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Sports Sponsorship Activation – What you need to know

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Entering a sports sponsorship is only the beginning to a multi-faceted and complex initiative. Brand exposure on its own won’t suffice, which means you must explore every avenue possible to amplify the sponsorship to its fullest: This is what’s called Sports Sponsorship Activation, writes Kelvin Adams.

Think of the analogy of a remote-controlled car. Without batteries, it’s no use to anyone. It’s an object that stands still. The batteries are what give that agency life, traction, and movement to be able to connect with your target audience in an effective way that will be remembered – especially in a positive and healthy environment like sport.

You may have signed a big team sponsorship or bought the exclusive rights to a major sport event, yet if you do not communicate your message correctly and bring that brand to life, it won’t get the exposure and recognition it duly deserves.

Social media has exploded and it’s a saturated marketplace with groups, pages, and private accounts flooding news feeds. You cannot only expect to be noticed in the maze of information that is social media. That’s why it’s important to energise your sponsorship through other channels of communication.

Sports Sponsorship Activations include all the means one can use to maximize the exposure of the sponsorship programme, which includes promotions, event activities, hospitalities, special events, licensing, PR activities in mass print and digital media and clever usage of social media marketing techniques. All of them can be clearly used both for B2C and B2B channels.

What are the key aspects when it comes to sports sponsorship activation?

Identify and define your primary objectives. It must be clear from the outset – whether it’s direct sales, more clicks and brand awareness. This is critical before you activate any campaign in whatever capacity it might be.

Once that has been established, a high-level detailed and effective plan will ensure your sponsorship gets the maximum impact in terms of marketing and commercial objectives.

To avoid any unfortunate outcomes or infringement of other rights holders, make sure all rights and permissions from the party you’re investing are in correctly place and legally aboard before embarking on a campaign or promotional activities.

  • Do you have the owner’s approval to use the team/athlete images for any promotional activities?
  • Will your agencies be allowed to run activities or organise an event that involve the team/athlete?
  • Are relevant permits in place when activating at a live event.
  • Will the team or location be available at the time you’d like to have them, and will they be willing to participate?
  • Can you use their merchandise?
  • Will you be able to have special guests at the event, location, or tournament, and if so, how many people can you host?

Once you’ve answered these and several other questions, it’s important to consider how many platforms and tools you can use to boost your sports sponsorship campaign, and how each of them might play an important role in the whole activation process. This is why it’s always advisable to speak to the experts.

If you want to talk more about Sports Sponsorship Activation, the Treble Team can assist your needs. With over 21 years of industry knowledge, together with key relationships with stakeholders and influencers within the sporting environment, we can shape, tackle, and strike a world-class commercial offering specific to your needs, with a team that will ensure your brand is brought alive.

Welcome to the Team

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The Treble Group welcomes new Sponsorship Sales Manager, Kelvin Adams, who will be adding his unique skillset to our team with over 10 years of experience in the sales and marketing management space.

Born and raised in Cape Town, Kelvin has a long-standing love for sport, which is one of the reasons why he was excited to join the Treble Team. That love for sport was cemented as a youngster who immersed himself in the world of Formula One and playing cricket and football.

A devoted husband, and father to his daughters, Kelvin cut his teeth in the Sponsorship Sales space before joining the Heart FM team as their Key Account Manager. His path led to media powerhouse, Primedia, where he fulfilled his role as Account Manager with aplomb.

Blending a vast knowledge of sport with his Advertising, Sales and Sponsorship expertise, Kelvin will be an asset to our team as we look forward to new beginnings in the South African sporting landscape.

The Treble Group team wishes Kelvin all the very best as settles in at our offices in Newlands.

To learn more about our Sponsorship Opportunities click here.

MTN renews Springboks headline sponsorship

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Good news coming out from SA Rugby headquarters that MTN has renewed its headline sponsorship of the world champion Springboks, with the multinational mobile telecommunications giant also confirmed as a principal partner for the eagerly awaited Castle Lager Lions Series, SA Rugby announced on Wednesday.

The renewal was negotiated for a five-year period and extends into 2025, supporting the ongoing effort to rugby enhance development and transformation in South Africa.

