A slew of marketing directors all round the world are jumping on the bicycling bandwagon and leveraging the Tour de France as they aim to engage with the event’s affluent, passionate and growing fanbase
On the official side of sponsorship, Australian Tour broadcaster SBS is building on last year’s 24% rise in viewing figures and has secured four major digital partnerships for its SBS Cycling Central future facing platforms.
In addition to its status as Tour main title sponsor, Skoda is also backing the Phil Anderson fronted Skoda Simply Ride Tour Tracker App,
Skoda Simply Ride: The Basics from Contently on Vimeo.
While Swisse is running an online competition for tickets to the 2014 race plus bikes, while QBE Insurance is backing the race’s ‘Inside Line’ two-minute daily take on the state of the race and Colonial First State is sponsoring the Tour’s Social Media Hub.
All four brands are running a selection of web films, banners, boxes and skyscrapers across the SBS website.
Team sponsors are active too and few more so than UK cycling powerhouse Sky. Gatorade, the Official Nutrition Partner of Sky Pro Cycling, provides a reason for Brits to cheer on Team Sky’s Chris Froome this year as it is offering a full refund on its products if a Team Sky rider wins this year’s race.
Part of its wider ‘If We Win You Win’ campaign, any Gatorade products purchased from participating retailers before the race starts on 29 June will be eligible for the refund. To be eligible for the campaign, fans must register their purchases at www.gatorade.co.uk.
In addition to on-pack marketing, the initiative also includes a web film and online advertising. All of which accompany thee brand’s heavy on-bottle/on-bike presence with Team Sky throughout the Tour.
Gatorade UK marketing manager Alex Armstrong said: ‘We were privileged to play our part in last year’s success, so wanted to step things up this year and give our customers even more incentive to get behind Team Sky. We’re all hoping to see a Team Sky rider standing on top of the podium in Paris and what better way for cycling fans to celebrate than to get a full refund on their Gatorade nutrition products.’
Even brands without any official rights are commercialising the cycling craze.
For instance Eurostar, which clearly has a direct bottom-line link to driving Brits to France to watch the race, is getting in on the act by launching a new press ad to leverage Tour interest and the prospect of another British winner.
Its press and outdoor execution, created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, shows a road map of Paris Arc de Triomphe accentuating its bike wheel shape.
