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Essay, 10 pages (2000 words)

Manchester pride and durex sponsorship deal marketing essay

This essay will critically analyse and investigate the commercial benefits of a proposal for a 3 year sponsorship deal between Manchester Pride and Durex, presenting a strong argument justifying the company’s investment by highlighting core business returns; this is supported by reference to relevant literature. A brief description of the event and the proposed sponsor will demonstrate the clear match between both parties’ aims and objectives. The essay will go on to provide the detail of how Durex can communicate its message to consumers by way of the event. The commercial benefits in terms of the company’s broad, social and corporate aims, marketing opportunities and product awareness will be analysed.

Manchester Pride is an annual Gay Pride celebration held in the city of Manchester. It is one of the longest running in the country and attracts thousands of visitors to the city’s Gay Village, which centres around Canal Street. The festival kick-starts on 20th August and runs for 10 full days, beginning with the Pride Fringe – a creative complement to the party-hard Big Weekend, with more than 40 arts, theatre and cinema events running until 26th August. The Big Weekend takes over for four full days (Friday 27 – Monday 30 August) of music and entertainment which features the ever-popular Manchester Pride Parade, which then closes with the HIV Candlelit Vigil. The Objects of Manchester Pride are to promote equality and diversity for the public benefit and in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and recently to develop the capabilities of the annual LGBT festival as a fundraising event for HIV / AIDS and LGTB charities and organisations in Greater Manchester (charity commission, 2010). The event has become increasingly commercial, with a one-day village admission fee of £15 in 2010. Although the event is focused around the LGBT community, it’s open for anyone to attend.

A suitable official sponsor for this event would be Durex. Durability, reliability and excellence. These are the key attributes which have made Durex (the name is a combination of the core brand traits) the world’s No. 1 condom manufacturer (Reference). More than four billion condoms are sold every year and Durex accounts for around 30 percent of this global market. The company is a market leader in more than 40 countries. With a long legacy of investment in marketing, research and development, the company is now recognised internationally as the premium condom brand. The Durex brand is credited with many developments in the condom’s modern evolution. These include the first lubricated condom, the first anatomically shaped condom and, more recently, the world’s first non-latex condom. Durex also works with healthcare professionals, governments and organisations including the World Health Organisation, UNAIDS and United Nations Population Fund in promoting good sexual health and the importance of consistent condom use to prevent HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) (Reference Durex Story).

The first reason why Durex is a suitable sponsor for Manchester Pride is that Durex would be the first condom manufacturer to sponsor the event. Secondly, both Durex and Manchester Pride’s strategic goals link together, as one of Manchester Pride’s goals is to raise awareness for HIV/AIDs and Durex aims to promote the importance of consistent condom use to prevent HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Studies examining perceptions of the sponsor-recipient relationship consistently suggest that the impact of a sponsorship is dependent on the fit between the recipient and the sponsor (McDaniel 1999). In addition, Gwinner and Eaton (1999) show that the transfer of image from the sponsored property to the sponsoring brand was higher when the event and sponsor were congruent in either functionality or image. Finally, Manchester Pride has a serious message but is themed around celebrating sexual orientation in a fun, exciting and playful way and Durex’s sub -brand ‘ Durex Play’ values are moving from durability, reliability and excellence to more fun, playfulness and experimentation( Refernce).

The exclusive sponsorship deal between Manchester Pride and Durex to promote ‘ Durex Play’, would be activated with a through-the-line campaign ‘ Love Sex Durex’ throughout the 3 year deal. The theme would focus on the ‘ Durex Play’ range, the newest range of pleasure enhancing accessories from Durex which are inclusive of; Durex Play Sensations Lubricants, Durex Play Vibrations and Durex Play Massage 2in1 Gel. The deal would mark the first time that Durex would have promoted itself through a LGBT event, prompted by new products in the ‘ Durex Play’ range.

This sponsorship will provide Durex the opportunity to divert more traffic to the Durex website and also the ability to target an audience of 16 – 35yrs for conventional Durex products and 22 onwards for Durex Play products. This partnership would have an immediate and sustainable appeal and also provide the Durex brand with a unique platform to take the lead in promoting their non- condom series ‘ Durex Play’ nationally through a targeted and engaging marketing campaign. Sponsorship is used to increase brand awareness by exposing it to as many potential customers as possible while establishing, enhancing, or changing brand image. The altering of the brand image occurs as a result of linking the product to an event (Harvey, 2001).

