A great example of how to use sponsorship to stand out, accelerate consideration, and shift brand perception and attributes.

The Challenge

Japanese car manufacturer, Mazda, wanted to raise awareness of the Mazda2 brand a small car with a big personality, targeting an aspirational upmarket audience.

The Solution

Channel 4 signed an exclusive deal with the car manufacturer, as the sole sponsor in Mazda UK's first major terrestrial sponsorship.

The sponsorship solution "4 On Tour" was Mazda's first UK terrestrial TV sponsorship. "4 on Tour" created a unique strand of programmes hosted by three of the channel's biggest and most prestigious stars: Jamie, Kevin and Gordon.

The individual series spanned three continents, encompassing a mixture of mouth-watering cuisine, breath-taking architecture and local wisdom in the form of Jamie's American Road Trip, Kevin's Grand Tour and Gordon's Great Escape. Subsequently Jamie Does Europe was also included in the sponsorship.

Mazda used bespoke UK creative to engage the local UK market. Mazda commissioned The Outfit to create the unique sponsorship credits that featured the Mazda2 "zooming" around landscapes associated with the series. Credits ran around programmes on Channel 4, More4 and 4oD. There was also a substantial amount of bespoke activation online including branding, a bespoke competition and international food & travel guides.

The sponsorship deal was negotiated and planned by Invention, the Sponsorship Division at Mindshare.

Results

Diagnostically the sponsorship performed very well with respondents perceiving it to be appropriate, easy to understand and agreed that 'the look and feel of the sponsorship goes very well with the programme'

Specific brand attributes also showed significant shifts. The sponsorship impacted positively upon brand image.

The sponsorship started to cut through with total awareness high at 60% with viewers being significantly more likely to be spontaneously aware of Mazda than non-viewers

The sponsorship impacted on call to action with viewers significantly more likely than non viewers to say they will buy a Mazda in the next couple of years or so

Viewers were also significantly more likely than non viewers to say they are likely to consider a Mazda

Client quote

"The audience profile of the Channel 4 sponsorship programme is a perfect fit with the Mazda2 target customer, which is aged between 25-39 and a mixture of male and female buyers.

"These viewers are individual, opportunistic people who are switched on to engaging content such as architecture, food and travel" commented Mark Cameron, sales and marketing director for Mazda UK.

"The content of the programmes featuring Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey and Kevin McCloud is a perfect fit to Mazda2 which is engaging, ingenious and fun. The sponsorship programme also reflects the tone of the national Mazda2 television commercial with a dynamic, fun and cheeky positioning."