edp sports marketing - blog

edp interviewed on Talksport Radio

edp sports marketing director Howard Robinson was interviewed on national Talksport radio on New Year's Eve to discuss the commercial potential for tennis star Andy Murray, following his move to Simon Fuller's 19 Management. Listen to the interview here:

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The Day The Postman Delivered….

I felt like I’d been transported back 30 years this weekend watching postman Matthew Langston's header take non-league Histon into the serious end of the FA Cup at the expense of the once-mighty Leeds United.

 

You could immediately see on the faces of the players and the supporters just how much the victory meant and, in that moment, they also revealed how far we sometimes seem to have moved away from the real essence of sport.

 

In as much as it’s fantastic to sit back and marvel at the skill and sheer dominance of a Tiger Woods, a Michael Phelps or a Roger Federer, there is a part of me that thinks it can all get a bit mechanical.

 

More often than not, the beauty of sport lies in the David and Goliath battle; not in the Goliath versus Goliath battle. As supporters it gives us dreams, hope and excitement. There is nothing more dramatic than teams or individuals reaching within themselves to overcome the odds and achieve beyond their natural talent.

 

Who knows how far Histon or Barrow or

Eastwood

Town

will progress? But one thing’s for sure, their players and their supporters will enjoy the journey and will be left with a smile on their faces and the sense that anything is possible. And given what else is going on in the world at the moment, that’s no bad thing.

HAMILTON IN EARNINGS SUPER-LEAGUE

 

http://global.factiva.com/9lqW0VRwuX1Vy8wElyjuGlQnuO5rd42YIqe8DUknG7ucAXG553GSEh6I2PX_2Fm4YWIs2gzZn4hyBureCgE7xWYUgfJFvAjw_2FE71K1eLaE6IIkEX2ewSVDeG2m9Y_2FZy9SGxnTr9XKtg8rMsI0J9LqAeERWh6eZ8fUjFgsygrdgfFHHKOitkImDz1bX1gAFEbSG3pwOe0bgPKs_3D_7C2.mp3

HAMILTON

IN EARNINGS SUPER-LEAGUE

By Laura May, PA

3 November 2008

Press Association National Newswire

English

(c)2008, The Press Association, All Rights Reserved

The sky is the limit for Lewis Hamilton's earning potential, but only if he keeps winning races, a sports brand consultant said.

His win has catapulted him into a different commercial league and he is now attractive to the biggest international brand, said Howard Robinson of EDP sports marketing.

"He can now lift himself into the international league. He could lift himself into iconic status.

"It arguably puts him out of the reach of parochial domestic brands because they won't be able to afford him."

But he warned: "The challenge for him is to keep winning and not to get side tracked by the commercial benefits. If he has a terrible next season then his commercial worth won't be destroyed but they would be damaged."

"He isn't quite in the Tiger Woods league yet. Woods is almost considered unbeatable but there are other drivers who still consider themselves on a par with

Hamilton

.

"But if he wins another championship, ideally back to back, then his earning potential is infinite."

"There are plenty of champions in sport today, there are very few icons; Woods, Federer, Phelps.

Hamilton

could join their ranks if he wins again."

"He has the whole package, he's young, handsome and talented and, irritatingly, comes across as a really nice guy. But one thing the brands might want to see more of is his personality."

Hamilton

's endorsement will be worth tens of millions of pounds to international brands and he stands to earn millions off the track on top of his lucrative racing contract.

"He should leave his family, Team Hamilton as it were, to pick and choose the brands and concentrate on winning. If he does that then the commercial rewards will come naturally, more than he could ever need."

 

End

How Damaging is Recession For Sport?

Some might say what we have witnessed on the financial markets and in the world’s banking system over the past few weeks has represented more of an extreme sport than anything kite-surfing, snowboarding or free-fall parachute jumping (without a parachute) could offer combined.

 

Yet there remains a polarisation of opinion about the likely impact of the economic downturn on the sports industry. Much has been made in the British media on the potential effects of bank nationalisation on sports sponsorships or the collapse of Icelandic banks on the fortunes and even survival of sporting institutions, including Premiership club West Ham United. At the other end of the spectrum, Deutsche Welle claimed this week that sport remained “calm amid the financial crisis” and appeared “remarkably unaffected by the global market crisis.”

