Got all excited by the announcement of the Government’s new national sponsorship scheme called Medal Hopes. Medal Hopes is reportedly designed to allow local, regional and national sponsors to support British athletes in the run up to 2012, outside the costs and constraints of the ‘Rings’.
Great idea.
But where’s the detail? Nothing on any web sites we could see and Googling ‘Medla Hopes’ brings no luck. Joined up communications, right?
Medal Hopes is an attempt to bridge a potential shortfall in athlete funding for 2012.
If so, it sounds like the right idea: harness the support of local business behind the aspiring (perspiring?)stars of the Games in the run up to 2012 and not only do you fill the finance gap, but you build empathy and awareness between the atheletes and their communities (in the broadest sense of the word).
Given 2012’s strategy is to make the ‘London Games’ relevant outside the capital, this scheme looks a good strategic fit. Another of the big challenges from sponsorship is to build real empathy between an event and its fans and wider stakeholders. That’s especially tricky to do, years out. Medal Hopes looks like it scores on this front too.
Net, net the scheme looks like an interesting, even innovative sponsorship opportunity, grounded in the strategic importance of community. It’s a chance for grass roots British business to build an association with 2012 years out in a scalable way.
Fascinating. Now let’s see the detail.