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“We know that T-Mobile customers
are football fans, so at a time of massive consumer interest in
a global event like the World Cup, we wanted to build interest in
the T-Mobile brand by leveraging our England Football Team rights
to a defined early adopting and progressive segment of the UK market.
T-Mobile’s partnership with Times Newspapers Limited (TNL)
allowed us to do this. It was important to us that our media partner
was able to work with us across a variety of media, offering additional
presence to that in the newspaper.
Across numerous mediums the deal successfully showcased our football
related products, services and brand credentials to a valuable audience,
who already have a strong relationship with the sports coverage
in The Times and Sunday Times. TNL matched our brief well and we
were able to deliver against all of our communications and
marketing objectives”.
Toby Hester
Head of Sponsorship, T-Mobile
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One2One re-branded itself as
T-Mobile on April 18, 2002.
The launch was a huge departure from the One2One brand, with a major
shift in
brand positioning and target audience. T-Mobile is a more up-market
brand as
well as having a business focus. It is also part of the second biggest
global network,
which is reflected in their advertising and marketing communications.
T-Mobile needed something big to shout about their new brand image
– and World
Cup 2002 was just the event to do this. TNL offered the right solution
to achieve their campaign objectives. |
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But Not Without it’s Challenges |
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With this backdrop, TNL indeed had to be innovative.
The traditional strengths of newspapers in teasing the nation in anticipation
prior
to the event and satisfying the insatiable appetite to re-live, analyse
and debate the
experience, needed to be coupled with overcoming the ‘live’
time issue. |
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By utilising web, email and SMS brand extensions
(TNL) were able to meet these
challenges and deliver an integrated communication programme for
T-Mobile.
Sports Sponsorship Can be Enormously
Powerful
TNL have long had a commitment to sport. With
the unique position as sponsor
of the English Cricket Board and the European PGA, we knew how to
build the
power and relevance of a brand through the passion that sport breeds.
And with more sports editorial coverage than any of our rivals,
we were the
perfect partner for T-Mobile to leverage their association with
English Football.
Campaign Objectives
TNL needed to deliver against the following objectives
• To continue to build and raise awareness of the T-Mobile
brand
• To leverage T-Mobile’s official association with England
Football
• To communicate specific image attributes of the brand, such
as the global image
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So… T-Mobile,
Got More!
A combination of initiatives was embarked upon. The result was a unique
means of communicating specific messages with one of the most trusted
media brands in the UK.
The package comprised of an all-inclusive schedule that ran from May
10 to
July 2, 2002.
• 32 exclusive daily advertising strips on a ‘residency’
site in Times World Cup Special, Times Sport and Sunday Times Sport
Section
• Sponsorship of the Times World Cup Football Handbook with Advertorial
• Sponsorship of The Times Bobby Charlton’s World XI Editorial
Series
• Sponsorship of the digital ‘VIP Pass’, which delivered
24/7 news to fans, with option of £19.50 package or the £9.99
package
- VIP Pass Website – pay for view channel
- Email Match reports
- Email Daily Newsletter
- SMS Results
- Sponsorship of Fantasy Football |
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“Sponsorship of a sports
vehicle brings exposure and
publicity from something the consumer values…if you
are closer to what the consumer cares about, this will
help transfer this affinity to your brand”
Mark McCormak, IMG
Impressive Recall
Times and Sunday Times readers are passionate about their sport
and football. As
a result, awareness of the Football Handbook was strong, with 67%
of all Times
readers recalling it from Thursday’s edition.
Outstanding brand awareness was achieved amongst Times readers,
with 37%
identifying T-Mobile as the official sponsor of the football handbook
unprompted,
with total brand awareness lifting to 43%.
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A Suitable Partnership
Importantly, 6 in 10 thought that this association was suitable, which
demonstrates the positive and successful communication of the T-Mobile
brand within the authoritative, relevant
environment of The Times and Sunday Times. |
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Enhanced Football
Credibility
The handbook was also everything readers needed. It was the right
vehicle to deliver the expert voice that consumers needed to guide
them through the 4 week World Cup journey. Times readers and users
responded positively to the content and association with the T-Mobile
brand. Nearly 7 in 10 readers of the handbook agreed that the publication
enhanced their knowledge of the event 5 in 10 claimed they would use
the information gained in debate and conversation
with friends.
Another 5 in 10 said they would hang onto the handbook throughout
the World Cup period and refer back to it for its expert opinions. |
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World Cup Association
The Times led the way when it comes to awareness of T-Mobile’s
association with the World Cup. 34% of Times readers were aware that
T-Mobile was associated with the event, more than the UK average for
adults and other mid or quality newspaper readers. |
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How does this compare to other
World Cup sponsorships
The success of the T- Mobile and TNL campaign is particularly notable
when considered within the context of a survey conducted by NOP after
the World Cup.
Of 1,000 adults asked about which brands they associated with the
World Cup, 23% recalled T-Mobile. This would suggest that TNL’s
true integration of The T-Mobile brand with the World Cup delivered
much more than other media activity and our titles worked hard to
deliver 34% awareness. |
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Sponsorship of the Digital Pass
The Digital VIP Pass was a crucial element in
T-Mobile’s involvement with TNL’s World Cup package. It
provided the ‘live ‘ element that challenged national
newspapers and their coverage of the World Cup.
Brand Awareness for the sponsorship of Times
Online VIP Package was outstanding, with 89% of users aware of T-Mobile’s
involvement. Times Online users enthusiastically responded to the
package and were willing to pay for the more expensive and enhanced
digital package. 8 in 10 users chose the more expensive package,
of £19.50, with only 2 in 10 choosing the
£9.99 package.
World Cup enthusiasts thought that the elements
of the World Cup package were
just what they needed. Nearly 7 in 10 thought the email World Cup
newsletter was excellent or very good Just over 6 in 10 thought
the Times Online World Cup Fantasy Game was excellent
or very good
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Overall Coverage
In depth interviews conducted towards the end
of the World Cup showed that Times and Sunday Times coverage was
a fantastic mix of humour and intelligent football coverage. Times
and Sunday Times readers also thought that T-Mobile and TNL were
progressive brands and their partnership during the World Cup was
a good one.
Some of the readers comments include:
“It was a nice format, plenty of information, factual and humorous
articles”
“T-Mobile and The Times are a good partnership because they
are both high profile in their own right”
“Proper coverage of the sport, not sensational tabloid coverage,
serious treatment of the World Cup”
“T-Mobile and The Times are both young, bold and top class”
“I will definitely hang onto the handbook until the end of
the tournament”
“T-Mobile is professional due to the global image they portray”
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If you want to hear more about this or other
opportunities please call
Client Sales: 020 7782 7185 email: accountmanagement@newsint.co.uk
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