Emotion above all else... that's the extra something that every major sporting event has to offer. Watching a tennis match at Roland-Garros, a stage in the Tour de France, or a football or rugby match at the Stade de France live is a thrill that leaves a lasting impression. With this in mind, companies have turned sporting events into excellent communication vehicles, whether through sponsorship or incentive trips. Guests, whether customers or employees, who are lucky enough to attend these international events are no longer passive spectators behind their television screens. They 'live' the competition and subconsciously take ownership of the sporting event. "Sport brings people together to share great moments and encourages exchanges between enthusiasts. Experiencing the BNP Paribas Masters live at Bercy will remain engraved in our memories forever.It's not just about sports," says Gilles Lorin de Reure, director of Bibaïsport, a consultancy specialising in communications through sport.
In France, the range of services is very wide and is set to grow even further with the forthcoming hosting of Euro 2016 football and, in 2018, the organisation of the famous Ryder Cup at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines national golf course. Of course, offering VIP tickets to privileged people is all very well... but it's not enough to make a success of an operation. To stand out from the average spectator who also has access to the ticket office, the company needs to go further and give its guests a unique experience. "She can invite them to training sessions and give them a behind-the-scenes tour of the site.says Gilles Lorin de Reure. Then, over a convivial meal, it can call on well-known sportsmen and women to comment on the event."In the VIP tent in the Roland Garros "village", guests can meet the world's best players every day. Sometimes, exceptionally, the luckiest ones will even be able to swap a few balls with these universally recognised professionals. In rugby and football, gourmet lunches and dinners are part of the pre-match festivities before the privileged spectators make their way to the stands, where the best seats are reserved. The same goes for motor racing, with exclusive access to the paddocks.
Sports facilities all have a wide range of offers dedicated to businesses: Premium ticketing, private boxes, meetings with one or more top sportsmen and women, behind-the-scenes tours, etc. These services are provided either directly by the sports federations or via approved events agencies such as Quaterback, one of the official hospitality agencies for the Stade de France and also responsible for public relations for the French tennis federation. "We also market the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at the Longchamp racecourse for France Galop. It's the world championship for thoroughbreds!"says Muriel Perret, head of the hospitality department.
For all budgets
According to the manager, any company, whatever its size, can organise a motivational operation using a sporting event. "We have proposals to suit all budgets, with the price of services for the Roland Garros tournament varying according to the day. The first few days, which are less popular than the finals, are the busiest. They also offer the best atmosphere."says Muriel Perret. However, Peio Dubarbier, President of Deal4Event, knows how to find solutions for companies that decide at the last minute. "We provide them with flexibility and responsiveness"he explains. His agency is a sort of online platform for distributing VIP sports offers. It responds to all customer requests, taking into account their objectives and planning requirements. "As generalists with expertise in sport, we are able to find last-minute tickets at attractive prices for a given event. But beyond ticketing, we can also advise a company and help it organise its incentive."says Peio Dubarbier. For example, at the start of the Route du Rhum last year, Deal4Event enabled a company in the IT sector to follow the competition as closely as possible by taking guests on board a boat.
Being an integral part of an event reinforces the feeling of exception, which reflects on the image of the inviting company. But that's not the only strength of VIP incentives. From a business point of view, these events are also highly productive. As Barbara Martins-Nio, head of the recently created sports department at the international agency MCI, confirms: "The guests are in a good position to do business.I've seen contracts signed at dinners after sporting events. Being immersed in a friendly, emotional environment, far removed from the work atmosphere, breaks down professional barriers. People are relaxed, free-spirited and willing to listen. Bonds are forged and situations unblocked."The agency decided to position itself in sports niches such as the World Equestrian Games, which took place this summer in Normandy. "We tended to target international companies with high purchasing power, says Barbara Martins-Nio. Bookings were not by the day, but by the week."On site, the package included privileged seats, quality catering in a place adjoining the VIP stands with a direct view of the course. This meant that guests were able to enjoy all the action without missing a beat, while also benefiting from the regular presence of the riders who came to share their emotions, as well as a speaker who commented on the events and drew parallels with the day-to-day life of companies.
Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the sports department of the Amaury press group (L'Équipe, Le Parisien...), is no stranger to major sporting events, organising some fifty events in over 20 countries each year. "We are present in three major sporting areas: cycling, with famous races such as the Tour de France, the Paris-Roubaix and the Vuelta in Spain; motor sports, with the emblematic Paris-Dakar; and mass events such as the Paris Marathon and Half-Marathon."says Robert Leroux, commercial manager of the hospitality department. ASO is also in charge of the Tour de France sailing race and two renowned competitions held at the Saint-Quentin en Yvelines national golf course: the Alstom Open de France and the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
"Our services go far beyond a simple VIP presence at an event, because the company can also be a real participant! On the Tour de France cycle race, for example, we develop 'insides', i.e. groups of 10 to 15 people who are fully equipped and briefed by us before doing part of the stage."Last summer, a group from the United States climbed a few kilometres of the Col du Tourmalet, filmed by a film crew. A bus then picked them up, and in the afternoon they all saw the riders pass in front of their eyes and tackle the fearsome climb. Also on the Tour de France, a small, very privileged group had access to the paddocks, before following the stage from a helicopter, then joining the caravan at the finish. "In 2015, I'd like to take incentive groups across the finish line of the Tour de France on the Champs Elysées."hopes Robert Leroux.
With running also becoming increasingly popular, companies can enter their own teams in running events. For example, at the last Paris Marathon, 300 participants in an incentive operation actually ran the event. The event was carefully prepared by the company throughout the year, with a plan to support the runners well in advance, monitoring them throughout the competition and then broadcasting their exploits internally. Here again, ASO deploys its media arsenal to offer tailor-made packages with, for example, a photo report produced throughout the marathon.
Easy to do, unifying and non-polluting, running appeals to companies. "It's extremely rewarding to take part in such a high-profile event"says Élisabeth Bussenault, Director of Your Events Production: "but it's even more exciting to have your own event!"The agency has been organising the GDF Suez Raid since 2011. For four days, almost 2,000 of the company's employees compete in three outdoor disciplines: running, mountain biking and canoeing. Internally, this competition is eagerly awaited and meticulously prepared from one year to the next. For non-participants, there is even a daily live broadcast. "Renowned sportsmen and women such as sailor Jean-Sébastien Régue come to share their experiences and some even take part in the events."she continues.
Running with a purpose
Accessible to all, a major race can also serve a good cause, as Gilles Lorin de Reure notes: "an order to motivate its employees, a company can not only support them from start to finish so that they take part in the competition in the best possible conditions, but also ask them to run for charity. For example, for every kilometre covered in the New York Marathon, one euro will be donated to charity.".
However, while sport is an excellent vehicle for communication and motivation, it is important that companies do not choose the wrong event, as Yves Bruno, Chairman and founder of the Aéreau agency, points out: "sometimes the choice of a sporting event is made solely by the decision-maker. I remember a manufacturer who invited around twenty people to the French Open: warehousemen, surface technicians, drivers... 40 % didn't come!"At €800 per person, including tickets and VIP services, the return on investment was a failure!
Yet using major sporting events to good effect remains an effective tool. The benefits are doubled if a renowned athlete comes to host a meeting and draws a parallel between his or her performances and corporate management. This is the case with former Olympic freestyle skiing champion Edgar Grospiron, who has set up his own consulting agency. In his speeches, he explains that he owes his success to teamwork, that on his own he would never have achieved such results. Similarly, when rugby player Guy Novès, coach of Stade Toulousain, takes part in an in-house match, then goes on to commentate on a match in the Six Nations Tournament, the incentive takes off. Of course, this type of intervention comes at a cost, which generally varies between €3,000 and €15,000, or even more, depending on the sportsman's reputation.
Sport is a powerful communication tool. In some cases, it can even be used to support employees in their quest for well-being. Some major groups are using it as a communications lever. Nestlé Waters, for example, has been involved in partnerships with the world of sport for many years, in particular with Roland Garros, the Tour de France and the Paris Marathon. But Michelin is the world's oldest sports patron: in Clermont-Ferrand, the Marcel Michelin stadium has existed for over 100 years! So it's no surprise that in 2011, to celebrate the centenary of the Association Sportive Monferrandaise, the manufacturer is organising the first international 'sport and business' convention.
Claire Dorland Clauzel, Director of Communications and Brands and a member of the Group's Executive Board, took the opportunity to underline the importance of the Group's brands.that in team sport, it is crucial to know how to reconcile individuality and team spirit if victory is to be achieved. The parallel with management is obvious: every manager has a diverse team, and his role, like that of a coach, is to know how to deal with the qualities and weaknesses of each individual to form a winning team."There is no doubt that companies can use major sporting events to stimulate their employees, build customer loyalty and create partnerships. The success of these two worlds, at first sight opposites, is often based on shared values. "Sport seeks out fear in order to dominate it, fatigue in order to triumph over it, and difficulty in order to overcome it."said Pierre de Coubertin. In a way, that's what every manager asks of his employees!
