Sports marketing has the power to move the world

I was with a friend who runs a successful IT business and he was curious to know why and how could sports work for him and where can sports help businesses.

Really, have most of the marketers in our country thought about this? And by marketers I don’t mean the wiz kids of corporate marketing alone. I mean each individual, organisation, city, state or country — have they ever thought about this?

The fact that sports help brands create distinction is well-known and also that a sales promotion can ride on a sports platform and be successful.

So what’s the power of sports? Where does it help? How does it help? Whom does it help?

Well, sports help: 
Consumer products and services — to sell more, build brand, create distinct communication and align fans to brands. 

Organisations — to build relationships with potential investors, retain and reward employees, influence large scale business deals.

Countries and cities — to develop economy, infrastructure, social fabric, image.

Technology —to breakthrough. It helps technology and media platforms grow.

Create employment opportunities and career options
In fact, sports not only helps the consumer brands (conventional definition) but also countries and economies.

Dubai and Singapore are two examples of how hosting large and multiple sporting events led to influx of tourists, besides creating employment opportunities for locals and building the stature of the country/city.

Dubai, with its ATP event, F1 track (ready-to-roll) and Golf Classic event, and Singapore, with a single F1 event, has been able to make a mark and generate loads of forex for themselves.

Closer to our understanding, IPL 2 moving to South Africa created foreign exchange inflows of $200 million, besides proving South Africa’s capability in hosting world-class events.

The fact that this happened ahead of the Champions’ Cricket Trophy and the Fifa World Cup 2010, proved a shot in the arm for the country.

Yet, an opportunity that can move countries and help a brand sustain leadership over decades and probably centuries, is seemingly going abegging in India.

Have we ever thought why? Are we too shallow with our thoughts? Are we happy with the quarter-to-quarter living? Are we so obsessed with RoI (return on investment), that too instant, that we only look for media exposure matrix and consumer direct contact, forgetting the larger picture of brand building and long-term business? Or are we always looking for “safe bet” options that only the business owner can take such decisions?

How soon can we have marketers utilising sports for their needs?

The writer is general manager, India, Relay Worldwide Sports Specialist service of the Starcom MediaVest Group