in the press - july

 

Sports Pro Media, 31 July 2009

Vange Kourentis and Elliot Parkus to head SMG Sports

Former Manchester United business development manager, Vange Kourentis and Starcom MediaVest Group Director, Elliot Parkus will head new sports sponsorship consultancy, SMG Sports.

The media-driven agency is a result of a partnership between Starcom MediaVest Group UK - part of the Publicis Groupe - and the sports media consultancy, Sports Insight.

SMG Sports will combine media relations and communications strategy with sports marketing expertise and will service clients from both the Starcom and MediaVest sides of the business.

Its position in the heart of a media agency will ensure that sports sponsorship sits as part of an integrated communications plan rather than in isolation.

Vange Kourentis said: “In the run-up to London 2012, more advertisers are turning their attention to sports marketing. However, many sports sponsorship strategies are an inexact science, executed without proper planning and integration into a wider communications programme. SMG Sports will put intelligence and integration into the mix, allowing brand owners to extract the maximum value from their sports investments.”

Sports Insight is the consulting and advisory arm of Investors in Media, which also owns the sports media rights specialist, Sports Revolution.

Sports Indutry Group, 31 Jul 2009

Starcom launches new sport division

Starcom MediaVest Group UK – part of the Publicis Groupe - and the sports media consultancy, Sports Insight, have joined forces to create a new venture, SMG Sports.

 

SMG Sports launches as a media-led sports sponsorship consultancy, combining high-level media intelligence and communications planning with sports marketing expertise.

 

Its six-strong team is headed jointly by former Manchester United business development manager, Vange Kourentis and Starcom MediaVest Group Director, Elliot Parkus.

 

Starcom MediaVest Group’s clients include brands such as Emirates, Samsung and BUPA. This new venture will service clients from both the Starcom and MediaVest sides of the business and has been developed to deliver impartial integrated sponsorship advice ranging from top-end rights identification and negotiation to on-the-ground implementation.

 

Its position in the heart of a media agency will ensure that sports sponsorship sits as part of an integrated communications plan rather than in isolation.

 

Sports Insight is the consulting and advisory arm of Investors in Media, which also owns the sports media rights specialist, Sports Revolution.

 

 

Campaign, 30 July 2009

Starcom launches sports consultancy

LONDON - Starcom MediaVest Group is launching a sports sponsorship division called SMG Sports.

 

The new consultancy is a joint venture with the sports media consultancy Sports Insight, part of the Sports Revolution company, which recently announced that Chris Ingram, the CIA founder, was to become its executive chairman.

SMG Sports will initially employ a six-strong team headed by Vange Kourentis, the former Manchester United business development manager and Sports Revolution board member, and the Starcom MediaVest directors Elliot Parkus and Jamie Pearson.

It will combine communications planning with sports marketing skills for SMG clients, which include heavy investors in sports marketing such as Emirates, Samsung and Bupa.

SMG Sports is also hoping to capitalise on an expected increase in interest around sports marketing in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympic Games.

 

 

Media & Marketing, 30 July 2009

Starcom MediaVest launches SMG Sports

Starcom MediaVest Group UK (SMVG) and the sports media consultancy, Sports Insight, have joined forces to create a new venture, SMG Sports.

 

SMG Sports will be headed by former Manchester United business development manager, Vange Kourentis and SMVG director, Elliot Parkus. The new initiative will service clients from both the Starcom and MediaVest sides of the business.

 

“SMG Sports will allow us to strengthen our offering for brands targeting sport,” said Stewart Easterbrook, chief executive, SMVG. “We expect increasing demand for complex and highly integrated sports media campaigns, and this venture adds real value in this still under-developed area of media.”

