League picks Adidas man for relaunch

Ex-Adidas marketer Robin Gibson has been appointed to the new post of sales and marketing director for the Football League. He will help to oversee its relaunch next month as the Coca-Cola Championship.

Gibson will be responsible for developing marketing and commercial opportunities for the Football League. He will also work with recently appointed director for the First Division Stewart Regan to develop the league’s brand following its relaunch next month.

The league’s relaunch has been devised by TBWA/London, which was appointed last year to overhaul its brand image following a five-way pitch (MW December 18, 2003).

Industry sources say the First Division will be renamed the Coca-Cola Championship, with proposals under consideration to make the Second and Third Divisions the First and Second Divisions.

Gibson will oversee the search for new sponsors for the three divisions, with opportunities expected to be created under an official partners programme. The league has already signed up Coca-Cola in an 11th-hour &£15m deal to sponsor the First Division, which led to the embarrassing exit of long-standing partner Nationwide (MW March 4).

Gibson was previously commercial director for the Evian Ladies European golf tour, where he brought in sponsors such as Volvo and Kappa.

He also held the post of European marketing manager for Adidas, where he led the relaunch of the company’s golfing division, Taylor Made-Adidas Golf, in 2000 (MW August 17, 2000).