It’s not just Apple and Samsung insists Alcatel CEO after penning local sponsorship with Liverpool FC
Mobile phone maker Alcatel has turned to Liverpool Football Club in a bid to overturn a lack of brand awareness in Australia, with its chief executive claiming the partnership will help lift its profile among fans of all English Premier League teams.
Liverpool ambassador John Barnes and Alcatel CEO Sam Skontos
Former Liverpool and England star John Barnes, now a brand ambassador for the Merseyside outfit, told Mumbrella the deal will also bring its local supporters closer to the club as it aims to further expand its global fan base.
Under the three-year deal, Alcatel will become the “official partner and official smartphone” of Liverpool in Australia and New Zealand, with users of its phone and tablet offered exclusive content and “money can’t buy moments” including VIP trips to Liverpool’s home ground of Anfield.
Does anyone know where John Barnes is appearing next (after 2pm Sunday 25 September)?
A brand lacks awareness in Australia
So it turns to a sporting club based in England
In the hope that a former player who 99.99% of people have never heard of will assist in the promotion of the brand
To people who have a narrow understanding of, or possibly even dislike of that brand.
THIS IS INSANITY. When it doesn’t work, they’ll say: “Marketing doesn’t work!”
Call me old fashioned, but what about some really distinctive creative and media and put that message in front of 24m Australians?
This is a great example of a rule that should be applied to ALL sponsorships: If you write sponsor a team / event / brand – all senior managers and people responsible for making the sponsorship decision are not allowed to have any association / photo opps / tickets to / attendance at that event. THEN see if that affects the decision to sponsor.
If you know very little about English soccer in the eighties and don’t like the Liverpool brand, why post a message. The sponsorship deal has raised my awareness of the telco, which is the point isn’t it?
Alcatel Mobile is not a telco – they sell mobile handsets/tablets !!!