Barclays marketing MD: ‘Premier League sponsorship is delivering’
One of Barclays most senior marketers has moved to highlight the success of the activation of its Premier League sponsorship following reports the bank is considering dropping its sponsorship of the competition.
Yesterday (26 January) a report in The Sunday Telegraph claimed the bank was mulling ending its sponsorship with the Premier League when its current deal ends at the end of the 2015/16 season.
The report went on to claim Barclays bosses questioned the value in renewing a partnership that is likely to cost the bank more than the £40m a year it is currently paying the Premier League. Barclays singed a three-year deal in 2012.
The report also quoted senior sources at the bank stating that the cost of acquiring the naming rights and the marketing activation programme to push the partnership meant there was “zero value” in the UK because of the high levels of awareness the bank enjoys in its home country.
David Wheldon, managing director for brand, reputation, citizenship and marketing at Barclays, says the bank has clear objectives for the sponsorship and it is already delivering against those objectives.
“Last year we conducted a global review of our entire sponsorship portfolio and agreed a clear strategy, clear governance and clear metrics to measure the activity with an emphasis on ensuring that all activation of our sponsorship portfolio is done to create brand engagement through the lens of our purpose and values.
“As a consequence we have reenergised our activity around the Barclays Premier League and have had very positive results to our ‘Thank You’ campaign, which celebrates the people who make the Barclays Premier League the vast success that it is all over the globe – the fans, the players and the community heroes.”
Wheldon stressed the bank is only half way through the first season of its three-year deal and it remains focussed on delivering value from the deal.
“The Barclays Premier League is hugely popular in most countries around the world where we have customers and clients and we have a long and very productive relationship with the Premier League and intend to make sure that we derive the maximum possible return from our on-going partnership.”
