Insert FA’s name i.e. MarketingComms-Sponsoring Program

  1. KEY STATISTICS

The ATHENS 2011 Sponsoring Program was the most comprehensive ever seen, with 35 private organizations contributing to the exceptional success of the Games and comprising many of the world’s most well-known multinational companies and leading national organizations. Apart from the private sector, the EU, The Archdiocese of Athens, the City of Athens as well as 12 ministries, signed MOUs with the GOC and contributed in Cash, VIK and services. In total the GOC signed with:

1 Premier Sponsor

12 Official Sponsors (4 of which were International Sponsors)

2 official Providers

8 Official Suppliers

12 Official helpers

  1. HIGHLIGHTS

The program was officially launched in March 2009, it comprised from 5 tiers of sponsorship (Premier Sponsor, Official Sponsor, Official Provider, Official Supplier, and Official Helper) and followed specific steps of action:

  1. First introduction regarding the Games Philosophy and Structure together with the sponsoring program structure
  2. Follow up communication with the potential sponsor
  3. Contract preparation
  4. Signing ceremony and announcement
  5. Sponsor’s Servicing pre Games time, Games Time and post Games time (Communications, Event Management, Public Relations, Publicity, Venue Operations, Accreditation, Recognition and Sponsor’s rights implementation)

It was remarkable that the Official Helpers signed with the GOC almost 4 months prior to the Games where the Games awareness was at its highest. Furthermore, it is important to note that only a few sponsors decided to activate their sponsorship by creating advertising synergies with the GOC’s communications department beginning with Coca Cola who was the first sponsor that communicated the sponsorship almost 10 months before the Games. Following Coca Cola’s example, the other national sponsors started activating their sponsorship too.

  1. FAs MAJOR ISSUES & RECOMMENDATIONS

List all major issues encountered by your FA during the Games and your recommendations on how to resolve/avoid these issues

No / Issue Description / Recommendation
1 / Look of the Games was launched very late and Sponsors were note able to incorporate it inside their communications and branding / Look of the Games initial design and strategy should be employed one year before the Games so that Sponsors can also use it and enhance the Games promotion.
2 / Managing Expectations in Sponsors’ Presence Inside the Venues / The sponsors activated the sponsorship too late and some of them had expectations that exceeded the GOC’s capacity. Furthermore, due to minimum human recourses in the program (2 people) in some case it proved difficult to accommodate all sponsors’ requests in due time.
  1. MAJOR ISSUES WITH OTHER FAs

List all major issues encountered in your cooperation with other FAs during the Games and/or other issues observed during the ATHENS 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games

No / Functional Area / Issue Description
1 / Sports & Venues / Minor problems occurred in servicing specific sponsors’ needs inside some venues due to Sports Managers’ lack of flexibility.
  1. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

1