Business to Consumer

ESA Awards Winner

Campaign: The O2 DublinBrand name: Telefonica Ireland Limited

Description

Telefonica Ireland signed the first naming rights deal ever seen in Ireland with Live Nation and The O2 Dublin opened its doors in December 2008

The two key sponsorship objectives :- to drive affinity and - to reduce churn, thus increasing profit

are answered by our two core activations - Priority Ticketing and - Live Stream gigs

and year upon year The O2 has outperformed all set targets.

Background

The O2 opened in December 2008 – the first naming rights deal to be announced in Ireland – between Live Nation and O2 and in the first year, performed beyond all expectations

Unprompted name change awareness Target 80% Actual 82%Priority ticket registrations Target 100k Actual 120kPriority ticketing customers less like to churn Target 10% Actual 34%

It’s built. They’re coming.

Objectives

In 2010, the third year of sponsorship, our challenge matured from being a branding/naming exercise, to driving a greater affinity with the O2 brand by capitalising on The O2 sponsorship

- Within our sponsorship rights package we had negotiated to include Priority tickets and live streamed events and believed that it would be these two core assets that would actively touch the lives of our customers and wider, to create a strong, emotional link with The O2.

- We believed that by satisfying this valuable link, we would meet our overall challenge and strategic objectives of driving affinity, creating a reduction churn and thus increasing profitability.

-Specific KPIs were set to measure the sponsorship performance in 2010: Unprompted awareness of venue name change from 82% to Target 85% Awareness of Priority tickets from 20% to Target 40% O2 customers registered for Priority tickets from 120k to Target 350k Priority ticketing customers less likely to Churn Target 34% Recognition of O2 as brand most associated with music Target 25%

Objectives

If you get the insight, strategy and marketing right, you will drive engagement and emotional connection with customers.

Our strategic planning and activations are based upon a deep insight. As a result, everything that we activate upon is sense checked against the insight to ensure consistency and ‘relevance’ throughout all O2 channels.

Music lovers want to look forward toshared magical music experiences

with their friends

Implementation

We activate the sponsorship through every conceivable touch point. However, the activation is much more than just visual integration as we engage customers through amazing customer experiences whilst working to our strategic objectives

We also understand the need to activate the sponsorship at two levels:

1.Drive Consideration. We strive to engage with absolutely everyone who comes into contact with The O2. Whether an O2 customer or not, we want everyone who is going to The O2 to have an amazing experience. This drives consideration.

2.Drive Affinity. We want to ensure that our own O2 customers feel extra special around The O2, feel proud that they are with O2 and able to share the experience with their friends.

Implementation

LOYALTY: O2 customers and their friends can get Priority tickets to The O2 up to 48 hours before general release. Register today at O2blueroom.ie or freetext MUSIC to 50202.

Implementation

EXPERIENCE: O2blueroom.ie is our music platform which brings intimate and live streamed gigs, exclusive content and money can’t buy experiences to Irish music lovers and their friends

Implementation

LOYALTY & EXPERIENCE: In The O2 we have a concierge service and two bars used exclusively for O2 customers and their friends hosted by the O2 angels who surprise and delight gig goers

Implementation

We have an active community of over 30k Facebook fans. Our O2 twitter army ‘tweet’ on our activations throughout all channels and have over 5000 followers ...

Implementation

- Daily & monthly tickets giveaways- Meet & Greets with Artists- Money can’t buy experiences- Special Treats for The O2

O2 Treats reward customer loyalty

Implementation

Who says The O2 has to be at The O2 ? With prime High Street locations across the country, we are able to amplify the effect of The O2 and reach all corners of Ireland via O2 retail stores

Implementation

The hard work of building PR relationships is not just about big budgets. We built and maintain a detailed MRM programme to sustain constant visibility throughout the media during the year to ensure that The O2 is at the front of people’s minds

Implementation

.... And to show that we like to join in with the community rather than stand apart, we donate the venue to charity once a year and turn The O2 green on St Patrick’s Day

Results and Evaluation

During the first three years of sponsorship, The O2 has proven to be a differentiating platform for the O2 brand in Ireland

We have delivered a sponsorship and activation strategy linked not only to awareness and affinity, but also profit, loyalty, retention and sustainability. At the close of 2010, we exceeded every KPI set for The O2.

Unprompted awareness of venue name change Target 85% Actual 88%

Awareness of Priority tickets Target 40% Actual 64%

O2 customers registered for Priority tickets Target 350k

Actual 350kPriority ticketing customers less likely to Churn Target 34%

Actual 51%Recognition of O2 as brand most associated with music Target 25%

Actual 28%

Industry Awards Won