Dear Reader,
How has Veuve Clicquot's sponsorship become so successful? Naomi Hancock,=
=20
UK PR Manager, tells us all about it in an exclusive interview. Also read=
=20
about the launch of SponsorRating, the first sponsorship rating agency,=20
our unsual transactions of the month, and a "special X-treme" Sponsorship=
=20
Alert.
As this is the last issue for the summer, we wish you a good August and=20
will be back in September.
Your comments are always welcome, so please email us at=20
news@sponsorclick.com.
All our best,
Rachael Mark
Editor
In this issue:
1. Sponsorship, How and Why? Veuve Clicquot Speaks=20
2. Press Release: SponsorClick Launches the First Sponsorship Ratin=
g=20
Agency
3. Unusual Transactions of the Month
4. Sponsorship Alert Special X-treme
5. Special Offers: Taylor Nelson Sofr=E8s, BVA, Sport+Markt,=20
Mediametrie, and more
6. More Matching Opportunities With SponsorClick
7. How to Contact SponsorClick?
=20
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.1. Sponsorship, How and Why? Veuve Clicquot Speaks=20
Interview with Naomi Hancock, PR Manager, Veuve Clicquot UK - July 10=
,=20
2002
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On the occasion of the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup Polo in West Sussex,=20
Naomi Hancock reveals Veuve Clicquot's communication strategy.=20
=20
Veuve Clicquot has had a single consistent communication strategy in the=20
UK for the last 15 years. This has been to associate the brand with the=20
most glamorous sporting cultural and social events of the English summer =
-=20
known locally as The English Season.=20
Veuve Clicquot has become the Champagne of the Season. We've adapted our=20
communication to stay at the forefront of fashion, and attitudes to these=
=20
events, which combine tradition with the excitement of world class sport.=
=20
Does your company consider sponsorship a key marketing/communication=20
tool?
Absolutely. Sponsorship enables us to build positive associations for the=
=20
brand. But we are not interested in tacking our name onto an event where=20
the addition does not add real value to the event and vica-versa. We=20
believe in investing, nurturing, and improving over time.=20
Can you describe your sponsorship strategy?
We aim to maximise the perception of Veuve Clicquot as the Champagne of=20
the Season. Everything we do is designed to build a partnership, and=20
enhance the valuable efforts of our partners, in their own creation, and=20
development of their events. Our buzz word is integration, as we seek to=20
make The Season central to our marketing mix.=20
Can you describe your sponsorship decision-making process?
We usually discuss a sponsorship programme for the full year with our=20
mother company in France. We have flexibility - within our budget and the=
=20
frame of The Season - to undertake what we sense to match our values and=20
the image of Veuve Clicquot. Our role in London is to screen whatever=20
comes to us and discuss relevant operations internally.
We have a dedicated PR Group at Veuve Clicquot which makes all decisions=20
related to our sponsorship. Above a certain threshold our head-office wil=
l=20
like to be involved in such a decision.=20
What are the main criteria on which you base your sponsorship strategy?
Return on investment is the key criterion for any marketing investment=20
decision. We would only undertake sponsorship in Season-related events.=20
This is our rule and frame of investment.
What objectives are you seeking to achieve through sponsorship?
Within the Season, we are especially looking to achieve visibility vis-=E0=
-
vis our audience, image-transfer, media coverage (all national press,=20
magazine of all kinds).=20
Awareness is also key for Veuve Clicquot, so we look to find events that=20
complement those that we already have, and extend our appeal to people of=
=20
similar status, but differing interests.=20
Please describe one of your sponsorships
The Eighth Annual Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup Polo, held this month at Cowdra=
y=20
Park in West Sussex, is the largest entertainment operation undertaken by=
=20
Veuve Clicquot UK each year. This successful sponsorship earns Veuve=20
Clicquot tremendous media coverage, fabulous exposure to our core target=20
group and a perfect image transfer as polo is the sports of kings and the=
=20
king of sports.
What's your approximate sponsorship spend per year?
Significant. Without giving figures, we can say that we spend a large=20
portion of our communication in sponsorship and support and that we=20
organize the majority of our communication around the theme of Veuve=20
Clicquot as the Champagne of the Season, because this is where we are=20
getting a good return on our investment.
How do you measure the effectiveness of your sponsorship?