Hollis Sponsorship Bulletin

Adidas, Nike and Puma are the best-known football sponsors in the five largest European football markets, according to a survey by sports marketing analysis and evaluation company Sport+Markt among 3,000 European football fans.

Unsurprisingly, “Jersey sponsors and kit suppliers dominate European communication in football”, says Hartmut Zastrow, Sport+Markt’s executive director.  Adidas is the top football brand, according to Zastrow who expressed surprise at seeing Audi in number eight position and commented:  “Audi pursues a decentralised football strategy, with partnerships with many European clubs and is even outstripping rival automobile supplier Ford, as a sponsor.”  Another reason, however, for its position could be the press coverage following the company’s purchase of shares in FC Bayern Munich.

The top twenty sponsorships are an illustration of the variance in sponsorship strategy that European companies can use to gain the attention of European football fans.  A global group such as Coca-Cola is ranked fourth and is omnipresent as a sponsor in football and sport in general, although it has no shirt sponsorships, whereas Emirates (ranked fifth) do have shirt sponsorships and the naming rights of Arsenal FC.  Moreover, it is a FIFA World Cup Partner.

The UK is the only market where shirt sponsors, namely AIG and Carlsberg, score higher than the actual kit suppliers or technical partners; only Barclays as the league title sponsor is able to compete at such a high level.  Internationally, the popularity of the Premier League and the success these clubs enjoy in the UEFA Champions League has enabled these sponsors to reach overseas fans.  For more information on the report, visit www.sportundmarkt.com

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.