News

New Central Harbourfront Set to Stage Six Day Festival of Music and Sport Hong Kong sports fans and music lovers received a huge boost today following the announcement by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) of the new HK Fan Zone that will provide a week of sport and entertainment at the New Central Harbourfront during the week leading up to the world famous Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. Hong Kong, March 3 2014 - Hong Kong sports fans and ... read more

Alan Pascoe, the former Olympic silver medallist and Vice Chairman of London’s successful 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Bid, is stepping down from his role as President of CSM – the leading sports and entertainment marketing agency, it was announced today. Pascoe is generally acknowledged across the business as the pioneer of sports marketing in the UK and went on to create 2 world leading Agencies APi, then CSM. He moved into events and consulting after a successful career on the track as a ... read more

Premiership Rugby is delighted to announce Green Flag will become one of its official sponsors for the next two seasons. The partnership will help the national breakdown provider raise awareness of its strength in local conurbations by delivering local on-the-ground initiatives at all 12 Premiership Rugby clubs. As part of the sponsorship deal, Green Flag will engage rugby fans through free motor 'health-checks' in club car parks, to help fans reduce the risk of breaking down. Free travel ... read more

Golf fans will be able to get closer to the action than ever before at the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup with the launch of its new online platforms, including new Twitter and Facebook pages and a revamped website at europeantour.com. The Junior Ryder Cup will take place at Blairgowrie Golf Club in Scotland from September 22-23, providing the prelude to the main event at Gleneagles Hotel from September 25-28. For the first time, fans of the junior event will be able to keep up to date with all the ... read more

• Official Sports Nutrition Partner of Giro d’Italia for 2014 and 2015 events • Multipower Sportsfood increases involvement in cycling to include Milano-SanRemo and Giro di Lombardia road race classics, Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and Roma Maxima Europe’s number one sports nutrition company, Atlantic Multipower has announced the extension of its exclusive partnership with the iconic Giro d’Italia following the company’s successful sponsorship last year. Multipower Sportsfood will remain ... read more

Hammerson, the owner of some of the UK’s best known shopping centres, is launching a nationwide sustainability roadshow called The Big Positive Weekend. Aiming to reach 2 million customers and inspire 200,000 positive pledges, The Big Positive Weekend celebrates the great things people and brands are doing for our communities and our environment. The roadshow is designed to leave visitors inspired and motivated to take small actions that add up to a big positive impact. The first road show of ... read more

Havas Sports & Entertainment (HS&E), the global brand engagement network of Havas, has bolstered its French office with two new senior hires: Jérémy Guesnon as Head of New Business and Thibaut Thouzery as Head of Creativity. Jérémy Guesnon has been appointed Head of New Business and in this role he will be in charge of new business development, leading a team of five people. Jérémy began his career at Alliance Group as a Communications Officer, where he was responsible for Sponsorship ... read more

A new tournament, the NH Collection Open, will be played at La Reserva de Sotogrande Club de Golf in southern Spain from April 3-6, 2014. The €600,000 event will be dual-ranking, meaning the field will comprise players from The European Tour and the Challenge Tour, and prize money will count towards The Race to Dubai, the Challenge Tour Rankings and Ryder Cup qualification. The field will consist of 144 professionals, with four places being allocated to tournament invitations, four to Spanish ... read more

The 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will feature seven champions on its grid after Colin Turkington was named in an unchanged line-up at eBay Motors for the new season. Ulsterman Turkington will be joined by his 2013 team-mates Rob Collard and Nick Foster as the West Surrey Racing-run squad believes continuity is key in its quest to win the overall drivers’ and teams’ championships, as well as the Independents’ crowns. Turkington was a revelation last season in what was his ... read more

Integrated marketing agency Space is enhancing John Smith’s long-running association with horse racing through its ‘Smooth Favourite’ campaign, an on-trade initiative designed to give drinkers a chance to ‘buy one ticket and get one free’ at 28 jump and flat racecourses across the UK. John Smith’s Extra Smooth, HEINEKEN’s leading ale brand, is the nation’s number one ale. The brand enjoys strong ties with horse racing, stretching back more than 50 years. The ‘Smooth Favourite’ creative theme ... read more