As a company, Durex has made a long term commitment to promoting safe sex and it will be a key element of their activation (reference). Significantly, high levels of familiarity with a brand have been found to result in more positive consumer reactions such as product satisfaction, word-of-mouth recommendations and repurchase intentions (Soderlund 2002). This partnership would provide a powerful platform for Durex to demonstrate its position as an expert on sexual wellbeing and bring the personality of the brand to life in a fun and memorable way. This deal will incorporate a number of opportunities for Durex to enhance customers’ experience and brand awareness within the event; prior to the event, Durex will introduce TV ads, which offer viewers the chance to text for a lube sample plus a chance to win tickets for Manchester Pride. Customers will send a text with the keyword PLAY to a number. It is suggested that using SMS as a medium for sample requests is the easy choice for potential customers to trial a product before purchasing. The TV ads will also direct people to Manchester Pride website to download the official Manchester Pride App which would have ‘ Durex Play’ branded on it. The App’s innovative features, would include a customisable map and schedule planner, weather and traffic updates, a schedule manager, which helps attendees keep track of which stage you need to be at to see your favourite bands and detailed maps for Pride Fringe and The Big Weekend, where the events are happening. This may have a mediocre impact on consumers now but in the near future, the app will have updates that upgrade the application from nice-to-have to essential.

Throughout the event, Durex will feature interactive posters that shout out cheesy chat-up lines when people walk past. The posters will have sensors in them to detect movement nearby, will be placed on Canal Street and in the toilet areas of top Gay Village bars. They will wolf-whistle and call out lines including: “ I’ve forgotten my phone number – can I have yours?”. Copy on the posters then continues: “ Want a partner to make you groan in the right way?” or “ Want a partner to make you shiver in the right way?” Each poster will play one of three different chat-up lines, which are on a loop to avoid too much repetition. The interactive posters will run for the full 10 days.

On the day of the event, during the Fringe Pride within the ‘ Lifestyle Expo’, there will be a DUREXpert booth branded with the ‘ Durex Play’ logo which will be tied up with a Myth Buster, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) and a chance for Android users to download Spice Dice application from Durex which would contain:

Suggestions on everything from romantic gestures to sexual positions, Includes full illustrations and instructions.

Recommendations for complimentary Durex Play products as well as condoms.

Recommend Durex Play products to friends or your partner

Link to Durex website for more product information and purchasing.

This could provide valuable consumer insight, which could be incorporated into Durex Play products and help redesign the Durex website and make it more interactive.

Also within the ‘ Lifestyle Expo’ there will be touch screens around the room called ‘ Durex Play Forecast’, whereby attendees subscribe to a sex tip sender, on the website which would send periodic newsletters, articles etc as well as information on Durex Play products via email , SMS or downloading an App. Also during the Lifestyle Expo there will be an area entitled ‘ Play 4 Fun’ which will consist of online interactive games, there would be in-game advertising to increase brand awareness. For instance, one of the games would be called ‘ Massage Me’ where the user is enticed with a question ‘ Want to know the secret of a great massage?’. Then lead to a few chit chat; what’s your name or pet name? Your partner’s name and gender? Then the user selects a choice between four different types of music to set the scene, and then finally they select a Durex Play 2in1 massage gel flavour from Pina Colada – Very Cherry to then have them massaging an image representing their partner whilst the screen is showing key areas to massage whilst encouraging them with noises from the image. The goal is to massage the image until it loses all its inhibition and becomes totally relaxed. Finally, It finishes off with the options to buy the Durex Play 2in1 Massage Gel, to read a bit on love massages, register for updates on latest stories , tips and products or follow a step-by step guide to the most wonderfully sensual massage packed with industry secrets, expert techniques and top tips. In addition, the ‘ Play4Fun’ area would also include ‘ The Love Machine’ which contain the option to view Durex Play Products in detail with the chance to buy online and a sex compatibility meter, in which people could punch in details, and get results of their compatibility with partners.

