SMG Sports brokers deal between Revlon and UK Athletics
January 2010
SMG Sports, the new media-led sponsorship consultancy formed in joint venture between Starcom MediaVest Group UK and Sports Insight, has brokered a deal between Revlon and UK Athletics. The three-year agreement sees Revlon's Mitchum Endurance Anti-Perspirant and Deodorant become an official sponsor of UKA and The Aviva GB & NI Athletics team.
The sponsorship coincides with the launch of Mitchum Endurance Sport for Men into the UK market. SMG Sports has devised an integrated media plan for Mitchum Endurance, with the athletics sponsorship sitting at the centre of the brand's marketing for the next three years. It will play a central role in Revlon’s strategy for the brand, which is positioned as a high-performance anti-perspirant, targeting serious athletes.
The communications plan begins this month when UKA holds its first indoor athletics event of the season, the Aviva International Match in Glasgow. The indoor season comprises three events, followed by three outdoor meets from June to August
SMG Sports was launched in July 2009, combining high-level media intelligence and communications planning with sports marketing expertise. Its six-strong team is headed jointly by former Manchester United business development manager, Vange Kourentis and Starcom MediaVest Group Director, Elliot Parkus.
"We aim to ensure that sports sponsorship sits as part of an integrated communications plan rather than in isolation," said Kourentis. "This is the first example of that vision in practice. Unlike many sports sponsorship deals, this is not a badging exercise."
Parkus addsed: "We established SMG Sports expecting increasing demand for complex and highly integrated sports media campaigns. We aim to add real value in this under-developed area of media, and this shows us delivering on that promise."
Commenting on how the sponsorship will help UKA aid athletes, Charles Van Commenee, UKA Head Coach, said: "The partnership is a perfect fit for our athletes who will benefit immeasurably from Mitchum’s continuing sponsorship and support, allowing them to achieve their performance goals as they prepare for London 2012."