard, a recognised sponsor of sports such as football and Golf. Underscored by MasterCard’s ‘priceless’ marketing philosophy, this new marketing asset is designed to speak specifically to MasterCard’s cardholders.
The agreement, which covers business-to-consumer and business-to-business initiatives provides the scope for considerable consumer benefits, which will include special advantages and discounts for all MasterCard cardholders. The partnership will also develop:
• New “Priceless” MasterCard cardholder experiences, including Disney Store shopping events and offers as well as Disneyland Paris events and hospitality benefits
• Opportunities for payment solutions to support consumers at both Disneyland Paris and for in-store purchases in Disney stores
• Opportunities for MasterCard to secure further marketing and promotional opportunities across Disney’s branded businesses, providing unique business building opportunities for MasterCard customers
• The chance for Disney to develop promotional programmes to reach MasterCard’s customer-base across the region and to leverage MasterCard’s payment services technology expertise
• Permanent MasterCard signage at Disneyland Paris and Disney Stores in the region, underlining the importance of the partnership with MasterCard.
Javier Perez, President, MasterCard Europe said: “This new partnership fits seamlessly within our existing strategy in which our sponsorship activities, be it sports sponsorship through to entertainment, should always aim to deliver a rewarding experience for today’s cardholder.”
Diego Lerner, president, The Walt Disney Company EMEA said: “With this alliance, MasterCard will benefit from Disney’s one of a kind expertise in family entertainment enabling them to reach this important audience in a fun, new way. We are thrilled to have a company such as MasterCard join our family of corporate alliance partners.”
Credit card company MasterCard is to be the title sponsor of Barbarians rugby union fixtures for the 2009-2010 season. The series will be called The MasterCard Trophy and will commence with a clash against the All-Blacks at Twickenham on December 5. A game against England has also been confirmed with others to be announced soon.
Commenting on the deal, MasterCard’s VP of marketing Ben Rhodes said: “Sponsorships are a critical component of MasterCard’s global marketing approach. We’re proud to build further heritage in rugby by adding The MasterCard Trophy to our Rugby World Cup 2011 sponsorship.”
The global advertising market is set for a rocky 2009 – but there are signs that some blue-chip sponsors see value in marketing their way through the current recession.
EDF, for example, has just announced it will be renewing its sponsorship of ERC-controlled European club rugby tournaments, the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup. A four-year extension to the current deal means EDF will now back ERC until the end of the 2012/2013 season.
Explaining the rationale for the renewal, EDF communications officer Dominique Lagarde said the partnership with ERC provided “a powerful communication platform to generate positive brand exposure and to organise quality hospitality programmes in key European markets”.
This week also saw Mastercard renew its sponsorship of UEFA’s Champions League until the end of the 2011/12 season. Underlying the desire among big brands to hold on to top properties, Mastercard Europe’s president Javier Perez said sponsorships were a critical component of Mastercard’s marketing approach. Heineken, Sony and UniCredit have already signed up as CL partners for the 2009-2012 contract.
Heineken has been named as the third global sponsor for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. It joins Emirates Airline and MasterCard as a Worldwide Partner.
Under the terms of the partnership, Heineken can use World Cup 2011 marks and designations in promotional tie-ins. Commenting on the deal, Heineken group commerce director Stefan Orlowski said: “We are excited to again be an integral part of the world’s premier Rugby Tournament. Heineken has been associated with many high-profile sporting tournaments and we will bring a wealth of experience to help ensure that Rugby World Cup 2011 is the best and the most enjoyable Rugby World Cup ever.”
Credit card giant Mastercard has signed up as a worldwide partner for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Under the terms of the deal, it will be the preferred card and the official payment system for the event. It joins Emirates Airline which was the first brand to sign up to the event in 2008.
Commenting on the deal, RWC chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The strength of the commercial programme is crucial to our delivery of a world class sporting tournament and, ultimately, the development of the Game worldwide. This relationship with such a prestigious financial group is fantastic for the tournament. As a leading sponsor of global events MasterCard has shown itself to be imaginative and visionary when activating sponsorship campaigns.”
MasterCard, which already sponsors the New Zealand All Blacks, will be able to use RWC 2011 marks in promotional tie-ins. It will also be able to offer event access and hospitality to its members, merchants and card-holders. “Sponsorships is a critical component of MasterCard’s global marketing approach and we are proud to add Rugby World Cup 2011 to our roster of world-class alliances,” said Andre Sekulic, president, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide. “We will leverage this platform to deliver shareholder value by creating exclusive business-building opportunities for our customer financial institutions, while building MasterCard brand affinity by offering priceless experiences to MasterCard cardholders.”
The RWC 2011 commercial programme will have six global partners. After MasterCard and Emirates, a third partner will be announced in the near future, says RWC.
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