12/08/2018

Ideal Boilers Kick Off WBA Shirt Sponsorship With Integrated Activation Led By Boiler Man Mascot

Ideal Boilers, the shirt sponsor of EFL Championship club West Bromwich Albion, kicked off its new official partner status with a multi-platform new season campaign fronted by the debut of an (absurd and eclectic) new sponsor mascot called Boiler Man.

 

Over opening weekend, the brand generated plenty of fan fun and cheer and no little football banter with the bizarre mascot’s home debut.

 

Despite the side’s 2:1 defeat to Bolton, Boiler Man delighted West Brom fans and drove plenty of media coverage and online buzz – some even linked to the sponsor’s heating and water solutions offering.

 

 

 

Ideal Boilers, the Hull based manufacturer of a range of boilers and heating engineering products, teased that the ‘best is yet to come’

 

 

The sponsor directed fans to Boiler Man’s bespoke Twitter and Instagram accounts where they can follow the mascot’s exploits.

 

 


 

The mascot then continued to engage fans through the first few weeks of the season both home and away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ideal Boiler marketing boss Jo Shepherd said there had been an overwhelming response worldwide to the stunt.

 

“The reaction to Boiler Man has been phenomenal, not just nationally but worldwide. I don’t think any of us could have anticipated such an overwhelming response,” said Shepherd citing experience working for a football team in the US and running a marketing and sponsorship activation team in helping to deliver the stunt.

 

“Within the boiler industry we already have strong brand awareness with our installers who trust in our high-quality product range with extended warranties. However, the online sensation of Boiler Man has enabled us to catapult ourselves into the consumer market and has had a tremendous effect on our consumer brand awareness. With the help of Boiler Man, we hope that Ideal Boilers will become the number one boiler brand choice in the UK.”

 

Shepherd added: “It’s all about the activation. Any brand can sign a sponsorship agreement with a sports team, but what really makes the difference is having a strong, comprehensive activation plan that reaches out to supporters on all levels. It’s important to consider different forms of engagement across the board, whether it’s in-stadium activities or digital marketing support. The most important thing is to have a little fun with it and push the boundaries without taking yourself too seriously.”

 

The match also saw the new shirt sponsor roll out several other onsite activations.

 

 

Boiler Man’s appearance highlighted a two-year shirt sponsorship deal between West Brom and Ideal Boilers.

 

#NewKit #Puma #WBA

A post shared by West Bromwich Albion (@wba) on

 

 

 

 

Ideal Boilers joined WBA as the club’s new principal partner in May 2017 when it joined the club’s other partners which include Puma, 10 Bet and Coral.

 

At the time the deal was signed, Ideal Boilers’ CEO Shaun Edwards said: “We think there is an exciting journey ahead and I’m delighted Ideal will be there supporting them every step of the way.”

 

While West Brom chief executive Mark Jenkins promised fans the “start of a new journey for the club”.

 

Comment:

 

A social phenomenon that rapidly spread around the world virally by fans and the media: but the official Boiler Man channels have thus far only notched up 1,600 Twitter followers and 214 Instagram followers.

 

It’s fairly rare that a mascot generates any true fan engagement other than with children and parents, but Boiler Man seems to be connecting with fans of all ages and groups.

 

Is it irony, sarcasm or genuine?

 

Does it matter?

 

But might there be WBA mascot rivalry?

 

After all, this game saw the Baggies’ long-standing bird mascot, Baggie, temporarily sidelined for a household appliance.

 

 

West Brom is not the first UK football club to have a sponsor come in and install a funny mascot.

 

Glasgow’s Partick Thistle became renowned for its mascot Kingsley, a design abomination from artist David Shrigley marking a six figure partnership with a Californian investment firm Kingsford Capital Management.

 

Links:

 

Boiler Man

https://twitter.com/IdealBoilerMan

https://www.instagram.com/idealboilerman

 

Ideal Boilers

https://idealboilers.com/

https://twitter.com/ideal_heating

https://www.youtube.com/user/IdealHeatingLtd

https://www.instagram.com/ideal_boilers/

https://m.facebook.com/idealboilers

 

West Bromwich Albion

https://www.wba.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/WBA

https://www.facebook.com/westbromwichalbionofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/wba

 



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