MTN took over as Springbok headline sponsor prior to the 2017 international season, a period during which both embarked on a journey of transformation that culminated in the Springboks becoming word champions in 2019.

“Confirming the renewal of our partnership with MTN is massive for SA Rugby and we are thrilled to continue on this road with them,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.

“When we named MTN as our new headline sponsor four years ago, we realized that it represented a pivotal moment for SA Rugby and that welcoming a company of MTN’s size and reach was a significant moment for the sport.

“They have been a wonderfully supportive partner during a time of regeneration for the Springboks and the wider South African rugby fraternity, and have stuck with us through the pandemic. We are excited to continue to have MTN by our side.

“For MTN, it was never only about having their logo on the front of the Springboks’ jerseys. They wanted a powerful partnership and that is exactly what we have established in the last four years.

“When they came on board, rugby was in a precarious position, but they understood where we were headed and what we wanted to achieve, to inspire the nation, and as one of South Africa’s success stories in the last three decades, MTN fully supported us in that.”

Mapula Bodibe, Chief Consumer Officer for MTN SA, said: “We found it fitting to continue to back the Springboks following a very successful period during which they became the World Champions, warming the hearts of our nation.

“MTN has been a long-time supporter of South African sport and the renewal of our sponsorship of the Springboks further entrenches our position as an ardent supporter of South Africa’s sporting ambitions.

“Sports fans have had to endure a frustrating year. Teams and their supporters were left with very little to cheer about due to COVID-19, but we are finally getting to the stage where our team is preparing to take to the field again and unite our nation as only they can.

“We are delighted to renew our headline sponsorship just ahead of the important Lions tour in July, providing the Springboks and South African rugby with the necessary support to grow well into the future, while also offering our fans great digital platforms to enjoy their love of the game, especially as they can’t be in the stadiums,” she added.

MTN also announced that fans can look forward to being rewarded over the coming months with plenty of unique experiences, exciting new prizes and competitions, including a daily mobile Bok Trivia quiz in which MTN customers can test their Springbok rugby knowledge and stand a chance to win R100,000 every week

“To celebrate the sponsorship and to bring the joy of rugby back for supporters, lifting spirits where we can, a total of R50m in prizes will be given away over the next few months across different MTN platforms,” explained Bodibe.

“At MTN we believe in transforming realities and we are committed to this purpose, just as we are committed to supporting the Boks over the next five years.”

About the MTN Group

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our customers. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code ‘MTN’. Our strategy, Ambition 2025, is anchored on building the largest and most valuable platform business, with a clear focus on Africa. Visit www.mtn.com or www.mtn.co.za or follow on Twitter @MTNza

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Introducing Treble Group UK

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Over the last 21 years, the Treble Group has cultivated an immense degree of experience as a strategic marketing agency specialising in sports sponsorship, rights commercialisation, experiential events, brand activation and communications for leading global brands across multiple sporting codes.

This has enabled Treble to build and grow long-term relationships within the sporting industry, which has seen Treble championing the rightsholders and brands we represent – ensuring we build and manage long-term partnerships that deliver value for the parties involved.

Treble (SA) is excited about the launch of Treble (UK) – a separate business based in the United Kingdom. Treble (UK) will leverage Treble (SA)’s experience, expertise, and where required, business capability to support the establishment of the new business.

The Treble (UK) Executive team are very enthusiastic about building a sports marketing agency with a unique value proposition. The Treble (UK) Executive team has solid global experience, having held senior positions at rights holder, corporate and sports marketing agencies.

Keith Harris, Kyle Nel, Mark Smith and Ben Milhench will be heading up the UK offices. The team bring a wealth of international and professional sports marketing experience that covers Formula One, Football, Rugby, Golf, Pro-Cycling, the Olympics and Esports.

Treble Group’s Managing Director, Kyle Nel, is pleased by this new business development. “We have been wanting to establish the business for a few years now, and feel the timing is right to enter the market. The collective experience, expertise and relationships of this Treble (UK) Executive Team brings to the business is truly exciting,” says Nel.

