Summary
Sponsoring the single largest event this country has ever staged – the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – provided an unrivalled opportunity for Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets (LBCM) to position itself alongside the UK’s most successful individuals and talented athletes. As part of a wider integrated campaign, a series of face-to-face Pace & Power events were held to capitalise on this unique opportunity.
The premise of Pace & Power is based on drawing compelling parallels between high-achieving Olympians/Paralympians and successful UK corporate leaders. It brings together the elite of sport with the elite of business. Sporting heroes – and what makes them tick – intrigue people. Pace & Power provides insights that can be applied to future business leadership.
Every Pace & Power event consisted of dinner and panel discussion between Olympians and business leaders, debating parallels between succeeding in the business and sporting worlds. The thoughts and insights of all present were translated into post-event communications.
For LBCM, the events contribute to the lasting legacy of the 2012 Games and extends the value of the sponsorship. It also communicates its key marketing messages – that it’s committed to supporting UK businesses through the cycle and is open for business.
About the client company
Lloyds Banking Group is the largest retail bank in the UK whose goal is to be the best financial services provider. Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets (LBCM), part of the Wholesale division at Lloyds Banking Group, delivers corporate banking and risk management services to businesses with over £15 million annual turnover.
Strategy – broader business issues the company is facing
Following the recent difficulties in the industry, financial services organisations face an uphill battle to rebuild trust and reputations. LBCM needs to convince customers they continue to be open for business, and will support their corporate customers through the cycle. Face-to-face events are proven to have a positive effect on brand positioning and awareness.
Also, it was essential that LBCM demonstrated the added value of its London 2012 partnership to customers and highlighted the positive ripple effect of the games to the UK economy.
Objectives of the campaign
- Activate partnership of 2012 Games with a skeptical corporate business audience.
- Drive ROI from its 2012 Games partnership.
- Contribute to 25 per cent uplift in traffic to London 2012 business pages of website.
- Highlight alignment of high-performing sportspeople and elite business leaders.
- Deliver added value to guests through insightful learning around the parallels between business and sport.
- ‘Capture’ brilliance in a way that can be passed onto others.
- Ensure the market is aware of the regional business opportunities that the London 2012 Games presents.
- Cement and deepen relationships with existing customers.
- Maximise networking opportunities for both bank staff with guests and also for customers with other local businesses.
- Reinforce message that LBCM is very much open for business and there to support clients for the long-term
The target audience
Major Corporate Business customers (turnover of more than £500m) and Large Corporate customers (turnover of £15m – £500m) across UK. Business leaders at this level are constantly invited to business dinners and the Pace & Power proposition needed to resonate with them. The unique experience of hearing Olympian and Paralympian insight and the personalised nature of pre/post event communications differentiated this campaign from others and ensured maximum turnout.
Media, channels or techniques used
- Save the date cards sent out prior to event invitations.
- Event invitations mailed out.
- Pre-event interactive e-shots to shape inaugural event debate. Via emails, attendees were asked to help shape the agenda of the panel discussion. They had the opportunity to decide which themes from a selection were most important to them.
- Pre-event e-shot for regional events with event programmes and attendees. These emails helped reduce drop-out rates as attendees felt like valued guests.
- Inaugural event in London to launch Pace & Power. The launch event was followed by a series of regional events. All followed the same format: – Networking – Dinner- Panel discussion with Olympians
- Post-event DM highlighting insights from the event mailed to attendees and key contacts who couldn’t attend.
- Exclusive coffee-table book featuring content/insights from panel discussions at the inaugural event and post event in-depth interviews. DM and event leave-behind collateral.
- Microsite including films, photography and insights from events and interviews (www.lloydsbankcorporatemarkets.com/london2012).
Offering a unique opportunity to meet Olympians and hear them speak first hand is a compelling proposition. LBCM wanted to offer customers benefits of its 2012 Games sponsorship.
Timescales
- Research: February/March 2010 • Planning: April 2010.
- Phase 1: Inaugural event invitations and pre-event communications mailed – May 2010 .
- Phase 2: Inaugural event – July 2010. Launched with ‘2 years to go’ to the Opening Ceremony of London 2012 Games.
- Phase 3: Regional Events – throughout 2010/2011 held in: London Sheffield Aberdeen Cambridge Leeds Liverpool Newcastle
Edinburgh Web development – Dec 2010. Films, photography and insights from events live online.
- Post- event communications mailed out.
- Phase 4: Printed Book – June 2011. Carefully timed to be launched with 1 year to go and following all regional events.
- Phase 5: Book used as Direct Mail/leave behind at events – July 2011 – July 2012.
Client testimonial
“We’ve taken a really targeted approach to our marketing and that’s why campaigns like Pace & Power, that really deepen relationships, are so important to our strategy. I’ve been overwhelmed with the campaign!It provided us with a platform to activate our partnership of the London 2012 Games with a demanding and disengaged audience!It has met all of our
core objectives and more importantly has contributed to a lasting legacy for UK business.” Vikki Thompson, manager, london 2012 activation, Lloyds Corporate Markets.
