Ieg Sponsorship Report Ieg Sponsorship Report the Latest on Sports, Arts, Cause and Entertainment Marketing
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IEG SPONSORSHIP REPORT IEG SPONSORSHIP REPORT THE LATEST ON SPORTS, ARTS, CAUSE AND ENTERTAINMENT MARKETING OCTOBER 1, 2012 WWW.IEGSR.COM WHO DOES WHAT WHO DOES WHAT: AUTO AND HOME INSURERS Property/casualty insurers double down on sponsorship to gain a point of differentiation and drive consideration. While auto insurers may not like the metaphor, sponsorship activity in the insurance category shows no signs of slowing down. As they have in the past, Allstate Corp., State Farm and other property/casualty insurers use sponsorship to engage consumers, build consideration and generate leads in a one-to-one environment. While those objectives haven’t changed, the road to those goals has taken some twists and turns. That includes a shift from brand-specific to product-specific ties, more interest in nontraditional properties and an overall reshaping of sponsorship portfolios. PROPERTY/CASUALTY INSURERS BY NUMBER OF DEALS Case in point: Farmers Insurance (“Farmers’ Sponsorship Strategy Stretches Beyond Farmers Field Deal” 02.22.2011) this year broadened its portfolio with presenting status of Rascal Flatts’ U.S. tour, the company’s first deal in the music space. Farmers has significantly expanded its portfolio over the last three years with deals ranging from a 30-year, estimated $600 million naming rights deal with a proposed NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles to three-year title of a Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team driven by Kasey Kahne. Farmers partnered with Rascal Flatts after the band performed at an internal meeting for agents. The insurer approached the musicians after hearing them perform the “We are Farmers” advertising jingle. ©2012 IEG, LLC. All rights reserved. The conversation subsequently led to a full-blown partnership, with Rascal Flatts integrating the jingle into each show. © 2012 IEG, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1 IEG SPONSORSHIP REPORT Farmers plans to leverage Rascal Flatts with its other sponsorships: The insurer is trying to get the musicians to attend the PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open, said Chuck Browning, Farmers’ head of sponsorship and corporate giving, noting that two of the three primary band members are accomplished golfers. Other companies also have reshaped their portfolios. Allstate (“Allstate Launches New Sponsorship Push 03.12.2012) this year broke new ground with the Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Marathon Series, a deal that represents the insurer’s first product-specific sponsorship in more than a decade. In another major change to its portfolio, Allstate has opted not to renew its 10-year-old partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee. The primary reason: The USOC’s short activation window. “The Olympic platform draws a large number of eyeballs, but it is relegated to a certain time period. It did not allow us to show a return throughout the year,” said Pam Hollander, Allstate’s senior director of integrated marketing communications. As the sponsorship industry grows in sophistication, the need for measurable results is at an all-time high, she said. But many properties still fall short in helping sponsors properly measure return on investment. “I’m sometimes shocked at the limited amount of research our partners provide. There needs to be more onus on properties to show return.” The lack of measurement data played a role in Allstate’s decision in 2009 leave NASCAR, around which the company served as an official sponsor of the sanctioning body and title of a Richard Petty Motorsports Sprint Cup Series team and the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “We asked our partners to show us how our dollars were being put to use, but more often than not they asked us to buy new things.” Allstate this year also has doubled down on its long-running college football platform with a new multiyear tie with the NCAA, a partnership that will bolster the company’s involvement in football and other collegiate sports. While Allstate continues to focus on college sports, State Farm has graduated to the majors. The country’s largest p/c insurer in 2010 announced a partnership with the NFL, adding to a portfolio that includes league deals with MLB and the NBA. The company dropped a tie to the NCAA in 2011. State Farm also has joined other companies in the municipal marketing space (“Found Money: The Growing Popularity Of Municipal Marketing” 09.24.12). The company earlier this year announced a partnership with the New Jersey Department of Transportation, a partnership that affords branding on 52 Safety Service Patrol trucks, 120 roadside signs and other state assets. In exchange for the branding, State Farm will provide NJDOT $1.8 million annually over each of the next three years. The company has similar partnerships with safety programs in New York, Pennsylvania and four other states. Other insurers also are getting involved in municipal marketing. GEICO Corp. in August announced a partnership with the Virginia Dept. of Transportation, around which the company is sponsoring safe phone zones at 43 interstate rest stops. Motorists can use the safe phone zones to make phone calls, text or surf the web, all of which can result in a ticket if done while driving in Virginia. © 2012 