Sid Lee Sport and Kepler to measure commercial impact of Guinness sponsorships

November 11 2026

Sid Lee Sport and sister agency Kepler are undertaking a major evaluation of Guinness's global sports sponsorship portfolio, moving beyond traditional exposure metrics to establish the commercial impact of its football and rugby partnerships.

The project spans six markets – Great Britain, Ireland, Kenya, the United States, Indonesia and South Korea – and nine rights holders, including the Premier League, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, the Guinness Men's and Women's Six Nations and the four home rugby unions.

Using KIP, a proprietary intelligence platform, the agencies will analyse three years of sales, brand and partnership data to identify the incremental commercial impact of Guinness's sponsorship investments.

The evaluation will examine broadcast media value, digital reach, stadium pouring rights, fan research and experiential activation, alongside how effectively individual partnerships are leveraged across markets.

The objective is to give Guinness a consistent, commercially grounded picture of sponsorship performance, helping inform future investment decisions and identify opportunities to extract greater value from its portfolio.

Mike Grumbridge, Managing Director at Sid Lee Sport said the industry remains heavily reliant on exposure and reach metrics that do not necessarily demonstrate commercial returns. "Our work with Guinness is about going much further. By combining the proprietary intelligence model of Sid Lee Sport and Kepler with deep sponsorship expertise, we're building a clearer picture of where sponsorship creates genuine business value and how brands can unlock more of it."

Paddy Carberry, Guinness Global Marketing Manager, Head of Sport, added: "Guinness is a brand steeped in sporting heritage and renowned for its innovation. Working with Sid Lee Sport has helped us define how we shape our brand in sport."