CAMPAIGNS: Sponsorship PR - Motty link-up aids Premier League deal

Client: Barclaycard

PR Team: Lexis PR

Campaign: News creation for Barclaycard Premiership

Timescale: October

Budget: Undisclosed

Barclaycard took over sponsorship of football's FA Premier League from

Carling this year and appointed Lexis to handle PR on a brief designed

to establish the brand as central to the public's perception of

football.

Objectives

To establish and help to 'validate' Barclaycard as the new title sponsor

of the FA Premiership, showing that it understands and supports the

game's fabric.

Strategy and Plan

Lexis believed a light-hearted news story could be used to place

Barclaycard firmly in the minds of football fans. The concept would

involve an integral part of the game, but would not favour or criticise

a specific team or player in order to avoid alienating fans.

As a result, the nation was soon to discover that the BBC's John Motson

had the perfect voice for football commentary.

Using a technique called voice profile analysis, validated by a speech

therapist and a clinical psychologist, and backed up by an Omnibus

Survey of football fans, Lexis claimed to prove that 'Motty' was

Britain's best-voiced commentator.

The story was positioned as part of Barclaycard's ongoing research into

the fabric of the game, and was deliberately released during the week

preceding the England vs Greece game at Old Trafford, broadcast by the

BBC, when, coincidentally, Motson was celebrating 30 years as a

commentator.

Measurement and Evaluation

Branded coverage appeared in five national and four regional newspapers,

plus on eight radio stations, as well as on 12 online news media.

Unbranded coverage appeared in a further three nationals, on four TV

stations, seven radio stations and six online media.

Results

Barclaycard has successfully replaced Carling as Premiership sponsors in

the mind of the footballing public.