You might have read my piece about there being no mention of Team Radio Shack on Radio Shack’s website. But here’s an example of sponsors getting right. The image above is a screen grab from the Transitions website. Note the big banner for the Garmin-Transitions team at the footer.
But look again at the main image, who’s that? It’s Tyler Farrar, Garmin-Transitions team sprinter and all round nice guy. Farrar isn’t a household name but Transitions are clearly using him as a marketable asset. Indeed the Garmin folks have told me Farrar’s been filming with Transitions for a TV advertising campaign.
For me this is what sponsorship should be about. There’s no point paying a team millions just to have your name on the shorts and hope to get name-checked every time a rider wins a big race. Instead you can exploit the links between your product and the positive aspects of cycling. So Transitions can link their brand to youth, fitness, sports, performance and more, all whilst targeting the European market.
I also like this because it validates our sport, here is a big company that doesn’t sell bike parts or lycra and yet it thinks putting Farrar in a TV advert is something great.