'HSBC Hour' Leverages The Open With Free Golf For Thousands Of Youngsters

HSBC is adding to its activation around The Open with the launch of ‘HSBC Hour’ – an initiative offering an hour of free golf to children and their families at almost 300 golf UK clubs.

This grass roots initiative – which is part of HSBC’s umbrella ‘Anyone’s Game’ initiative – see the financial brand ally with The Golf Foundation and with ClubGolf Scotland to introduce thousands of youngster to the sport during the week of The Open.

The launch is timed to maximise public interest in golf around The Open – which this year return to the home of golf at St Andrews – and to leverage HSBC’s own status as an official Open patron.

The HSBC Hour is promoted across the bank’s own digital and social media platforms,

No excuses now. HSBC Hour means free golf in #Open week across the country. It really is #AnyonesGame http://t.co/Kg0QeJLJWo

— HSBC Sport (@HSBC_Sport) July 10, 2015

Congrats @SmithMA1971 you are our HSBC Hour Day 1 comp winner. You've won an hour's free golf tuition! #AnyonesGame https://t.co/3J0ZUkAFHy

— HSBC Sport (@HSBC_Sport) July 16, 2015

via a major PR programme and at The Open itself.

Youngsters and their families are encouraged to visit the programme;s bespoke microsite (www.theopen.com/hsbc) to locate a participating golf club near them – one of the 218 clubs in England and 82 across Scotland – to book their minimum one hour of free golf and/or coaching between the opening of tournament week (12 July) and the climax of the world’s oldest Major (19 July).

Working with The Golf Foundation, a charity committed to giving children and young people the opportunity to experience golf and the benefits it has to offer, HSBC extends a relationship which builds on its HSBC Golf Roots initiative with the same organization.

This is The Golf Foundation’s national development programme which promotes the sport in schools, helps youngsters into clubs, and uses golf to promote important life skills such as honesty and respect.

Similarly, the objective of fellow partner ClubGolf Scotland is to create a development pathway from entry level through to the highest levels of achievement, enabling increased access to golf, higher participation levels, improved standards of performance, and sustained growth in the future.

‘Our Anyone’s Game campaign is all about opening up the world of golf – everyone’s invited, irrespective of background, age or ability so what better way to bring this to life than to team up with The Golf Foundation and ClubGolf Scotland to open up the doors of golf clubs during the week of The Open,’ explains HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship & Events Giles Morgan.

‘As a proud patron of the world’s oldest major we wanted to do something special to celebrate the fact that The Open is returning to the home of golf and we hope that HSBC Hour can provide a valuable first step on the ladder for thousands of young golfers. They won’t have to look far for inspiration – as the sport’s changing of the guard continues to gather pace St Andrews will welcome back to back major winner Jordan Spieth as well as last year’s runner-up and recent winner of The Players Championship Rickie Fowler. It promises to be a really special week.’

The Golf Foundation Chief Executive Brendon Pyle adds: ‘We believe that golf is a wholesome activity that enriches the lives of those who participate in the sport so HSBC Hour absolutely makes sense for us. Our work is designed to give young people a positive experience through the medium of golf regardless of their background or circumstances.’

ClubGolf Scotland spokesperson Andy Salmon comments: ‘The Open is back at the home of golf and our aim is to widen opportunities, increase participation in golf, and build foundations for Scottish success on the world stage so this initiative is something we fully embrace.’

The initiative adds to HSBC’s direct activation around The Open.

On-site, this sees the brand match its HSBC Hour in the HSBC Golf Zone by challenging golf fans to try their hand at the game.

Erected in the heart of the Spectator Village, the HSBC Golf Zone give spectators a chance to test their full range of golfing skills with six simulators, swing , accuracy and power analysis, a replica putting green and a full-scale replica of the notorious St Andrews’ Road Hole bunker.

If you're at St Andrews for #TheOpen this week then drop by the HSBC Golf Zone and take on the HSBC Putting Challenge pic.twitter.com/yb6wikoMvn

— HSBC Sport (@HSBC_Sport) July 13, 2015

Plus it has provided experts and golf professionals to offer tips and advance to visitors, a selection of daily prizes and acts as the base for the @TheOpenLive’s studio.

This is the fifth consecutive year for the onsite HSBC Golf Zone branded space, developed with Windsor-based Red Door Events, builds on last year’s work which saw 50,000 spectators visit the HSBC Golf Zone.

HSBC is also flooding its own social channels – especially its HSBC Sport twitter feed – with golf content and The Open coverage,

Nice start to the week @RickieFowler and @JordanSpieth. See you at #TheOpen. It's #Anyonesgame pic.twitter.com/e2hcUEma5E

— HSBC Sport (@HSBC_Sport) July 13, 2015

and behind-the-scenes content,

Who will be making headlines today? A look behind the scenes inside #TheOpen media centre pic.twitter.com/unR09dXmHH

— HSBC Sport (@HSBC_Sport) July 16, 2015

plus experiential and video content linking to HSBC’s ambassador partnership with Bubba Watson.

Drivetime with @BubbaWatson. The big hitter shows young golfers at the HSBC golf zone how it’s done #AnyonesGame pic.twitter.com/F7L5sgsXeB

— HSBC Sport (@HSBC_Sport) July 17, 2015

WATCH: @BubbaWatson reveals his top tips ahead of #TheOpen #AnyonesGame https://t.co/BsRQJUIjJ4

— HSBC Sport (@HSBC_Sport) July 15, 2015

Comment

This activation around The Open reflects HSBC’s core driver around its golf partnerships – namely getting young people into the sport.

This wider commitment is based around the brand’s umbrella ‘Anyone’s Game’ initiative – which HSBC sponsorship chief Giles Morgan describes as being ‘all about opening up the world of golf – everyone’s invited, irrespective of background, age or ability’.

This global golf commitment spans all levels of the game – from grassroots to elite.

While HSBC’s status as an official partner of The Open Championship – which it recently renewed

5 more years! We are delighted to announce our renewal as patron of @TheOpen #AnyonesGame

— HSBC Sport (@HSBC_Sport) July 16, 2015

– is the flagship of a global golf portfolio that spans HSBC’s key markets.

In Asia, HSBC backs the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai and HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore, as well as supporting its HSBC China Junior Golf Program and the HSBC Hong Kong Junior Golf Programme.

The HSBC Open Hour builds on the bank’s ongoing, multiphase ‘It’s Anyone’s Game’ initiative (see case study) which sees HSBC leverage its golf sponsorships and partner golf-related organisations to encourage more participation, change consumer perceptions about of the game (and ultimately reverse declining golf participation and a decade of course closures).

‘Anyone’s Game’ first rolled out in Asia in October 2014 to coincide with the start of the HSBC-sponsored World Golf Championship in Shanghai and then continued with a 60-second YouTube film, plus digital, print and outdoor running ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in January 2015.

Links:

The Open / HSBC Website:

http://www.theopen.com/patrons/hsbc

HSBC Golf Website:

www.hsbcgolf.com

HSBC Website:

http://www.hsbc.com/

HSBC Google+:

https://plus.google.com/101568139402163729978/videos

HSBC Sport Twitter:

https://twitter.com/HSBC_Sport

The Open Website: