2010 Brita® Vancouver Marathon
Award Entry: Sports (event, organization, athlete)
A. Overview, Objectives & Sponsorship Selection
1. Summary
Corporate Sponsor Summary: Brita®
The Brita Products Company, with its Canadian offices in Brampton, Ontario is the leading maker
of point-of-use water filtration products to improve the quality and taste of tap water.
Sponsored Organization Summary: BMO (21 One Events Management)
Established in 1817 and based in Canada, BMO Financial Group serves more than 11 million
personal, commercial, corporate and institutional customers in North America and
internationally.
Sponsorship Property: BMO Vancouver Marathon
The BMO Vancouver Marathon is one of Canada’s largest marathons and was in its’ 39th year in
2010. As a Boston Marathon qualifying race, the marathon draws elite athletes from around the
world; 38 countries specifically. Historically, water provided at the BMO Vancouver Marathon
was supplied by large water bottle companies. Through this opportunity for change, Brita® had
the ability to create one of North America’s first water bottle free marathons (an equivalent of
saving 60,000 water bottles from reaching landfills…all in a one day event!) The 2010 BMO
Vancouver Marathon hosted 14,000+ marathon participants and it is estimated that 15,000
people will participate in the 2011 40th Anniversary that Brita® will be an integral part of.
2.
The corporate marketing strategy of Brita® included increasing brand awareness and positioning
of Brita® as a leader in Marathon Hydration through sustainability and wellness messaging. The
2010 BMO Vancouver Marathon was able to achieve one of North America’s first water bottle
free marathon with Brita as a Gold Sponsor. Brita® filtered 30,000L of water through Brita®
Faucet Mount Filters at 21 water stations, as well as at the Brita® Sports Expo, which saw
competitors and supporters walk through and experience the revolutionary way that 14,000+
marathon participants were hydrated.
3.
The primary objectives of Brita® at the BMO Vancouver Marathon included increasing brand
loyalty, increase brand awareness/visibility, showcase community/social responsibility,
stimulate sales/trial/usage and to reach a niche target market efficiently.
3a. Increase Brand Loyalty – Brita® looked to increase brand loyalty by showcasing the great
taste of Brita® filtered water and by being the main source of hydration for the marathon
participants (at registration, pre-race, on course, post-race) – the number one most important
factor in a runner’s event.
3b. Increase Brand Awareness - Brita® aimed to increase brand awareness and positioning of
Brita® as a leader in Marathon Hydration through sustainability and health & wellness
messaging.
3e. Showcase Community / Social Responsibility - Brita® turned the revolutionary idea of a
water bottle free marathon into a reality and became one of North America’s first ever bottled
water free marathons. Reinforced Brita® sustainability message (A single Brita® filter can
effectively replace as many as 300 standard 500mL water bottles). For the Greater Vancouver
Area, Brita® saved 60,000 water bottles from ending up in landfills.
3g. Stimulate Sales/trial/usage – Beyond filtering the 30,000L of water for participants, Brita®
wanted to use their rights to the Sports Expo to provide samples to participants as they visited
the expo. Special Edition pink Brita® pitchers were sold at an event special rate with proceeds
going to Breast Cancer Awareness.
3j. Brita® successfully reached the niche target market of elite athlete runners, who are
committed to being physically active, and heavy water drinkers, as well as consumers who were
cheering on the course, attending the expo & volunteering
4.
Brita® was offered the opportunity to be the Gold Sponsor of the BMO Vancouver Marathon.
The opportunity was seized because it aligned perfectly with the primary objectives of Brita®:
health and wellness and to replace plastic water bottle use with filtered tap water. The
opportunity was significant as Brita® was able to effectively save 60,000 plastic water bottles
from being consumed in one day and target a key consumer market!
Further, the target market and consumer relevance were a fit for the Brita® brand: Assertive Self
Improvers (those committed to being physically active and who are heavy water drinkers) and
Principle Filter Fans (those who are health conscious because they are dieting or trying to lose
weight and are moderate water drinkers).
5.
Brita® sponsored the BMO Vancouver Marathon in 2010 and will again sponsor the 40th Annual
Vancouver Marathon in 2011. Brita® owns the rights to bustling and extremely popular Brita®
Sports Expo.
6.
a. Level II ($100,000-$500,000) $155,660.00
b. Ratio of rights fee to activation costs (1 : 2.5 - $90K Rights fees vs. $255K for the 2-year
duration of the sponsorship)
B. Maximizing the sponsorship marketing investment
1.
Brita® as the Gold sponsor of the BMO Vancouver Marathon and Main Sponsor of the Brita®
Sports Expo invested in a 360° integrated marketing approach. This included prominent online
exposure, monthly newsletters to the 45,000 member database, custom Brita® Faucet Mount
filtration process, extensive branding along the marathon course. In addition, Brita® created a
new logo created for the Brita Sports Expo® that had a significant impact on 30,000+ consumers
who attended the Brita® Sports Expo.
2.
The length of the Brita® activation at the BMO Vancouver Marathon was one day. Brita®
activated at the Brita® Sports Expo for four days.
3.
To achieve the sponsorship marketing objectives, Brita® maximized its exposure with its two
areas of integration. The first being the Brita® Sports Expo where a custom logo and ownership
of the expo provided the avenue to both sample and talk to Brita’s revolutionary marathon
filtration process. The second integration area was that of the actual run where the 30,000L of
water was filtered for the 14,000+ participants. Both integration areas helped Brita® reinforce
its dual environmental sustainability and health and wellness platforms
4.
Brita® owned the Sports Expo as the Main Sponsor. The Brita® Sports Expo served as the central
hub for all participants and general public to learn about the race, pick up their race kits and to
showcase the science behind the filtered water they were sampling and would be consuming on
race day. There, captivated consumers learned about the environmental impact Brita® was
making for being at the Marathon. Consumers were encouraged to take the filterforgood pledge
at filterforgood.ca to make a personal commitment to reduce water bottle waste.
Key display elements featured at the Brita® Sports Expo included: the Brita® sampling Bar, Brita®
interactive “pods” where consumers could visit the filterforgood.ca website and check their race
times, a 50” TV showcasing Brita® advertising & unique experiential marketing video and a wall
of water that served as a visual to show consumers that one Brita® filter can effectively replace
as many as 300 plastic water bottles. Consumers at the Brita® Sports Expo interacted with Brita®
Brand Ambassadors by playing Plinko and winning great, eco-friendly prizes such as branded
stainless steel water bottles.
On course, a total of 21 event regulated Brita® water stations were created. Each station
included a 16 – 20ft cube truck that held the commercial sized water tanks used to hold the
Brita® filtered water. Water used was through a municipal source and a special customized
manifold system allowed for the water to be filtered through 12 Brita® Faucet Mount filters at a
single time. Water from the trucks was then filled into 10L Brita® branded Igloo jugs and
volunteers served the water in 100% corn-based compostable cups. A truly one-of-a-kind
innovative approach to change!
C. Results
1.
Marathon, ½ marathon and 8K Participants – 14,375
Litres of water filtered – 30,000
#of Corn-compostable cups – 214,000
Water bottles replaced – 60,000 (500Ml standard bottles)
Consumer Impressions – 233,375
2 - 4.
Brita® as the Gold Sponsor of the BMO Vancouver Marathon and as the Main Sponsor of the
Brita® Sport Expo generated 90,000+ consumer interactions and 233,375 consumer impressions.
The first of its kind activation was extremely well received with consumers thoroughly
understanding and appreciating the change that Brita® was making.
Total
Total Number of Participants
14,375
# of Corn-based cups used
214,000
# Litres of Brita Filtered Water
30,000
Water Bottles Replaced (based on
above)
60,000
Consumer Interactions
90,000
Total Consumer Impressions
Participants – 14,375
Brita® Sports Expo – 30,000
Onsite Spectators – 25,000
Newspaper Media – 124,000
Online Impressions – 40,000
Cost per Consumer Onsite
Impression
$0.66
Cost per Consumer Onsite
Interaction
$1.72
Total Program Budget
$155,660.00