“This team has held senior positions for rightsholders, brands and agencies. I know what we have achieved in South Africa, and the vision, experience and expertise from this UK Executive team is very impressive. I am confident that by building trust and most importantly focusing on delivery, the Treble (UK) team will add value and build a world-class business,” added Nel.

Prescient Freedom Paddle

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The Treble Team is proud to announce that Prescient remains firmly committed to the eagerly anticipated 2021 Prescient Freedom Paddle, which is set to take place later this month on Freedom Day (27 April).

Now in its fourth year the Treble-owned property, in which sponsorship, event management, marketing and operations of the Prescient Freedom Paddle are fully managed by our award-winning team, sees competitors paddling 27kms around the iconic Robben Island – a symbol of South Africa’s triumph of democracy and freedom.

We are excited that this partnership, which was exclusively brokered by the Treble Group in 2020, has seen us being awarded the added value of a leveraging budget to deliver the sponsorship and association with the Prescient Freedom Paddle brand.

This includes delivering world-class brand activations for Prescient that will serve to enhance their client’s experience on event day, while also working with traditional media services to champion the Prescient brand within the competitive paddling arena.

“After the immense success of the event in 2020 after a postponement from April to October in 2020 and the inclement weather on the day, which resulted in a 5-hour delay in the start paddle race. Approximately 250 paddlers were in their surfskis at the start line. At Prescient, we resonate with the paddler’s perseverance and commitment for success,” said Wisahl Ganief, Head of Marketing at Prescient.

Prescient’s core values align with the resilience and team comradery required for competitive paddling.  Ultimately, Prescient is about partnerships, which has underpinned every aspect of their business since its humble beginnings over two decades ago.

While their global footprint has expanded, their focus remains as concentrated as ever: to deliver maximum value for their clients and leverage their expertise, experience and innovation to help secure the certainty of success their clients desire, even in uncertain times.

Sunbet wins big with Emirates Lions sponsorship deal

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Sun International’s online betting arm, SunBet, has added the Emirates Lions to its ever-expanding list of sports sponsorships. The announcement follows deal signed last month with the Cape Cobras cricket team, which further shows SunBet’s growing commitment to South African sport.

The deal, which was exclusively brokered by the Treble Group, sees SunBet being aligned with one of the most iconic rugby brands in the South African rugby landscape. The franchise has produced a number of leading Springbok stars over the years, including 1995 World Cup-winning Bok captain Francois Pienaar, who lifted the coveted trophy at the famous home of the Emirates Lions.

“Looking ahead we foresee exciting times in the rugby market with the Lions playing in the Pro16, which is a competitive northern hemisphere competition and supporters are excited about the new experience. Treble is delighted to have played a major role in ensuring SunBet partner with a world-class rugby franchise that is Lions Rugby” says Treble MD Kyle Nel. “We’ve recently seen SunBet partnering with the Cape Cobras, and we are excited to see them joining forces with a leading sporting brand at an iconic rugby stadium.”

General Manager, Nitesh Matai, said that SunBet was proud to welcome the Lions Rugby Company to its growing family. “We are excited to be associated with a leading brand in the rugby sector. As a recognisable and trusted brand, we take great care in who we align ourselves with and believe that the Lions Rugby Company complements our values and will be a successful partner. The SunBet platform is safe and secure and offers unrivalled rugby betting options. This deal communicates our brand and platform to the right audience who can explore those options.”

The deal will also enhance the experience for SunBet customers, giving them interactive access to players, coaches, and management, as well as insider tips. When spectators can safely return to stadiums, customers can also look forward to enjoying VIP hospitality at the home of the Emirates Lions.

SunBet’s sponsorship, which runs until the end of 2023, allows it to expand its marketing strategy to have its brand associated with games played at the Emirates Airline Park.

Pieter Burger, Managing Director of EPS (Pty) Ltd, welcomed SunBet on board as a new partner of the Lions Rugby Company. “As we head into 2021, we are delighted to welcome on board our brand new sponsor SunBet, to be sported on shorts. We are proud to be associated with a company like SunBet, Sun International’s premier sportsbook, and an affiliate that the Lions have long been associated with. We know it will be a long and prosperous relationship.”