Niki Pembroke, Head of Travel solutions at Inspire, considers whether linking sporting events with sales promotion can drive sales.
Marketers and Sales Managers face huge challenges in the new decade to help their campaigns stand out and deliver measurable results.
Defining demographics to target a new product or service, has become more fragmented. No longer is it the case to choose who to target, by age, life stage, gender, income or location. Buyer personas, like mindedness, buying habits and interests, have become the best way to identify suitable target markets.
Have we peaked? All marketing channels, from traditional advertising to social media and influencing, seemed to be saturated. Time poor people are flicking through social media feeds and TV channels to quickly get to what they want to watch or read. Often adverts or business social media posts are simply bypassed. And that’s before the social network algorithms choose whether to show a post on your followers’ feeds.
So marketers need something refreshing, inspiring and attention grabbing.
Sports support is the ultimate tribalism, no matter what the age, gender, or income, the common interest and bind is the sport.
I therefore believe that combining travel and sport themed campaigns can be the proverbial catnip for sales promotion. Major sporting events excite and generate current relevant coverage, across all media. What could better captivate a target buyer persona group than sport?
Kick off a sales campaign with football inspired travel promotions
This year Euro 2020 takes place in 12 cities across 12 countries, including massively popular city break destinations like Rome, Dublin, Budapest, Munich and Amsterdam. Other cities such as Bilbao, Copenhagen and Bucharest offer refreshing, culturally important alternatives, tying in to the under-tourism trend. All are relatively easy to reach from the UK and connected via low cost airlines, so offer a cost-effective option for a mass market campaign.
Put sales promotion in pole position with motor sports related travel
For motor sports enthusiasts, the 2020 Formula 1 calendar takes in some amazing long-haul destinations. Vietnam, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Abu Dhabi are all fantastic destinations to offer in promotions. Even once the thrill of the race has passed, these destinations offer year-round, aspirational appeal.
Find a hidden gem destination on a golf related promotion
The 2020 Ryder Cup is being hosted in Wisconsin, USA. Aside from world class golf courses, did you know that the state capital Milwaukee is where Harley Davidson motorcycles was founded? Or that the state is home to mountains, forests and national parks? Perfect in the summer for hiking and winter for snow sports. The coverage for this hidden gem during the Ryder Cup will surely reveal this amazing state to a wider audience.
Gold medal standard sales promotions, inspired by the Olympics
The 2020 sporting calendar would not be complete without the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Japan, affectionately known as ‘the land of the rising sun’ and offers everything from frenetic city life to peaceful countryside retreats, experiencing ancient traditions. Visiting Japan is an aspiration for many Olympic fans and therefore could be a spectacular addition to a campaign.
Tying major sporting events to campaigns can drive an affinity to a buying group or personality type. Have a chat with Niki Pembroke on 0161 440 6600 or niki.pembroke@inspireemail.co.uk today about the best travel incentive option for your strategic business objectives.