Sports Insight is the consulting and advisory arm of Investors in Media, which also owns the sports media rights specialist, Sports Revolution. Earlier this month, Chris Ingram was named executive chairman of Sports Revolution and also chairman of Investors in Media

 

Sports Pro Media, 27 July 2009

Chris Ingram named as Sports Revolution executive chairman

Chris Ingram has been named as the executive chairman of UK sports media specialists Sports Revolution as part of a management restructure. Ingram was already an investor in the firm through his IngramEnterprise company and will take a hands-on role. Antony Marcou, formerly with Time Warner, has been promoted to managing director and Vange Kourentis, former Manchester United business development manager, has been appointed commercial director.

Founded in 2001, Sports Revolution is the largest media rights owner in UK football stadia with exclusive media rights with over 75 clubs across all UK professional leagues - including 19 in the Premier League.

 

 

Marketing Week, 16 Jul 2009

Analysis: Building the Manchester City brand

Nouveau riche Premier League club Manchester City has been splashing Abu Dhabi United Group’s cash this week as if it was burning a hole in their considerable pockets.

 

The last seven days have seen City bring in Carlos Tevez from neighbours Manchester United, all but sign Arsenal forward Emmanuel Adebayor and an audacious attempt to prise Chelsea captain John Terry away from Stamford Bridge - all moves that signal the club’s on-field ambitions.

Off the field, the executive team is also looking to capitalise on the team’s increased exposure with marketing nous.

The latest stage of rebuilding brand Manchester City came with the appointment of digital agency iCrossing to manage all natural, paid search and social media for the Eastlands-based club.

The appointment followed the June relaunch of their new Poke created website, which will feature video content developed by Big Brother producer Endemol.

Personnel wise, the club has been gearing up for a marketing push by hiring Chris Kay, former head of account management at Fallon, as head of marketing and former Aegis man David Pullan to lead brand development.

City were also quick to snap up a global brand as shirt sponsor, signing a reported £40m deal with airline Etihad earlier this year, after incumbent Thomas Cook decided not to renew.

Pullan says the recent appointments are about “employing some traditional marketing rigour”, adding the club needs the “key marketing elements in place” to build global recognition of the brand.

To this end, the club has also appointed strategic marketing consultancy Flamingo International to explore, Pullan says, how City can “connect” with markets around the world.

Julian Ireland, planning director at iCrossing, says its task is “maximising worldwide interest” in the club’s “assets” such as newly signed Argentinean Tevez.

City have some way to go to match local rivals Manchester United, widely recognised to be the benchmark in this area. Manchester United has “official partnerships” with brands around the world with the aim of maximising global revenue. The Reds also have a number of superstores selling branded merchandise in South East Asia and this week announced the opening of their first café in India.

Elsewhere, Chelsea have diversified into hotels, restaurants and a travel company using the Chelsea Village brand since the West Londoners became the last English team transformed by a billionaire’s benevolence in 2003.

Antony Marcou, managing director of sports marketing agency Sports Revolution, says although the club “has been making all the right noises” by appointing marketing expertise, it still has considerable ground to make up on the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United when it comes to international recognition.

“The club needs to build the brand on the ground through opening retail operations in places such as South East Asia so fans can get close to the brand,” he says.

The latest Deloitte football rich list confirms the mountain City have to climb. The club generated £82.3m in revenues during the 2007/2008 season, significantly behind English rivals Arsenal on £209m, Chelsea on £212m and Manchester United on £257m and way behind leaders Real Madrid on £289m.

City are busy building a roster of on-field marketable “assets” that in turn should bring on-pitch success, which Pullan recognises as the “key driver” to building the Premier League club’s global appeal. The club’s paymasters are certainly not lacking in ambition or resources to achieve their previously stated aim to be one of the “biggest football brands on the planet”.

 

Sport Busniness, Wed, 08/07/2009

Ingram named as Sports Revolution executive chairman

Sports Revolution, the largest media rights owner in UK football stadia, has announced British advertising expert Chris Ingram as its executive chairman.

Ingram founded one of the first media agencies, CIA, in 1976 and has invested in Sports Revolution through his company IngramEnterprise.