 

Let’s just chart a middle course for a moment. If sport is going to be one of the last sectors to feel the effects of recession, it will likely be one of the last to emerge into the bright new sunshine of growth. The time is now to consider and plan for the shape in which, as an industry, we emerge best able to exploit the opportunities that will unquestionably present themselves again.

 

Is that overly optimistic? Absolutely not. Sport, like music and literature, is one of the cornerstones of society; something we turn to for excitement, for adventure, for shared experiences and to take us away from the day to day drudgery; unless, of course, you’re a Spurs supporter, in which case economic recession must seem like a laugh a minute compared with what’s going on at White Hart Lane right now.

 

Recession demands we redefine the relationship between sport, commerce and consumer. It will strip away some of the excesses of the past few years, leaving the most robust still standing and will get both sponsor and rights holder focusing on what’s in the best commercial interest of the brand, the supporters and the sports they watch.

 

There will unquestionably be less commercial funding for sport over the next few years. Less, but not none; that which remains will be made to work harder for the brand and harder for the sport and the sport will be made to work harder to attract it. And when, finally, gloom lifts and we find to our surprise that the world is still turning, that may not have been a bad thing.

Rebranding Manchester City - From "The Guardian" - September 12 2008

City's grand plan to rule the globe has a world of problems

The club aims to become the Virgin of football but experts believe it may go horribly wrong

• Sachin Nakrani
• The Guardian,
• Friday September 12 2008
• Article history

Under owner Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, Man City want to become a global brand in the style of Virgin. Photograph: Chris Weeks/AP

Garry Cook, the executive chairman of Manchester City, this week revealed plans for the club to become "the Virgin of Asia and the world". Before he proceeds with this scheme, though, one that could eventually see City-branded cars, food outlets, energy drinks and motorcycle helmets sold across the globe, he may want to consider the warnings of those whose expertise lies in enhancing commercial profiles and who are convinced Cook's desire to become the Richard Branson of football is a non-starter.

"The Virgin model that City want to replicate is not compatible with football for the simple reason that the sport polarises people," said Alan Cooper, partner at HPI Research, a marketing consultancy that works with Virgin. "People establish allegiances in football which they don't in the business world and this immediately shrinks a club's customer base."

Stressing his point, Cooper tells of the time Vodafone, during the period they sponsored Manchester United, were forced to remove all company logos from the exterior of its call centre in Leeds. Why? Because it was located 400 metres from Elland Road and so became a target for brick-happy home supporters irate that backers of their fiercest rivals had set up base there.

Howard Robinson, of EDP Sports Marketing, believes a similar fate could befall "McManCity" should it ever open. "Who exactly is going to eat at a Manchester City restaurant? Bolton fans won't, neither will Liverpool fans," he said. "Nobody bar City fans would and while there may be a few more of them emerging in the next few years, the total figure is still going to be relatively small, nothing on the scale of what Virgin attracts to its various products.

"Man City's business is football and what they need to do first in terms of enhancing their brand is deliver a winning team on the pitch. If they don't then all these business plans will be irrelevant."

That task should become easier now the Abu Dhabi United Group has bought a majority stake at Eastlands and with it the financial might to sign world-class players. The first has already arrived - Robinho for a British record £32.5m fee - and, while doubts have been cast over the investment after an inconsistent spell for the Brazilian at Real Madrid, Cooper believes he could be a shrewd signing.

"What draws people from Asia and Africa, which are the key markets right now, to clubs is not just success but also a recognisable identity. Manchester United have successfully sold themselves abroad because they have a rich history to back up the trophies they've won. Real Madrid have done well in those places for similar reasons but also because of their galácticos policy which gave them the most recognisable team in the world.

"City need a similar, strong, identity and with Robinho it could be that of a side that plays with Brazilian flair." This is a sentiment shared by Robinson: "City need to become attractive on the pitch to become attractive abroad. Not many people in Beijing are going to buy shirts with Richard Dunne's name on the back."

