Tesco Mobile Ad Misrepresents Sponsorship Says ESA

“Stick your logo here!” Does anyone seriously believe that this is all sponsorship represents? 
To watch Tesco Mobile’s latest advertisement you might be led to think so according to industry body, the European Sponsorship Association (ESA). ESA believes that Tesco Mobile’s new ad shows a lack of understanding of sponsorship’s value as an effective business marketing tool.

ESA’s Chairman, Karen Earl, said “While the Tesco Mobile advertisement underlines the supermarket chain’s commitment to its customers, it implies that this commitment would have been broken if the brand had undertaken a sponsorship in F1 motor racing. Brands which sponsor F1 do so for a number of differing business reasons – establishing a global brand; demonstrating leading edge technology; increasing brand awareness – to name but three.”
One of Tesco Mobile’s competitors, Vodafone, has used F1 sponsorship extremely effectively to launch in new markets. In Ghana, for example, Vodafone’s awareness there stood at over 50% before they had entered the market and, by the brand’s own admission, this could only be attributable to its F1 sponsorship.
Another F1 sponsor, Allianz, is involved for a different business reason. The insurance brand uses its involvement to convey the importance of safety on the roads – something at the heart of its business.
“Sponsorship’s flexibility in meeting a number of different business objectives is one of its many attractions.  It is interesting also that brands use it at different stages in their development. It may well be that Tesco logos will be seen on F1 cars in the future if the supermarket giant wants to become truly global”, said Earl.
The value of sponsorship to brands will be discussed at ESA’s flagship conference, Future Sponsorship, in Amsterdam on November 24 and 25. For more information, contact www.future-sponsorship.com or call +44 (0)20 7017 7063.