Each month Pearlfinders Sport investigates a particular issue that is affecting brands' investment in sports sponsorship. Below you'll see recent reports, with links to trial access of Pearlfinders if they're of interest.
Brands' use of sports marketing to engage female audiences
From athletics to F1, the profile of female athletes in the UK is growing. The Williams F1 team this month named a female development driver, while a female jockey was tipped to win the Grand National. GB athletes such as Jessica Ennis and Victoria Pendleton have become household names, thanks in part to lucrative endorsement deals with the likes of P&G.Pearlfinders Sport Index - Q1 2012
The Pearlfinders Index profiles key trends in the areas of sports marketing and sponsorship. Based on the interviews we've conducted with sports marketing decision-makers, it includes guidance on the areas you should be targeting in your new business efforts. Olympic Challengers
Many brands not involved with the Olympics can't wait for it to be over, particularly those that compete directly with the Games’ sponsors. This summer, media slots will be overpriced, and attempting to tell your story amid the buzz of the Games could prove a waste of resources. Brands' Views on Ambassadors and Credibility
With fans' idolisation of sports personalities showing no signs of abating, most agree that brand ambassador relationships remain a powerful marketing tool. That said, the last couple of years have led commentators to question their effectiveness - in part this is due to high-profile scandals among sporting personalities, but some are also asking how brands can achieve ROI from traditional brand-led, advertising-heavy deals with global superstars.Sponsorship trends in the Middle East
The ECB’s Chief Executive David Collier recently commented on the significance of the Pakistan v England 2012 Tests in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where "cricket is growing and developing". We took the opportunity to speak to a number of companies in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Bahrain, for insights into future sponsorship trends in these regions. Pearlfinders Sport Index - Q4 2011
The Pearlfinders Index profiles key trends in the areas of sports marketing and sponsorship. Based on the interviews we've conducted with sports marketing decision-makers, it includes guidance on the areas you should be targeting in your new business efforts. Winter sports sponsorship
As cheap package deals and youth-oriented snowsports events have made skiing and snowboarding become more accessible to the masses, we spoke to four brands that incorporate winter sports into their sponsorship portfolios, to establish whether the appetite for snow is growing among sponsors too.Engaging families through sport
It's generally agreed that for brands that place "family" at the heart of their marketing strategies, sponsorships need to reflect the values that help build an emotional connection with consumers. This month's briefing explores the extent to which sport is an effective platform from which to engage family audiences.Official timing partners in sport
Timing partners are an integral part of any sporting event, proudly displaying their engineering excellence, technology and brand credentials to the audience concerned. This month’s Briefing studies the sporting intentions of luxury brands you’d traditionally associate with sport, coupled with challenger companies stepping into the arena.
Pearlfinders Sport Index - Q3 2011
The Pearlfinders Index profiles key trends in the areas of sports marketing and sponsorship. Based on the interviews we've conducted with sports marketing decision-makers, it includes guidance on the areas you should be targeting in your new business efforts. Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Sponsors
Earlier this month, the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics surprised commentators by announcing total sponsorship commitments of $1.2bn (£762m/€877m). We took the opportunity to speak with five of the event’s Europe- and US-headquartered partners, to understand what makes Sochi 2014 so attractive as a marketing platform, and the key challenges associated with making the most of this scale of partnership.Motorsports sponsorship in the financial services sector
Following a tumultuous couple of years for the financial services sector, we were interested to find out whether marketers in the industry are adopting a more cautious approach to sponsorship. In particular, we sought to establish whether perceptions towards motorsport sponsorship have changed, and whether recent developments regarding F1 broadcasting rights might influence marketers’ views on the sport.Engaging youth audiences through sport
With London 2012 approaching, one of the opportunities brands are exploring is the capacity for sport to capture the interest of a new generation. However, do youth-oriented brands see sponsorship as a channel that’s more appropriate for an older audience, and are there ways that sports properties can make themselves more attractive to marketers looking to engage young minds?
Pearlfinders Sport Index - Q2 2011
The Pearlfinders Index profiles key trends in the areas of sports marketing and sponsorship. Based on the interviews we've conducted with sports marketing decision-makers, it includes guidance on the areas you should be targeting in your new business efforts. Sponsors of The Rugby World Cup 2011
Billing itself as the third largest sporting event in the world after the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games, the Rugby World Cup 2011 will attract over 4 billion television viewers worldwide. Pearlfinders wanted to find out what this year’s sponsors are hoping to achieve through investing in the event, and how RWC sponsorship fits with their long-term global sports strategy.Company owners' influence on sponsorship strategy
Earlier this month, The Sunday Times published its annual Rich List, detailing the identities and interests of the 1000 wealthiest people living in the UK. These individuals each hold controlling stakes in global companies that invest in sport, but do they personally influence which sports brands partner with?The risks of brand ambassador partnerships
Pearlfinders spoke to six brands associated with sport’s “bad-boys” to find out what really guides their sponsorship decisions, which risks they see as justifiable, and whether their strategy for the future will take them away from similar partnerships.Pearlfinders Sport Index - Q1 2011
The Pearlfinders Index profiles key trends in the areas of sports marketing and sponsorship. Based on the interviews we've conducted with sports marketing decision-makers, it includes guidance on the areas you should be targeting in your new business efforts. Is Sexism A Worry For Football’s Biggest Brands?
Pearlfinders spoke to six of the largest brands involved in football to find out to what extent their strategies are harnessing the sport’s popularity among women, as participants and fans. We wanted to find out what opportunities brands see in relation to women’s football, and what challenges and risks they associate with partnering with individuals, teams and organisations.
London 2012 Tier 2 Sponsors
As the build-up to the London 2012 Olympics gathers pace, we've spoken to senior marketers at every one of the event's second tier sponsors about their involvement and activation plans.
London 2012 Tier 3 Sponsors
(September 2010) Following the opening of volunteer applications for the London 2012 Olympics, Pearlfinders has spoken to marketers at Tier-3 sponsors of the Games. These partners provide services to the event with limited monetary exchange. This does not mean, however, that significant sums are not being spent leveraging the tie-ups.
FIFA World Cup
(January 2010) As we start a new year, with sports fans awaiting a particular event in June, we’ve been researching all of the global sponsors of this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
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