2013 PRISA PRISM Awards for Excellence
2013 PRISA PRISM Awards for Excellence
Campaign: Sunfoil Sponsorship of Proteas Test Series Cricket
For the season 2011/2012.
Category: SPONSORSHIP
Campaign conducted for: WILLOWTON GROUP
Public Relations Consultancy: SHIRLEY WILLIAMS COMMUNICATIONS
WILLOWTON GROUP
ENTRY FOR PRISM AWARDS 2013
SUNFOIL SPONSORSHIP OF PROTEAS TEST SERIES CRICKET 2011/2012 SEASON.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
Opening statement
Willowton Group, manufacturers of Sunfoil Pure Sunflower Cooking Oil, achieved a greater return on investment than anticipated through their event sponsorship of Cricket South Africa’s Test Series against Australia and Sri Lanka in 2011/2 which led to a four-year sponsorship of Proteas test series cricket.
In the cricket season, the sponsorship received publicity with an advertising value equivalentof R73 110 095.79,Sunfoil product sales in targeted regions doubled; Sunfoil was rated by Repucom as the top South African cricket brand. The Sunfoil Education Fund was boosted by R700 000 and thirteen primary and high school learners received education bursaries.
Appendix A - Table reflecting AVE as monitored by Newsclip
Appendix B – Repucom slide showing Top 10 brands
WILLOWTON GROUP
ENTRY FOR PRISM AWARDS 2013
SUNFOIL SPONSORSHIP OF PROTEAS TEST SERIES CRICKET 2011/2012 SEASON.
1.STATEMENT OF PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY
WillowtonGroup operates in the FMCG industry manufacturing various brands including SunfoilPure cooking oil and well-known margarines, Sunshine D, D’liteand Nuvolite. This privately-owned company has headquarters in Pietermaritzburg and additional factories/offices in Gauteng and the Cape.
Willowton had sponsored school and grassroots townshipcricket for many years in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng.Sunfoilwas a market leader in KZN but weak in Gauteng and the Cape. At the beginning of the 2011/12 cricket season,Willowton and KZN Cricket concluded a three-year contract to sponsor the Sunfoil Dolphins to strengthen its position in KZN. Eager to extend this reach nationally, a further agreement was reached with Cricket South Africa (CSA) to become the event sponsor of the Test Series cricket against Australia and Sri Lanka for the 2011/2 season.
The sponsorship was seen as the ideal opportunity to support the game of cricket in South Africa (SA)in its time of need as well as to gain national brand awareness for Sunfoil and entrench the brand in the hearts and minds of the SApublic who are proudProteas supporters.
- RESEARCH
The objective was todetermine whether sponsorship of a national cricket team was viable for an FMCGfood brand and whether sponsorship would increase national awareness and sales of Sunfoil.
Willowton held discussions with the CSA to obtain the success of previous sponsorships and obtained relevant data from OMD Media, BMI and Repucom.
Insightsrevealed:
- Sales figures revealed that 42% of the cooking oil market was based in KZN due to the high Indian population and usage. Market research confirmed KZN had an estimated 50% market share for Sunfoil. Second was Gauteng with a high black population / usage.
- Sunfoil wanted to start the conversation with the consumer outside of KZN “what is Sunfoil?” and “why should I buy it?” In KZN the goal was to establishhousehold favourite status.
- Sunfoil required the “trust/quality” perception it would gain from being associated with a national sporting team, and talking to loyal Proteas supporters.
- Sunfoil also needed a B2B job, so buyers would resonate with the brand and drive forward share and stock pressure.
- OMD– BMI/Repucom – insights from CSA from previous sponsorship showed a huge media exposure value available to a large portion of the Sunfoil target market segmented in the cricket audience.
- PLANNING
Objectives
- Gain mass brand awareness for Sunfoil nationally.
- Penetrate weaker represented regions.
- Increase volume sales and grow its market nationally by 10-15%.
- Fill stadiaand engage with families.
- PositionSunfoil as a family brand.
Target audience
- LSM 5–7 household purchasers throughout South Africa.
Action desired: Buy Sunfoil
- Families across South Africa
Action desired: Support and enjoy Test cricket with Sunfoil
Messages to be communicated
- Sunfoil is the healthy choice.(Heart & Stroke Foundation approved)
- Sunfoil is passionate about cricket and proud to contribute to the success of the national cricket team.
