Eurosport Group Expansion Sparks Brand Communications Campaign
The EUROSPORT Group has appointed GREY to handle creative duties for its brand communications following an agency review earlier this year. The pan-European account will be jointly held by Grey Paris and Grey London.
Following a three-year period of significant growth, Eurosport has reviewed its branding across its expanded portfolio of sports media, specialist division, new products and services.
The group aims to better reflect its multi-media approach to sport entertainment. With market-leading platforms in TV, online and in the management of international sporting events, the group will use the work of Grey to communicate brand values to consumers. Historically, Eurosport's centrally-driven brand communications had solely targeted key business stakeholders; this marks a major change in the group's global communications strategy.
Jacques Raynaud, Vice-Chairman, Eurosport Group, says, "Fast-paced change in technology, digitalisation, and media fragmentation has opened up many new opportunities for growth. At the same time, we have increasingly sophisticated means to reach consumers like never before, to create a dialogue and better understand their needs and desires. Our message to sports fans is that Eurosport offers the best of the sports they love, when they want, where they want."
Grey has created a new advertising template and signatures for the Eurosport group's family of brands. These will be rolled out through a print and online consumer campaign to support the broadcaster’s major events in 2008 which include the French Open, UEFA Euro 2008, Tour de France, Beijing Olympic Games, and the US Open.
WPP-owned BJK&E will handle pan-European media spend. Billings are undisclosed.
Patrick Lara and Andrea Stillacci, co-CEOs of Grey Paris, say “Anyone that is into sports can understand our excitement to work for a brand such as Eurosport. It is more than just a TV Channel or a broadcaster. It shares its passion about sports with anyone, anytime, anywhere. They love sport as much as we do. And vice versa.”
Chris Hirst, Managing Director, Grey London “Eurosport is a great brand and one we are very excited to be working with. GREY has been tasked to develop a new positioning for the overall Eurosport Group alongside sub branding for some of its most exciting and innovative brands. Eurosport has continued its product innovation and has a true sense of identity amongst its audience which we will continue to build on. This busy sporting year in particular sees events such as the Beijing Olympics and Euro 2008 and will be key to firmly establish Eurosport as a leader in the depth and breadth of sporting coverage which it has become famous for.”
Tim Irwin, Joint Managing Director, BJK&E said: “Eurosport represents one of the few opportunities for interested parties to reach an affluent, educated audience across all the major European markets, which eases our task of finding desirable media partners for its strong broadcast and web offering.”