Sponsors often scramble to make the most of a victory for a supported athlete but as with anything planning makes a big difference.  Making success relevant to a product and your customer base goes one step further.
Media since last weekend has been packed with messages of support from corporate brands congratulating their chosen stars on their performance.  From Toyota and Katie Taylor to Sky and British cycling, post activation has relied upon association to the stars.
International bank Santander stole a real march though through their relationship with Rory McIlroy.
When the new World number one signed a deal with the bank before the start of the season they tied it to a cash investment savings account that would carry a bonus payment of 0.1% in the event of his winning a major.
When he did just that in the US PGA at Kiawah Island, it triggered the bonus for 600,000 savers who had taken out the particular ‘Major’ savings plan.
The individual payout for each saver is modest but it makes the success of the association of real relevance to the customers of the bank, as well as customers of rivals who may be tempted to switch product the next time around.
Such planning and foresight allows the cost to be budgeted as part of the overall investment in a deal, and enables two bites at publicity, when the element of the deal is announced, and then if it is activated.
Performance related bonuses are part and parcel of corporate life.  It is good to see them extended successfully into sports marketing in a way that is relevant not only to the athlete but also to the customer who is ultimately paying for the bottom line.
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