“There is no better way of connecting with men than through the environment and passion of sport and Sports Revolution is the dominant player in a key area of the market,” he said. “I have become involved because I believe there are a number of additional steps we can take to exploit this position even further.”

As one of his first steps Ingram promoted Antony Marcou to managing director, who is joined on the board by Vange Kourentis, former business development manager at Manchester United.

Founded in 2001, Sports Revolution is the largest media rights owner in UK football stadia having developed long-standing partnerships with many of the leading football clubs in England and Scotland.

 

Media & Marketing, 08 July 2009

Ingram joins Sports Revolution

Chris Ingram, the founder of media agency CIA, has joined UK sports media specialist Sports Revolution.

 

Ingram has joined as executive chairman giving him a hands-on role at the company. Since his arrival Ingram has restructured the board; promoting Antony Marcou to managing director and appointing Vange Kourentis, former Manchester United business development manager, as commercial director.

 

Ingram has also invested in Sports Revolution through his company IngramEnterprise.

“Sports Revolution has a really compelling offer to advertisers,” said Ingram. “There is no better way of connecting with men than through the environment and passion of sport and Sports Revolution is the dominant player in a key area of the market.”

Sports Revolution has exclusive media rights with over 75 clubs across all UK professional leagues – including 19 in the Premier League. It works with brands including Barclays, Ford, E.ON and Sky.

 

marketingmagazine.co.uk, 07 July 2009

Fresh pitch for brands to take advantage of the Ashes cricket

LONDON - The Ashes' switch from terrestrial TV to Sky presents new opportunities for brands.

Few sporting events spark patriotism like the Ashes, and brands have been quick to tap into fans' passions. Brewer Marston's, for example, has jointly launched a cricket-themed special-edition Marmite, and rolled out a tie-in campaign with slogans such as 'We're English, we brew beer. You're Australian, you serve it'.

Betfair, the official betting partner to the sport's governing body, the ECB, and Test match grounds, has also created a campaign that plays on the rivalry between the two nations. 'The nature of our exchange-betting model lends itself to rivalry, and the Ashes is the ultimate sporting rivalry,' says Andy Lulham, UK PR manager at Betfair.

The company's 'Fan vs fan' campaign shows former England cricketer Phil Tufnell competing against ex-Australia player Jason Gillespie in a series of challenges, including a pedalo race. Fans can bet on the outcome of these challenges on the Betfair site.

Other brands are taking an ambassadorial route, affiliating themselves with the sport's stars. Freddie Flintoff may have spent more time posing for promo shots and nursing injuries than playing cricket recently, but the maverick is still England's trump card.

Sure for Men, Red Bull and Barclays Capital are among those brands that still deem him worth the risk, even if last month he risked the wrath of England kit supplier Adidas by appearing at Lord's wearing a hoodie made by his personal sponsor, Puma. An all-rounder in every sense, last week he guest-edited recently relaunched free weekly magazine Sport.

Change of platform

In 2005, office workers around the country discovered cricket website cricinfo.com. As England nudged ever-closer to their first Ashes series win in nearly 20 years, those at their desks followed the action through the site, stifling their cheers as Aussie wickets began to tumble.

While Cricinfo is set for further success this year, Sky Sports is offering its subscribers the chance to watch live TV action online. The broadcaster, which has secured Brit Insurance as broadcast sponsor, is to offer the option for existing customers to watch online through Sky Player during July and August.

Channel 4 drew a record audience share of 23% on the final day of the 2005 series and, while Sky is likely to reach a smaller live audience, Antony Marcou, managing director of sports media rights owner Sports Revolution, believes cricket will benefit from the coverage. 'Just look at what [Sky has] done for football,' he says. 'People were dubious at first, but it dragged it into the 21st century. So it will be beneficial for brands and the sport.'

Sky's other objective, as with its coverage of the British & Irish Lions' recent rugby tour to South Africa, is to use the event to promote its HD service.