Two Circles and Surrey County Cricket Club together won B2C Marketing Gold at the 2014 Data Strategy Awards powered by Marketing Week. The award recognised the success of the significant marketing campaign Surrey and Two Circles executed in the build-up to the 2013 Kia Oval Investec Ashes Test match. Making innovative use of customer data, a sophisticated multi-channel campaign simultaneously drove significant new membership acquisition, sell out of the Ashes tickets and directly incremental ... read more

Sports and entertainment agency, brandRapport, has been appointed by the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power motorsport festival to develop their commercial strategy and lead their communications campaign for the event in June 2014. The festival takes place every year in Malpas, Cheshire. brandRapport will now oversee the creation and implementation of a multifaceted PR campaign for the Pageant of Power, which brings together speed enthusiasts on land, water and in the air. The campaign will run ... read more

Space has been appointed by the UK’s number one dairy company Arla to handle below-the-line communications for chocolate milk brand Cocio as it launches in the UK. The agency secured the business following previous projects it has delivered for Arla. Space will be responsible for developing a programme of initiatives aimed at driving trial and growing brand awareness. Space will be tasked with interpreting the brand’s creative messaging for a UK audience. Gareth Turner, senior brand manager, ... read more

SweetSpot and British Cycling are delighted to confirm that The Tour of Britain will sit alongside some of professional cycling's most prestigious events, having been upgraded to HC status by the UCI for 2014 and beyond. Britain's national Tour, which has been organised and promoted by SweetSpot since 2004, has been awarded the 2.HC status by the world governing body, putting it on a par with major events such as the Tour of California, Tour of Qatar and Criterium International. The 2014 Tour ... read more

David Stubley, former Senior Executive of WPP, Fast Track & Channel Four, has been named Chairman of sport and entertainment agency, Generate. Stubley joins with immediate effect in a newly created role of Chairman to assist the board in the expansion of the business. He will be focused on growing the existing sponsorship, PR and events offering, evolving the IP and digital business plans, as well as the provision of strategic advice to existing clients. Founded in March 2003 by Rupert ... read more

HSBC, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations, has today reinforced its longstanding relationship with the Rugby Players’ Association by committing to a new three-year partnership. The new deal will see HSBC continue as the Official Banking Partner of the RPA as well as sponsoring the HSBC England Sevens Player of the Year Award at The RPA Computacenter Players’ Awards. HSBC has committed long term investment in Rugby around the world, sponsoring the IRB Sevens ... read more

• Sir Chris Hoy and Richard Whitehead MBE announced as Nissan ambassadors for Team GB & ParalympicsGB partnership • #UniteAndExcite campaign launched with a high impact Sir Chris Hoy film • Campaign to provide fans with exclusive behind the scenes content through to Rio 2016 Nissan, the Official Automotive Partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB, has today announced the signing of Olympic and Paralympic legends Sir Chris Hoy and Richard Whitehead MBE who will help mentor a new generation of ... read more

Sports and entertainment agency, brandRapport, has been appointed by the international and prestigious CCI 4 star eventing competition, Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, to manage its communications. Following a competitive pitch process, brandRapport will now oversee the creation and implementation of a year-round PR campaign to help drive engagement and awareness for Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. brandRapport will also be responsible for managing the media operations at this year’s event, ... read more

Discovery Communications has agreed with France's TF1 Group to raise its stake in pan-European sports network Eurosport International from 20% to 51%, in a deal that values the international sports networks business at about $1.2 billion. Discovery secured its initial stake for $222 million in December 2012, with an option to take a controlling stake in Eurosport in late 2014, however the companies have now accelerated the agreement. Under the terms of the new deal, TF1 - which was the ... read more

 Sports & automotive specialist adds non-exec director  Role to support sports and international growth Former Jaguar Global Sponsorships & Brand Partners Director, Jaguar UK Managing Director and CFO for Premier Automotive Group North America, Geoff Cousins, has joined sports and automotive specialist, Performance Communications as a Non-Executive Director. Cousins’ industry experience is uniquely aligned to the agency’s two areas of specialism, having overseen the development of ... read more