- Sunfoil is committed to promoting cricket as a sport to be enjoyed by the whole family.
Communication channels
- Regional and national newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television.
- Match day activations, promotions, giveaways and competitionsfor interest and entertainment.
- In-store promotions.
- Sunfoil website to educate users on products and engage with fans.
Activities
- Press releases issued throughout each match withregular team and result updates.
- Sunfoil brand ambassadorsto mingle with fans, handing out caps, posters and autograph cards. Photographs taken of fans for posting on the Sunfoil website. Educate fans on the Sunfoil brand.
- On Match days a cameraman to spotlight fans wearing red Sunfoil caps on the stadium screen to win R500 gift vouchers and enter a draw to win signed cricket bats at each match.
- In-store promotions to give embankment and grandstand matchtickets with purchases of Sunfoil to boost stadium attendance in each region.
- Maximise Sunfoil branding opportunities at stadia for television coverage.
Complementary CSI activities
Start theSunfoil Education Fund. Donate R1000 for every four and R2000 for every six hit during the two test match series to the fund for bursaries to promising children in need coming through Sunfoil development cricket programmes.
The sponsorship campaign had the full support of Willowton management and open lines of communication between CSA facilitated a successful partnership.
Appendix C–Letter of endorsement from CSA.
- EXECUTION
- Regular press releases were distributed to all news media. Accredited media attended all games.
- Sunfoil gazebos were set up and Sunfoil brand ambassadors walkedwith and leaflets outlining the benefits of Sunfoilproducts. They photographed fans wearing Sunfoil caps.
- A cameraman linked to the stadium screen zoomed in on fans wearing red Sunfoil caps whowonR500 gift vouchers. All winners’ names went into a draw to win three cricket bats signed by Proteas on the last match day.
- Photos of fans and winners were posted on the Sunfoil website.
- 5000 tickets were given away in supermarkets for Sunfoil purchases in each region.
- All stadia were well branded with Sunfoil elements at matches for TV broadcast.
Stadia Branding
Complementary CSI activities
The Sunfoil Education Fund was formed to providebursaries for disadvantaged participants in Sunfoil development cricket programmes. Cricketers from both Test sides were encouraged to hit as many fours and sixes as possible to boost the fund.
Difficulties encountered
The campaign was controversial for cricket – it was unusual for an FMCG brand to sponsor a national sporting team.Also Sunfoil was relatively unknownnationally and, initially, consumers needed to understand the size of the brand involved; the sponsorship was expected to start the conversation: “What is Sunfoil?”
There were tight timelines and short turnaround times for most media activities, putting pressure on the PR and marketing team.
EVALUATION
Over the 2011/2012 cricket season the Sunfoil brand grew from an annual turnover of
R580 million to R1.07billion, with sales increasing by 81% in nine months. Much of this growth was in the target areas of Gauteng and the Cape.
Appendix D-Schedule of sales
(As agreed with Susan Richardson, the information marked in red will not be released to anyone besides the judges. This information is to be kept confidential)
Assuming that increased sales also meant increased brand awareness – the man in the street knew what Sunfoil stood for and showed his support by purchasing the brand.
Stadiaat all matches were filled with family supporters who experienced intensive exposure to the Sunfoil brand. Ticketpros logged 162459 attending Test matches.
Their receptiveness to Sunfoil promotionson match days was evidenced by a constant stream of people approaching the brand ambassadors or visiting the Sunfoil gazebos. SABC 3 and Supersport advise audience attendance at Proteas matches to be 2 498 014. An additional 17 625 523 viewers enjoyed the match on television.
Appendix E - Slide showing SABC3 & Supersport viewership.
Appendix F - Schedule of Event Attendance compiled by Ticketpros.
R700 000 was raised for the Sunfoil Education Fund, enabling thirteen bursaries to be awarded to deserving primary and high school learners.
The sponsorship resulted in the Sunfoil brand becoming a major talking point throughout the cricket season.
Evidence – media coverage
- Freepublicity with an AVE of R73 110 095.70 million was generated.
The value of exposure relating to Sunfoil branded elements for TV broadcast measured by Repucom was R9, 38 million. 100% Media equivalency value totalsR 33 761 260
- Sunfoil was rated as the top cricket brand for 2011/2012 via the Repucom RBA media value ratings.
See Appendix B - Table reflecting Top 10 cricket brands
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