Travel & Tourism
Features
Romeo y Julio. Football, Passion and Love – Uber & Sevilla/Real Betis
Uber leveraged its partnerships with the two Seville football clubs with a digital video-led campaign that promoted respect in the rivalry around the April 2019 derby.
Loudest Cheer Trophy Tour – Aeroflot & Fiba
To leverage its sponsorship of the 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup in China, Aeroflot activated its status as presenting partner of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Trophy Tour via a multi-strand campaign that included a collective video, app, social, pop-ups and a ticket contest.
Treningday – Trenitalia & Bologna FC 1909
In late June 2020, Bologna sponsor Trenitalia marked the end of Italy’s strict coronavirus lockdown with a campaign linking the restart of its ‘Frecciarossa’ high speed train services and the restart of Serie A.
We Choose to Rise – Etihad & Special Olympics
Ahead of the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, Etihad launched a campaign spanning television, cinema, online and at-event promotion to link the brand to the property’s values of tolerance, diversity and unity.
Nobody Does Sevens Like Hong Kong – Cathay Pacific & the Hong Kong Rugby Union
The Sevens’ co-title partner activated its rights in 2019 with a domestic focus: build local support for brand and event by making the Sevens and the city inseparable.
Unity in Passion/#WalkOnAnfieldMH – Malaysia Airlines & Liverpool FC
The stand-out activation in Malaysia Airlines' three-season partnership with Liverpool was a spring 2018 contest that incentivised fans to create and share their unique Liverpool cheers.
Gaming Safety Video – Delta Airlines & Chelsea FC
In 2016-17, Delta leveraged its Chelsea partnership to refresh its in-flight safety video with an animated film featuring stars Willian, Gary Cahill and César Azpilicueta.
Team Talk Safety Film – Qatar Airways & AS Roma, Bayern Munich and Fifa
At the start of December 2019, Qatar Airlines leveraged its sponsorships with AS Roma, FC Bayern Munich and Fifa with an in-flight safety video based around a fictional pre-match team-talk.
Air All Blacks – Air New Zealand & New Zealand Rugby
Ahead of the All Blacks making the trip to Japan for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Air New Zealand dropped a ‘safety video’ and support-building marketing campaign.
On-Pitch Safety Demonstration – Emirates & Hamburger SV
In 2016, Emirates leveraged its Hamburg shirt sponsorship with an on-pitch ‘safety demonstration’ that became a social media video phenomenon.
Fly Better – Emirates & AC Milan
Emirates unveiled its ‘Fly Better’ brand promise in October-November 2018, with a launch phase led by the airline’s sports sponsorship portfolio and culminating with AC Milan’s home game against Juventus.
Yellow & Green Dream Tour – Visit Tampa Bay & Norwich City
Norwich City’s partnership with Visit Tampa Bay seeks to strengthen the proposition of Tampa Bay as a destination for UK holidaymakers.
Clarity Sports hopes to ‘rekindle’ Thomas Cook Sport partnerships
Clarity, the business travel company that has taken on almost the entire staff of the defunct Thomas Cook Sport, is keen to restore the latter’s sponsorships with leading sports properties in the UK.
Freestyle World Tour – Etihad Airways & Manchester City
Manchester City shirt and stadium sponsor Etihad worked with the club to create a global skills challenge – running from November 2018 and finishing in June 2019 – based around a seven-stop football freestyler tour of key airline destinations.
UFC renews with AirAsia, signs with PokerStars, Motel 6, LiteCoin, Kraft Heinz
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has inked one renewal and four new partnerships since December last year, raising at least $6m (€5.3m) in sponsorship revenue.
Last-minute Expedia deal completes Champions League line-up
Expedia becomes Official Travel Partner of the Champions League for next three seasons
The deal will be used as a platform for the Expedia and Hotels
AirAsia: UFC deal targets Chinese and Australian markets
Low-cost airline AirAsia has signed sponsorship deals with leading mixed martial arts and surfing organisations to help grow the brand in important Asia-Pacific markets such as China and Australia
AirAsia deal adds to UFC’s presence in Asia-Pacific
The Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts organisation plans to host five events in Asia and Australia in 2018 as it consolidates its presence in Asia-Pacific and creates more assets for its expanding regional sponsorship roster.
Sponsorship in the airlines sector, 2017-2018
Dubai-based Emirates is the biggest sponsor in the airlines sector by total spend, biggest deal, number of deals and geographic coverage, according to research by Sports Sponsorship Insider into the airlines sector.
Qatar Airways makes first Formula E deal
Flag carrier Qatar Airways this month became the latest major company to sign a deal with Formula E – having decided that the series has reached critical mass and good level of credibility – as the brand bolsters its portfolio ahead of the end of its Barcelona shirt deal.
Emirates boost for WorldTour team’s top three ambitions
Dubai-based airline Emirates has made its first sponsorship investment in professional cycling by signing a four-year deal as co-title sponsor of the WorldTour cycling team formerly known as Lampre-Merida.
Sponsorship in the airline sector, 2016-17
For 2016-17, we have researched 346 deals, including 70 deal values, across 44 major airlines to map out the sponsorship landscape in the airline sector.
Video interview with Marshall Osborne, Uber’s head of sports partnerships
Last year, Sports Sponsorship Insider caught up with Marshall Osborne, Uber’s head of sports partnerships, for an informal video interview at the Sport Business Summit in London.
Uber: Major league ambitions with city sports teams
App-based taxi network Uber is consolidating its presence in sport by moving from single season to multi-year sponsorship deals with major US sports franchises and planning new deals with European sports partners.