After the success of last year’s partnership, Digital Unite has announced that Carphone Warehouse will again act as Headline Partner for Spring Online, one of the UK’s leading digital inclusion campaigns which will run from 31st March – 4th April 2014. Around 7 million people across the UK have never used the internet, of which just over 6 million are aged over 55 years. Many more can’t do basic online tasks such as send an email or browse the web. Since 2002, Digital Unite’s Spring Online ... read more

Over 100 businesses attended the launch of a brand new corporate cycling challenge, Project V in Canary Wharf, London yesterday. Hosted by Sky Sports Formula 1 presenter, Natalie Pinkham along with the Head Coach of the British Cycling track programme, Shane Sutton OBE, the event took place at Level 39, One Canada Square. Developed by engagement agency, Limelight Sports, Project V is a corporate team cycling challenge with the inaugural event staged in London with up to 40 teams ... read more

brandmeetsbrand are thrilled to announce a new roster of clients for 2014. They include the The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Hampstead Theatre, International Wine and Spirits Competition and the Doggett’s Coat and Badge race. In addition to new clients for the New Year, brandmeetsbrand have also been shortlisted for two ESA Excellence Awards. Karen Morris, Managing Director of brandmeetsbrand said: “We are delighted to have secured a variety of new business for the company ranging from ... read more

Henrik Stenson’s stunning approach to the final hole of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai has been voted by fans as The European Tour Shot of the Year for 2013. The Swede’s majestic three wood to the 18th green on the final day of the 2013 season at the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates was the runaway winner in the 2013 Shot of the Year competition, polling a massive 62.63 per cent of the votes cast through europeantour.com, with Justin Rose’s magnificent approach to the 72nd hole of ... read more

Space is celebrating after winning gold at the MAAW Globes Awards – the scheme that recognises the ‘best of the best’ in marketing campaigns – with winners for 2013 announced today. The agency was awarded gold in the Alcoholic Beverages category for its ‘The Bulmers Way’ campaign for HEINEKEN UK. ‘The Bulmers Way’ was an integrated national campaign implemented across 10,000 on-trade outlets and major grocers through POS kits, digital and sampling. It featured an innovative augmented reality ... read more

brandRapport Sport and Entertainment has made two new senior appointments effective from the beginning of the year, with Alex Hennessy and Peter Watkins both joining the agency as Account Directors. Hennessy will be responsible for leading the Samsung/Chelsea FC Global Hospitality & Events programme and Watkins will oversee the LV= sponsorship portfolio which includes the LV= Cup, Harlequins RFC and the ECB County Cricket partnership. Prior to joining brandRapport, Hennessy was at the ... read more

South African Louis Oosthuizen came out on top in his battle with compatriot Branden Grace to successfully defend his title in the Volvo Golf Champions at Durban Country Club. Oosthuizen trailed by one shot going into the final two holes but birdied them both to finish one shot clear of 2012 winner Grace, as he once again started the new year by winning the European Tour’s ‘tournament of champions’, following his victory by the same margin 12 months ago. Grace had carded a closing 68 in the ... read more

Papa John’s and Sky Bet are giving football fans across the country the chance to make their dreams come true with the launch of Sign For Your Club. Supporters have the opportunity to become an official squad member – complete with club press conference to sign their contract and a Matchday presentation where they will be unveiled to the fans. Sports Marketing Agency SportQuake have created and delivered the promotion with Papa John’s and Sky Bet. To be in with a chance of joining their heroes ... read more

brandRapport Sport and Entertainment has today announced the appointment of Alex Goddard to lead the agency’s new digital and social media division, having taken the decision to move its digital offering in-house. Goddard joins brandRapport from Clash Music and has a breadth of experience across digital planning and strategy, content creation and brand partnerships. Whilst at Clash Music he led the development of the publication’s overall digital content strategy, including the launch of their ... read more