Diageo: making sports marketing a doddle

 When Diageo needed a brand ambassedor for its Gordon's Gin brand it turned to celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

I guess we shouldn't have been too suprised then at the news of Diageo's new brand ambassedor for its Bell’s Scotch Whisky - England cricketer Ian Bell.

‘Ian's classic technique and commitment to exacting standards make him a great fit with the quality and craftsmanship for which Bell's Scotch Whisky,’ says Hilary Maguire, senior brand manager for Bell's Scotch Whisky at Diageo GB.

Okay, that kind of fits…

Bell says: ‘I cherish playing for England and couldn't be happier than to be playing in the Ashes again. It is great when your performances are recognised and rewarded not only by the selectors but also now by the makers of Bell's Blended Scotch whisky’.

That’s fair enough too… but there’s something else, isn’t there?

‘Of course it helps that they have such a good brand name!’ he adds.

Ah, yes, of course…

Tranmere Rovers for sale on eBay...

Tranmere Rovers have been put up for sale on eBay it would appear. The 'free shipping' label is a brilliant touch...!

So far there have been no bidders so if any of you have a spare $10m it could well be yours - make sure you really want it though as the 'seller is not accepting any returns'. I've got sod all money so I'll just have to wait until Newcastle comes up.

Brits' passion for sport is unrivalled and brand owners should take note

From 2012 Britain will host some of the world's most important sporting events and it is no coincidence.

Following London 2012 we have the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, Glasgow 2014 (Commonwealth Games) and yesterday it was announced that England is to host the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

England is also the favourite to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has already assembled a team including CEO Andy Anson, commercial director Jonathan Gregory and David Magliano to bring football home.

In Beijing, Team GB showed that Britain is getting its act together in the sporting arena but when it comes to supporting sport Britain has been world class for years.

Football in particular has flourished in Britain not only due to wealthy owners but because fans have filled the stadiums - including those beyond the Premier League - bought the merchandise and subscribed to Sky Sports.

It is their interest has enabled owners to build new stadiums and facilities all over the country which will be used not only at the Olympics, but also for both Rugby World Cups and of course at the FIFA World Cup should we win it.

Fans passion and appetite for sport has played a huge role in bringing all these events to Britain.

When considering where to allocate their marketing budgets, brand owners would do well to remember this.

Saracens: Setting a very worrying precedent for English rugby

A story in The Times today put a bee in my bonnet.

According to the paper, South African-owned Saracens are lining up a match with World Champions South Africa to take place at Stamford Bridge or Craven Cottage, having ditched their base in Watford.

After dumping 15 (fifteen) players this summer the club’s coach Brenden Venter (a South African wouldn’t you know?) claimed the club’s ‘soul’ would remain English.

But in addition to the clubs other South African players - Justin Melck, Neil de Kock and Glen Jackson – the club’s recruitment has been as follows:

Ernst Joubert, South Africa

Frik Venter, South Africa

Ethienne Reynecke, South Africa

Plus three Englishmen, a Welshman, a Fijian and an Italian.

Before I’m accused of bias I should say that Saracens do have some talented young English players in Noah Cato, Adam Powell and Alex Goode. And Brad Barritt, another South African recruited from The Natal Sharks, is qualified for England and has now represented the England Saxons.

The future of English rugby should be bright. After all, England’s U20s reached the IRB Junior Rugby World Cup final demolishing South Africa 40-21 en route, having also defeated them in 2008.

Burger King brings back 'The Ravanelli'

When I saw this I thought it was a joke - and I still have a feeling it might be. But nonethless it seems La Liga minnows Getafe have signed sponsorship deal with a difference with Burger King.

Getafe don't tend to score too many goals, but when they do nick one this season their players can celebrate by lifting their shirts over their heads - just like silver-haired Middlesbrough legend Fabrizio Ravanelli - to reveal a mask of the 'Burger King'.

Take a look and scroll down...

Thank you Mum and Dad for never putting me through this...

Like many people I always appreciated my parents dutifully turning up to watch my sporting endeavours during my school days. Stood on the touchline or around the boundry whether rain or shine - it must have been mostly pretty awful.

One altercation with an rugby referee aside they never embarrassed me and for that I'm eternally grateful.

So, spare a thought for poor 15 year-old Tom Daley who suffers this parental humiliation just hours after being crowed World Champion.

Watch from behind the sofa...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/diving/8162413.stm

Sure sweating on Freddie's fitness

Probably the most proactive brand during this Summer's Ashes has been Sure for Men and its sponsorship of England superstar Andrew Flintoff.

Rather than strike a deal with the ECB, a la npower or Adidas, they have gone down the player endorsement route. It's a lower cost approach but given Freddie's appalling injury record its also a riskier strategy.

Flintoff was a colossus in the second test at Lords taking 5 wickets, earning himself another spot in the history books and proving why player endorsement deal can be among the most effective. But as he pounded in for each ball the marketing guys at Sure must've had their hearts in their mouths.

The game took it's toll and cricket fans now have a nervous wait to see if the all-rounder will be fit enough to play in the next Test up at Edgebaston.

They've taken one hell of a gamble but Sure's deal with Freddie could end up being the best sponsorship deal of the year.

