May 2nd 2006 Howard Thomas, former CEO of Premier Rugby Ltd, has joined Glasshouse Partnership as a non-executive director, strengthening the company’s sports services offering.
Thomas, who was critical in helping rugby’s transition from amateur to a commercially successful professional sport, starts his role at Glasshouse Partnership immediately.
Thomas will promote Glasshouse Partnership’s sports services offering, aimed at sports associations, commercial organisations and the public sector.
Thomas said: “My goal will be to help sporting associations and business sponsors get more from their involvement in sports at a commercial, marketing or communications level. As a Company, Glasshouse excels at building revenues, reputation and relationships for its clients. I hope to build on and continue the company’s success with new clients”
Glasshouse Partnership believes sport has been regarded primarily a tool for building brand visibility and product sales. But the Government’s on-going commitments to using sport as a tool in social marketing (for example, by using sports and sportspeople in campaigns to deal with issues like obesity) and the interest created by the Olympics could mean the nature and demand for sports communication will change.
James Thellusson, Glasshouse Partnership, managing director said: “Sport is moving up the communication agenda. Public affairs and CSR directors, who may not have thought of sport as a platform for reputation building in the past, are going to ask: how can we use this interest in sport to build and engage our stakeholders?. In our view, companies will increasingly look at sport as a way of integrating aspects of their public affairs, CSR and marketing activities.”