IEG, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2 IEG SPONSORSHIP REPORT The Allstate Corp. 2775 Sanders Rd. Northbrook, IL 60062 Pam Hollander, senior director, integrated marketing communications 847/402-5000 Targets/Objectives/Key Activations: Second-largest U.S. property/casualty insurer uses sponsorship to reach consumers in a DVR-free environment, contemporize its brand and access promotional platforms for consumer engagement. Allstate this year expanded its portfolio with new ties to the NCAA and the Allstate Insurance 13.1 Marathon Series. Allstate partnered with the NCAA to support its “less is more” sponsorship strategy that focuses on college athletics and soccer. “Our philosophy tends to be deeper rather than broader,” said Hollander. Allstate this year opted not to renew its 10-year-old partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee, a decision driven in part by the USOC’s short activation window. Activates sponsorship to engage agents and generate leads. For example, Allstate activates college football with two mobile tailgate tours that will visit 40 games this season. Current Deals: Title: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Ill.; Allstate Gospel Superfest; Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Marathon Series; Allstate Sugar Bowl. Cosponsor: 75 college athletic programs; AFL Chicago Rush; American Football Coaches Assn.; American Cancer Society; Big Ten Conference; Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl; Chicago Children’s Museum; Dublin Irish Festival, Ohio; Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo; Goodman Theatre; Joffrey Ballet of Chicago; Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl; Latin GRAMMY Awards; Lincoln Park Zoo; Little Caesars Pizza Bowl; Major League Soccer; Make-A-Wish Foundation; Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas; Mexican National Team; MLS Chicago Fire; NBA Detroit Pistons; NCAA; NFL Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints; NHL Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders; Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, Ill.; San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl; Sheraton Hawaii Bowl; Southeastern Conference; Southern Heritage Football Classic presented by FedEx; Steppenwolf Theatre Co.; Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl; Urban Youth Racing School; U.S. Soccer; WNBA Chicago Sky; Valero Alamo Bowl. Additional Comments: Activates college football with the “Good Hands” field goal net program. Allstate this year is repeating “60 Seconds of Mayhem,” a national sweepstakes that dangles trips to the Allstate Sugar Bowl and other prizes. “It delivered tons of leads and ton of sales,” said Hollander. The company this year added Kirk Herbstreit as a spokesperson for the promotion. Accepts proposals at www.AllstateSponsorshipRequest.com. Farmers Insurance 4680 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90010 Chuck Browning, head of sponsorship and corporate giving 323/932-3200 Targets/Objectives/Key Activations: The ninth-largest U.S. p/c insurer has significantly expanded its portfolio over the past three years to build its brand outside its California stronghold. Recent ties include a 30-year, estimated $600 million naming rights deal for a proposed NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles, title of a Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team and presenting status of Rascal Flatts’ U.S. tour. Farmers is activating the music tour with an on-site experiential area where attendees can have their photos taken, speak with brand ambassadors and learn about the Farmers brand. The insurer this year will leverage the Rose Parade presented by Honda with the “Love Float,” the site of a live wedding. Farmers Field has generated 11.2 billion media impressions, said Browning. The proposed sale of AEG assets is expected to have no impact on the sponsorship, he added. © 2012 IEG, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 3 IEG SPONSORSHIP REPORT Current Deals: Title: ATP Tour/USTA Farmers Classic presented by Mercedes-Benz; Farmers Field, Los Angeles; Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team; PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open. Cosponsor: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta; Arizona Interscholastic Assn.; Brigham Young University Athletics; California Interscholastic Federation; Congressional Black Caucus Foundation; ECHL Bakersfield Condors; Home Depot Center, Carlson, Calif.; International Cycling Classic presented by Fields Auto Group; Kansas Speedway; Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens; March of Dimes Foundation; MLB Oakland Athletics; Michigan High School Athletic Assn.; MLS Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes; Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; NBA Sacramento Kings; New Mexico Activities Assn.; NFL Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks; Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon; Park City Triathlon; Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade presented by Honda and Vizio; Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in association with PNC Bank; Sacramento State Athletics; Southwestern Athletic Conference; St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend presented by Juice Plus; University of California-Berkeley Athletics; University of Hawaii Athletics; Wichita River Festival; WNBA Los Angeles Sparks; Zach Theatre, Austin, Texas.