Sky HD: Warts and all Ashes coverage is putting me off my tea

I don't really understand HD television. How can the image of a person on the screen look sharper than the image of a person I look at sat next to me on a bus?

That melon twister aside, I have to admit that I love watching sports in HD - and sadly I find I can amuse myself for quite some time just flicking back and forth between Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD to contrast the quality... and to justify my weighty satellite bill.

In a recent ad promoting Sky's coverage of the Ashes, Nasser Hussain told me that with HD you can see every revolution of the cricket ball. And he's not lying.

But what he didn't say is that I could also see in horrifying detail two boils about to pop on the chin on presenter Bob Willis.

It puts me off my tea.

Also, I now can't watch the other 500 channels available to me on Sky because watching them makes me think I've developed cataracts.

So, somehow I'm now paying over £50 a months for about three channels (I also like National Geographic HD and Discovery Channel HD for the record).

I want my money back.

'Sponsor the kids, inherit the stars': Where are they now?

Two years ago (July  31 2007) in an article entitled ‘Sponsor the kids, inherit the stars’, we picked out six young sports stars that brands should invest in to build a relationship for the future.

One was Daniel Sturridge – at the time a trainee footballer at Manchester City who had done bits and bobs with EA Sports, while another was a 13 year-old tennis prodigy called Laura Robson.

Laura Robson (July 2007)

Two years on and the pair are making great strides.

Having lead City’s youth team to FA Cup glory in 2008 and broken into the first team squad last season, Sturridge signed for Premiership giants Chelsea for a fee to be decided on by a tribunal.

Robson has since won junior Wimbledon and has followed in the footsteps of Tim Henman and Andy Murray by agreeing an ambassador deal with Robinson’s .

Two years ago we said:

Daniel Sturridge

Commercial potential Short of marrying a Spice Girl, Sturridge is unlikely to match David Beckham's immense sponsorship power. But there is a useful guide to his prospects in the form of top England players such as Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, who earn more than £2m a year from endorsements, according to exclusive research carried out for Marketing prior to the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Laura Robson

Commercial potential Even at her tender age, Robson has already attracted two global sponsorship deals, an indication that big things are expected of her. Success at Wimbledon - or even the hope of success - would make her a dream ticket, capable of emulating deals such as Andy Murray's £1m-a-year tie-up with Fred Perry. Top players typically earn more than £7.5m a year in total, according to Forbes.

Apparently there is sod all to do in Madrid this summer

Last night Real Madrid unveiled £80m signing Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu in front of legends from yesteryear, the world's media and 80,000 fans who evidently have nothing better to do.

Watching Ronaldo pose in front of cameras, play some keepy-uppy (badly as it happens) and generally give everyone who isn't called Cristiano Ronaldo a look of utter contempt can't really be a good night out, can it?

It was the equivalent of paying good money to go to a festival this summer only for the headline act to just stand on stage grinning like a half-wit.

If you're as bored as the good folk of Madrid then here's the 'action' from last night

' mce_href=''>.

Final entry for Marketing Triathlon today: Check out who has already signed up

Today is the final chance to join the UK's biggest brands and agencies in the Marketing Industry Triathlon (MIT) 2009.

We've had hundreds of entries from agencies, including Proximity, EHS Brann, Ignition, The Marketing Store, Universal McCann, MCBD, MPG, i-level, Meteorite as well as those sporty types at Octagon, Fast Track and IMG.

Runners from Dunhummby will be looking to impress client Tesco, who it appears have entered half of its UK employees.

Other major brands include Coca-Cola, O2, Eurosport and Microsoft.

This Sunday pits the Williams sisters in the Wimbledon final, but for real sibling rivalry head down to Dorney Lake next Friday where WDMP founders Craig and Gavin Wheeler will take part in the MIT 2009.

Representing event partner MCCA is Jojo Brand, who will be aiming to show member agencies how its done: 'It's a good course for people that haven't done one before. My training has gone Ok, but it's just too hot!'

CEO Scott Knox will be cheering on his colleague: 'I'll be there with a beer. The only way I'd do that course is in a taxi!'

The races take place next Friday at Dorney Lake, Windsor.

So, last chance - sign up at www.marketingtriathlon.co.uk

Follow Andy Murray on Twitter, but steer clear of Usain Bolt

Andy Murray get a lot of grief - not least from my usually mild mannered mum. The papers seem more interested in putting his girlfriend and celebrity fan Kate Winslet on the front pages than the man himself - and I can't find anyone at work with a kind word to say about him.

I'm not his biggest fan - but with 52,000 I've been following his progress through Wimbledon on Twittter. At least I'm pretty sure it's him - his bio reads: 'I play tennis', so I guess it must be...

But then again I was following Usain Bolt until he tried to sell me energy drinks, hotels in Thailand and rope me into some pyramid scheme.

Anyway, back to Murray.

We learn he was chuffed to get a good luck phone call from Sean Connery, that contrary to what you may read in the tabloids he loved playing under the Centre Court roof and he thanks the staff at Pizza Express for staying open late to cook him a pizza.

So - which Andy is everyone supporting in the semis??