Fans will also be able to access high-lights, sponsored by Five, through ecbtv.co.uk, which will be syndicated to the websites of national newspapers such as The Sun, The Telegraph and The Times. Partner brands of the ECB, such as Maximuscle and Marmite, will also be offered the chance to run pre-roll ads ahead of the highlights package.

As expected, mobile will play a greater role than four years ago, with Yahoo! announcing its Ashes mobile coverage last week. There are also several sponsored apps for iPhone users, including Cricinfo's Mobicast.

Domestically, the ECB hopes the Ashes can bring cricket to a wider audience as the abbreviated version of the game, Twenty20, has. It will run a multichannel marketing push called 'The Great Exhibition'. For its part, title sponsor Npower is also backing Cricket in the Park, which includes out-door screens at sites beyond the four Test cities, including Liverpool, Southampton and Derby. The first Test takes place in Cardiff, the first time an Ashes game will not be played in England.

Will Collinson, head of marketing at the ECB explains: 'In 2005, it was all about the England team, but the idea was to use the power of the big events, the Twenty20 World Cup and the Ashes, to reach people who wouldn't ordinarily be attentive.'

Whatever their marketing strategy, the drama of 2005 will ensure that there is huge interest for brands aligning them-selves with cricket and this year's Ashes series. However, with so many brands realising the massive potential, campaigns will have to work hard to stand out

 

campaignlive.co.uk, 06 July 2009

Chris Ingram takes "hands-on" role at football rights owner

LONDON - Chris Ingram, the founder of the media agency CIA and the consultancy The Ingram Partnership, is taking a senior role at the UK sports media company Sports Revolution.

 

Ingram, who had previously invested in the sports rights owner, will take on the role of executive chairman, a move that will see him become more hands-on at the company.

Sports Revolution has exclusive media rights with more than 75 football clubs across the UK, including 19 in the Premier League.

It sells space in football stadiums and works with brands including Barclays, Ford and Sky.

Ingram has moved to restructure the board at Sports Revolution, by promoting the former IPC Media and Walker Media employee Antony Marcou to managing director.

Marcou is joined on the Sports Revolution board by the former Manchester United business development manager Vange Kourentis.

Ingram, who founded CIA in 1976, made a reported fortune of £64 million when Tempus Group, the parent of CIA, was sold to WPP in 2001.

Since then, he has launched his own consultancy and invested in his hometown football club, Woking.

Ingram said: "There is no better way of connecting with men than through the environment and passion of sport and Sports Revolution is the dominant player in a key area of the market."

 

 

Mediaweek 06 July 2009

Ingram appointed executive chairman at Sports Revolution

LONDON - Sports Revolution, the out-of-home sports specialist, has appointed media industry luminary Chris Ingram as its first executive chairman.

 

In his new post, Ingram will take a "hands-on role" with a particular focus on the strategy and corporate activity behind Sports Revolution, which claims to be the "largest media rights owner in UK football stadia".

Ingram, who is credited as being one of the forefathers of the modern media agency, is taking a 15% stake in the company through his IngramEnterprise company.

Although not a full-time post, the role will occupy a "significant amount" of Ingram's time, with the serial investor limiting his capacity to four executive chairman positions at any one time.

He told Media Week he had "no intention of micro-managing" the team already in place under managing director Antony Marcou, but said he had already "identified some strategic moves that will hep the company grow very quickly".

Ingram was reluctant to go into more detail, but said it would entail Sports Revolution's male-skewed business model chasing a broader range of revenue streams outside ad sales in the UK.

The man who founded CIA (Chris Ingram Associates) in 1976 is also likely to have input into the company's own marketing activity.

Sports Revolution has exclusive media rights with more than 75 clubs across all UK professional leagues - including 19 in the Premier League.

Advertising opportunities range from concourse TVs to jumbo screens and in-stadia posters. The company also offers field and experiential marketing.