The sound of sponsorship

Your recent feature on sponsorship, especially the paranoia surrounding ambush marketing, should surely challenge event sponsors to reappraise their approach.

As recent surveys have illustrated, the public has scant recognition of most sponsors’ involvement in major international sports events. But still, event after event, sponsors tread the same well-worn paths in the vain hope that they’ll capture the public’s imagination. But if you think laterally, you’ll see one avenue that’s still, extraordinarily, unexploited. This is the music (official or unofficial). Can you imagine if one of the Italia 90 sponsors had sponsored Nessun Dorma? Or if a World Cup USA 94 sponsor had sponsored The Three Tenors? Or if a Euro 96 sponsor had sponsored Three Lions? Similarly, if a Rugby World Cup sponsor adopted the official song and worldwide broadcast theme, World In Union?

Having been executive producer of the official music for most of the aforementioned events, it astounds me sponsors never think of linking in with the music. One cannot walk into, or tune into, a sports stadium anywhere in the world without hearing songs, rhythms, beats and chants. Is there anything more emotive, or anything that resonates more in the hearts of fans than these sounds resounding around the stadia? The broadcasters have cottoned on, so why haven’t the sponsors?

Rick Blaskey

Managing director

The Music & Media Partnership

London W11