PR gives brands a sporting chance
The Olympic Games open tomorrow in Beijing. In the lead article of the new edition of the Onward newsletter from markettiers4dc Associate Director Dan Humphreys urges brands with an investment in sport or the Olympics, but not official sponsor status, to better PR themselves.
While official sponsors of the Olympic Games, Team GB and the British Olympic Association are promoting those relationships, brands without official sponsor status for the Olympics or any major sporting event are missing the biggest, brightest window of opportunity if they let their non-official status get in the way of a good PR campaign.
Says markettiers4dc Associate Director, Dan Humphreys: “Hundreds of brands have a personal relationship with an athlete; a sponsorship with the governing body or a team, or a partnership within a sport itself.
“Brands absolutely must amplify that relationship at the time when the ‘big show’ means the most eyes and ears are tuned in to receiving it, whether that’s during the Olympic Games or the Greyhound Derby.”
Sports rely heavily on the financial support of all their sponsors; not making the most of that relationship is a big missed opportunity.
Adds Humphreys: “There is an argument that as non-official sponsors, brands feel they don’t have rights to exploit and run the risk of legal action. That’s not a valid argument for a savvy PR in 2008, especially with the pressure on the PR pound to deliver results so strong.
“The solution is simple: don’t do anything to claim or represent your brand as an official sponsor, and you can make it work.”There are more cost-effective routes to engaging with your audience than buying up ad space during the halftime break in TV coverage of the big game. One brand used the latest digital PR technique to create their own Web TV series for the last football World Cup.
Internet Service Provider ntlWorld (now Virgin Media) had no rights to the games or sponsor status, but to provide content for their existing users, and to engage with new audiences, markettiers4dc worked with them to produce the Hold The Back Page series. It featured different football pundits and guests each show. The result? A Web TV show and podcast series that delivered wider editorial PR coverage positioning the brand within the World Cup environment, but with no suggestion of official sponsorship.
Says Humphreys: “PR is the strongest way to get into the right audience environment around an event, and the broadcast media in particular presents effective and efficient tactics for making it happen.
Here are his five simple rules to follow:
- Talent Spotting - Get access to the sports ‘talent’, no matter how far in advance of the event, or where they are. “Even just a few minutes of their time can’t be exploited hugely in broadcast media through recording those few minutes for podcasting, or as a Web TV insert. If they’re on location, like a training camp, that’s even better as the brand is giving that behind-the-scenes access.”
- Remember your rights – or lack of them. “If you’re not an official sponsor, don’t try to represent yourself as one.”
- Competitions create collateral. “Enhance your online and radio coverage with strong competitions giving away product signed by the sports talent. It’s an attractive, original, money-can’t-buy prize the media likes to use.”
- Use traditional media channels to compliment and promote new ones like podcasting and Web TV: “During major sporting events, broadcasters are looking for creative content that isn’t related to a headline sponsor.”
- It’s never too late, but start planning now: The Olympics and Paralympics are here until mid September, so there is still time to create a campaign; the football and rugby seasons kick off soon; Formula 1 is heating up… Sport is a year-round cycle and your PR plan should be the same.
If you would like a copy of Onward email us (link mailto Jeremy.gibson@markettiers4dc.com). You can also go behind-the-scenes on many of our projects at onward.tv.
