Byline: Nondhanada Intarakomalyasut
Jun. 21--Thailand's top sports personalities could lead the country into a new era of marketing as the combination of their talent, dedication, determination and accomplishments could be used to help boost the images of brands.
In the past, most brand presenters were actors and models as heart-stopping good looks were the main attributes required.
But with the emergence of world-class athletes like tennis ace Paradorn Srichaphan, the country's marketing industry is about to follow a similar trend to that seen in the West where sports figures are seen promoting products from soft drinks to chequing accounts and investments.
According to David McConnell, senior international vice-president of IMG, a US-based leading sports and entertainment marketing firm which represents some of the world's most prominent athletes like golfer Tiger Woods and tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, the value of sports marketing and events in Thailand is likely to jump by 30 percent in the next few years.
He said the growth would be driven by the increasing number of Thai athletes who have the potential to become world-class sports stars.
The upcoming Olympic Games in Athens later this year would further boost the sports marketing industry as the event might end up creating new local heroes.
Mr McConnell said that a new brand's credibility would be enhanced immediately by being associated with an established sports star or world-class sporting event.
However, he noted that a key aspect in sports marketing was linking the right brands with athletes which entails understanding consumer behaviour and what motivates a targeted market segment to purchase particular goods and services.
Currently, IMG's subsidiary, IMG Services (Thailand) is representing rising golf star Virada Nirapathpongporn, who was recently signed as a presenter for Bank of Ayudhaya.
Sports marketing is also seen as tool for recruiting future customers as it uses sports personalities as role models for children and teenagers.
'I think sports marketing can become a traditional type of marketing in Thailand. I don't want it to just come and go,' Mr McConnell said.
He applauded the plan by Beer Thai (1991) to advertise its Chang Beer brand on the jerseys of Everton, an English Premier League soccer team as a very good marketing strategy.
'It can be a powerful tool for both parties as the English Premier League has huge followers in Thailand and Everton has a world-class athlete like Wayne Rooney,' he said.
But when asked to comment on the government's attempt to acquire Liverpool, another English Premier League club, he said the government needed to explain to the general public how this huge investment would benefit the country and its citizens.
'In the football industry, few clubs are financially successful as the transfer fee for players has escalated so high. I don't think shares of a football club are blue chips,' he said.
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