TURKISH BEER brand Efes Pilsener has extended its global sponsorship agreement with basketball’s Euroleague for another three-year term.
The agreement covers the regular season, the Top 16, playoffs and Euroleague Basketball Final Four, which tipped off today at the Istanbul Sinan Erdem Dome.
The deal, valued by Frontloaded at under $1 million per year, is a “very good one” for the Anadolu Efes Beer Group, says Bettina Kuperman, CEO of the London and Istanbul-based agency Impact34.
“Anadolu Efes is already the name sponsors of a top Turkish basketball team which regularly plays in the Euroleague," Kuperman told Frontloaded. “Sponsoring the Euroleague ensures them exposure even if Anadolu Efes doesn’t qualify and aligns them with top European basketball which is good for their brand.
“Furthermore, the countries that are usually participating in and strongly following the Euroleague are the main target markets for Efes such as Russia, South East Europe and Turkey.”
Another factor that may have influenced its strategy, she says, is that marketing of alcoholic beverages through sports is not allowed in Turkey, which forced Efes to change the name and marketing strategy for their team in the Turkish Basketball league. The Euroleague sponsorship, however, does allow for Efes to promote its beer.
“Lastly, with Turkish Airlines as the title sponsor and Efes as a main sponsor of the Euroleague and home appliance giant Beko sponsoring four of the top leagues in European basketball, Turkey is making its mark as a top basketball nation in the world both in terms of sports results and commercial success,” Kuperman said.
By Matthew Glendinning
Follow Matthew on Twitter: @mattglen