SPORTS MARKETING IS PANTS !

Sorry I just couldn't resist this one especially as this happened at the Euros and England are still in with a shout!

Nicklas Bendtner has been given a slap on the wrist by the Danish FA and is potentially due another from UEFA for displaying his Paddy Power lucky pants as he celebrated his second goal against Portugal a few days ago. Unfortunately UEFA regulations ban any advertising on players' kits during the tournament, the Danish FA are sponsored by Ladbrokes and his pants were less lucky against Germany.


The move was part of an orchestrated "ambush" marketing campaign, with Paddy Power issuing a statement congratulating the Arsenal forward, and who I am sure will pay the 100,000 Euro / £80,000 fine imposed on Bendtner by UEFA. (Expensive marketing?)




Personally I love ambush, or guerilla marketing, as I believe this can push the boundaries of traditional marketing. Having nearly been arrested while projecting a Cotes du Rhone wine image onto Big Ben, Marble Arch, and Nelson's Column in 1997 I can appreciate the inherent dangers but also the upsides. These sorts of stunts offer immediate exposure and PR at very low cost, a can get the vital "tipping point" for PR.

The fact that FHM magazine mildly outdid our campaign by projecting a naked Gail Porter image on to the Houses of Parliament added insult to injury!! FHM got coverage in The Sun, Mirror, Express, Star and Sport - as well as on The Big Breakfast and This Morning TV.

However the legal side of ambush marketing is now a lot more advanced and far reaching than in 1997!! 

Bavaria Brewery Holland was the first beer brand to catch some heat at the 2010 World Cup. At a match between The Netherlands and Denmark Bavaria unleashed a group of 36 women dressed in identical orange dresses in full view of the TV cameras. Claiming ambush marketing by Bavaria, FIFA ejected the ladies, took some of them to the police station and then set out to take legal action against the Dutch beer company.

Bavaria’s ranking leapt by 41 percent, according to Nielsen and the stunt even earned the firm a nomination at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Look them up on You Tube too!!

In New Zealand RWC 2011 Samoan brothers Manu and Alesana Tuilagi were both given $10,000 fines for wearing the unapproved OPRO branded mouth guards during the tournament, breaching the event's legal terms of participation.

And watch out at the Olympics 2012 - the laws are tight and getting tighter! As consumers you can only pay by Visa, eat McDonald's, drink Coca Cola, drive a BMW and buy P&G products in the Olympic Park. http://www.london2012.com/documents/brand-guidelines/statutory-marketing-rights.pdf

Guerrilla marketing takes consumers by surprise, makes an indelible impression, and pops up when and where people least expect it. It often has a high ROI because is is based upon the execution of a good idea and can make a lasting impression without spending a lot of the marketing budget. 


However by being a little cleverer and as unpredictable, and by staying legal you can still challenge target consumers to engage with your brand in a creative way by creating stunts, more interactive marketing and experiential. Think QR codes, social media, pop up stores, flash mobs, apps, street art, sponsorship, etc. etc.


Check out what Sprite did in Brazil on the beach as shown on YouTube: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocCYlqvJKC4


For more superb examples of guerrilla marketing have a look at Ryan Lum's Creative Guerrilla Marketing Blog: http://www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/