What is for sure is that City have a long way to go before they can mimic Virgin, a company that has been going for almost 40 years, has 200 branded companies worldwide and annual revenue in excess of £10bn. According to a recent poll carried out by management consultants BBDO, the club is not even one of the world's top-25 most recognisable football brands, even coming behind the likes of Lille in terms of global awareness and sales.

"If City really want to make their mark abroad they should look to tap into India. It is going to become the biggest country in terms of population by 2015 and is showing an appetite for football which so far no club has tried to satisfy," said Robinson. "City could become massive there. That cause would undeniably be helped by signing an Indian player; that would spread the club's name across the country in an instant."

City's motives are obvious at a time when English football has become a worldwide phenomenon but what appears unconvincing is the manner in which they intend to go global. "Clubs more successful than City have not attempted to replicate Virgin so there is nothing to suggest they will pull it of," said Robinson. "They need to come up with a strategy that has been thought through calmly and, perhaps, privately."

Marketing In A Recession..Time To Cut Back…Or Time To Take Advantage of Your Opponents’ Weakness?

The arrival of recession – by its technical definition of successive quarters of negative growth – is going to be the least shocking shock that probably any of us have faced. And, as with most periods of economic downturn, the knee-jerk reaction of many is to baton down the hatches and cut back on the marketing spend.

 

But in the wake of a hugely successful Olympic Games, the start of an exciting new Premiership season, England finally doing well in the cricket and a Ryder Cup round the corner, arguably sport has never been in a better position to provide a more positive and constructive diversion from everyone’s financial worries. So isn’t it the time that sporting brands should be maximising their marketing and non-sporting brands exploring ways in which an alignment with sport could enable them to better reach their target audiences.

 

As I read recently, athletes often choose times of greatest pressure to mount their attacks: strong runners and cyclists increase their pace on the hills or under other challenging conditions. Well, proactive marketing works best when you sense an opportunity (a steep uphill climb against tired, weakened opponents) and combine it with an aggressive response, that combines strength and nerve, to capitalise.

 

The key is to make sure your marketing in a downturn is targeted, ,impactful and creates stand-out for the brand that takes you direct to the people likely to buy your products or services and doesn’t worry too much about the rest.

 

Phil Knight, the former CEO of Nike, had it right when he said:

 

“Now we understand that the most important thing we do is market the product. We've come around to saying that Nike is a marketing-oriented company, and the product is our most important marketing tool.”

 

Now is the time for brands to be brave, prudent for sure, but to recognise that marketing done properly is a route out of a downturn not a protection from it. And those that market themselves successfully emerge stronger from the downturn as a result. Moreover, you have to get people to buy your products, whether times are good or bad…so is there really a viable alternative?

 

As Stuart Britt, the American advertising consultant, said:

 

“For a business not to advertise is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but no one else does.”

 

And what a waste that is!

 

Are the Olympics sexy?

Our favourite Olympic story this week has been the launch of an advertising campaign by Chinese condom-maker Elasun with ads depicting a stick-man athlete using condoms as various pieces of apparatus from different Olympic events.

 

The Daily Telegraph reported – without a hint of irony – that the campaign had become “a viral sensation in

China

”.

 

However, further investigation proves the point that there is no greater international love-in than the Olympic Games. Apparently the 16,000 competitors staying in the Beijing Olympic Village are able to purchase a wide variety of soft pornography, whilst at the 2004 Athens Olympics 130,000 free condoms were made available to athletes and officials.  In

Sydney

 in 2000, every athlete was given 51 condoms on arrival (Why 51? Why not 50 or 52?) at the Olympic Village, but another 20,000 had to be shipped in when supplies began to run low. Well, that’s the Australians for you!

 

Meanwhile, attention here has been turning to how

London

will top the spectacular

Beijing

opening ceremony in 2012. Those with a sense of humour should visit the Facebook group “2012 London Opening Ceremony Ideas”. Ideas proffered so far include a policemen bobbing around to reggae in the drizzle while hoodies perform a synchronized stabbing; Myleene Klass being savaged by giant pitbulls each with the face of Cliff Richard, and a chav chucking a Superking cigarette butt into a disposable Tesco BBQ and driving off on a stolen moped with his pregnant teenage girlfriend as the flames ignite a Polish man standing on a ladder painting the unfinished stadium to lit the Olympic flame.