However, the biggest attraction within the Lifestyle Expo will be a ‘ Durex Play Sensory Booth’ used to heighten the senses and encourage “ hands on” product trial of the new Durex Play range by attendees. To build excitement, attendees will be blindfolded upon arrival and given headphones playing a ‘ set-the-mood’ audio, as they are led into the booth. Brand Ambassadors will then massage a selection of the new products into their arms, each one giving them a sensory experience through smell, touch and taste. Guests will also be tickled with giant feathers and fed a selection of sensory food including strawberries dipped in chocolate. Afterwards attendees would be invited to relax in a Durex-themed bar situated in the Gay village, complete with stylish purple wall lighting and Durex logos projected onto the dance floor. Meanwhile, Brand Ambassadors will be serving cocktails and canapés each designed in Durex’s signature colours and named after Durex Play products.

However, during the Big Weekend, Brand Ambassadors will be spreading awareness about the Durex Play series products by giving out free samples with Durex Condom packs, specifically designed for Manchester Pride which would contain two Durex Elite condoms and two Durex Play Feel lubricant sachets. Whilst encouraging customers to join a ‘ Passion Groups’ by the name of ‘ 4PLAY’, in which the Durex Play series would be promoted, this is an online club for Durex users, to promote lubricants, vibrators and other products. Such club members would be given special schemes, offers and privileges on Durex products.

These will be all the marking tools Durex will set up to communicate itself to the target audience by the way of the event. By having these marketing tools within the Manchester Pride event, Durex expectation is to have a positive impact on the attendees. It is known that with this type of sponsorship there is the potential for a lot of distraction from other sponsors and the event (Lardinoit, Derbaix, 2001). With this in mind, Durex marketing campaigns were built to be experiential, since highly involved customers will notice sponsorship better than those not as involved. The reason for this is because highly involved customers are more knowledgeable and thus more sensitive to the environment around the event (Lardinoit, Quester, 2001) as they strive to know everything related to it (Lardinoit, Derbaix, 2001). Durex anticipates the attendee’s positive feelings for the Manchester pride will become linked with the company. Then after the feelings are linked, a “ halo effect’ may then suggest to attendees that the ‘ Durex Play’ are better than their competitors. In addition, the association of the brand with that feeling of “ good corporate citizen” (Dean, 1999) for sponsoring Manchester Pride may make attendees assume Durex makes better goods. For example, if these exposures are associated with something for which the consumer has an affinity, positive emotional attachments may become intertwined. That is, the consumer’s positive emotional liking for the event Manchester Pride may rub off onto the sponsoring product or company Durex (Lardinoit, Derbaix, 2001).

A factor which may increase the effect of this sponsorship on attendees’ attitudes is a company’s prominence in the marketplace ((Lardinoit, Quester, 2001). Durex as mentioned previously is the market leader in more than 40 countries; the Durex brand accounts for 30% of the world’s condom market, making it the No. 1 condom brand in the world. This gives a competitive advantage as it is suggested that a greater market share can increase the effectiveness of this sponsorship.

The measurement and evaluation of the overall impact of this partnership will be a shared responsibility between Manchester Pride and Durex. According to Allen et al (2005) there are two components to measure and evaluate; the first one being the evaluation of the effectiveness of the partnership and how Durex and Manchester Pride have contributed to it and, the second one being the measurement of the consumer-related marketing objective set by Durex. This will be conducted through brand recall surveys, attitude tracking and focus groups. The effectiveness of this method of measurement in order to elicit a deeper understanding of the emotional impact that the event evoked was demonstrated by Coca Cola after the 1996 Olympic Torch Run (reference)

In summary, the above has justified why the 3-year sponsorship deal between Durex and Manchester Pride is not only feasible but also a beneficial partnership for both parties. It offers opportunities for both to further their aims which are to celebrate and promote the free enjoyment in sexuality whilst promoting sexual health and wellbeing. It has also illustrated how ‘ Durex Play’ brand will communicate itself to the consumers by the way of the event, offering a number of fun experiential marketing opportunities which have the potential to enhance brand awareness and perception.

Word Count: 2500 (2559)

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