Rio Ferdinand, Sports Direct and FIVE Collaboration Launch Event
Who are they?
Rio Ferdinand is an English former professional centre-back footballer and is now a TV pundit for BT Sport. Sports Direct International plc was established by Mike Ashley and is the UK's largest sports-goods retailer and operates 670 stores worldwide. FIVE is Rio Ferdinand's clothing line, named FIVE after his shirt number that he played in football.
What did we set ourselves to do to promote a new sports label
Raise awareness and create a buzz surrounding the launch event of clothing line and new sports label 'FIVE', the collaboration between legendary footballer Rio Ferdinand and the UK's leading sports retailer Sports Direct.
Strategy in launch events to promote a new sports label
Goals are crucial in forming the foundation to strategies and the objectives will determine how you will measure the success, i.e., attendees, revenue, sales pipeline created, satisfaction, motivation, increase in followers.
Consider why the event is happening. What is the reason for it? It could be have many purposes: launch a product, refresh a brand, revamp a reputation, generate sales, increase awareness, drive activity, celebrate milestones, motivate staff, educate, generate leads - there are so many reasons to hold an event and the rewards are immense, when executed properly.
Our plan involved curating an extremely successful launch event to promote a new sports label that painted FIVE, Rio Ferdinand and Sports Direct in the best light possible. This meant inviting high profile guests, journalists and celebrities to a pre-event in order to raise excitement about the event and to ensure their attendance.
So, we created and sent out a bespoke and engaging press release to all relevant media outlets about Rio Ferdinand's new sports label FIVE. Providing press with the correct messaging that is in line with brand identity is important and especially with launches, as what is written now is important to engage the right audiences from the beginning and moving forward.
As well as managing the front-of-house at the event, we worked closely in cohesion with Sports Direct. Clear, consistent communication is vital to a smooth running and successful launch event.
Documenting the event to reflect all the positive aspects is essential and can often get overlooked and if not done professionally, can be disappointing, post-event. What you would hope to further publish on social media or on your website could be insufficient, despite what you think at the time. For Rio Ferdinand's new sports label promotion event, we sourced and directed a photographer in order to produce high quality imagery. It is always good to have a professional photographer onboard whose sole purpose is to document the event occasion.
A target for guest attendance is always formed in the PR strategy and guest attendance at the FIVE launch party was exceeded. It was a huge success.
Through experience, when we build the strategy, we will know what media landscape we will target. Our press releases will reach all of the appropriate targets through digital, print, TV/broadcast networks, individual editors and journalists, luxury publications, portals, forums, bloggers, vloggers, financial and news portals, websites, social media networks and specific titles (this event included sport titles, of course).
Here, to promote a new sports label and put Rio, FIVE and SD at the top of people's minds, we secured fantastic coverage all across the national and regional press, magazines, social media platforms and The Sun, The Daily Mirror, Metro, OK! and more.
What can be achieved when you use the most effective PR campaign to promote a new sports label
High profile celebrities and VIPs attended and supported the event, including Rio Ferdinand, Kate Wright, Ian Wright, Not3s, Keiran Richardson, Adebayo Akinfenwa, etc.
Collaborating with high profile, inspirational and influencing people can be hugely successful with elevation strategies in enhancing corporate brand excellence going forward.
Done well, by well-executed plans, promote a new sports label campaigns attract a huge increase in traffic to businesses but also great investors and attractive prospective employees. Businesses grow tenfold, internally as well as externally.
It is vital with already established and trusted brands that you consistently engage with interested parties and demonstrate the core values of your company and projections for performance in the future. PR can help to further reach and reformulate the aims and targets of a new service, product and your all important brand.
Having a great PR team (that is transparent, realistic and honest) on board is essential for your business growth and once they start telling your story the right way, not only will you attract even more new audiences but also attractive employees, happy shareholders and investment.
There is so much that a PR Campaign can do to promote new sports label and creating buzz, excitement and attention about your amazing collaborations and businesses will just be the start of it.