 

Aah, national pride! Suggestions on a postcard please.

 

 

 

One Great Golfing Game

We love nothing better than filling our spare time with a bit of viral game play, so if you've got a spare minute, go onto www.ladieseuropeantour.com/ and click on the Golf Challenge on the right hand side of the home page. Be warned, it's compulsive but very good fun.

Should We Really Be Excited About London 2012?

We were interested to read the comments recently of the former Mayor of Athens Dora Bakoyannis, who claimed that Londoners needed to become more excited about the Olympics if the 2012 games here are to be successful.

Her comments followed on from a survey in April by the BBC’s Inside Out programme in which 60% of Londoners questioned felt that the 2012 Olympics would bring no real benefit to their area. The same survey found that only a fifth of adults questions felt that the London Games would inspire them to exercise. So much for a legacy?

So, as

London

prepares to take the Olympic reins from

Beijing

in a few weeks’ time, should the organisers of London 2012 be concerned?

Not really. I doubt there’s been an Olympic city in recent times – save, perhaps for

Sydney

– where the residents have lived in a state of excitement or frenzy still four years ahead of the event. It’s plain unrealistic.

To most Londoners there are simply more pressing concerns than the prospect of the Games in their own backyard four years from now. At the moment, with the economy diving further and faster than young Tom Daley, LOCOG would be well advised to keep the profile of the Games low to prevent it becoming an unwanted icon of financial extravagance at a time when the city’s inhabitants are tightening their belts like a team of Olympic weightlifters.

London

will rally round the Games but not before 2012 itself. Once the proper countdown to the Games begins, excitement will begin to build and the city will fully embrace the event. We’ve no doubt about that. It is even likely that the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, will get his wish that the sporting enthusiasm that the Games generate will be felt across the entire city. But inspire us all to exercise as well…..that’s far more unlikely!

Everybody Needs Heroes

 

 

There was a point during the recent Wimbledon Championships when the whole essence of sport seemed to be summed up in a single moment.

 

It came at the end of the third set tie break in the match between Andy Murray and Richard Gasquet. Murray, two sets down and having stared defeat in the face minutes earlier, reached and returned what seemed an unreachable backhand to secure the third set on a tie-break. The relief was as great for the

Centre Court

crowd as it was for

Murray

. But it was his reaction rather than the achievement that struck us most. As the BBC put it - “

Murray

howled at the gods and the stands erupted”.

 

This was the moment

Murray

and the

Wimbledon

crowd engaged with each other as they had never previously done. It laid the ghost of Henman to rest and enabled the crowd to buy into a personality who, hitherto, had appeared aloof, even surly. From there on, the next two sets were a shared endeavour.

 

This illustrates two points: the importance for rights holders or event sponsors to recognise that sport at its most effective is a shared endeavour and, second, the importance of personality. If you go to a sporting event, you need to be and feel involved. If you want to be in an audience, watching politely, go to the theatre. The sporting public needs heroes - individuals to pin their colours to, to get excited by, an underdog to cheer, a master to be in awe of; watching a sport without any of the above gives us nothing to invest in emotionally.

 

That’s easy for the major sports. Football, with Beckham, Rooney and Ronaldo is positively teeming with them; basketball has

Kobe

Bryant and LeBron James; cricket blessed with Pietersen and Flintoff; rugby with Cipriani and Wilkinson.

 

But every sport has them. They may not have yet uncovered them or maximised their potential, but in every sport they are there. It may be their back story – their struggle to achieve what they’ve achieved against the odds; it may be the quirky human interest angle or their age (who really was interested in diving before Tom Daley – but we’ll all be watching him in

Beijing

). It may, dare I say it, also be that they are just damned good looking.

 

What rights holders and governing bodies should recognise is that these guys – their potential superstars – are their route to engaging both the consumer and potential partners, a route to creating interest in their sport that will help them crossover into mainstream media and demonstrate to a sponsor one vehicle for their brand that could make a partnership worthwhile. And every sport has them. If they’ve found them already, they must maximise their use of them. If they don’t have them – start uncovering them. They’re there somewhere.