The Heineken beer
brewing company, in cooperation with the advertising agency MediaVest|Spark,
expanded its contract for the sponsorship of sports broadcasts on the federal
television channel Match TV. The sponsorship agreement includes the privilege
to advertise not only within the standard sponsorship block, but also in
special inserts, such as immediately after the teams leave for a break. The
contract is valid until the end of 2017 with the possibility of extension.
Heineken’s brands will become the sponsors of the most popular Match TV broadcasts. The brand became the sponsor of the Formula 1 broadcasts, as well as auto races in general, this year. Moreover, the brand traditionally sponsors the broadcasts of Champions League matches. The Amstel brand is the the sponsor of the UEFA Europa League match broadcasts. The brand Okhota will sponsor broadcasts for biathlon, hockey, boxing and mixed martial arts competitions, while the mark Krusovice will be the sponsor of the hockey world championships.
“The signing of this contract is a continuation of our mutually beneficial cooperation with the company Heineken, which started in 2016,” said Tina Kandelaki, general manager of Match TV. “Similar contracts in TV sponsorship are a rare occurrence in Russia. But advertisers see significant growth in the audience of Match TV and the quality response of our target audience to their advertising. Moreover, Match TV has the most ‘male’ audience among all federal channels. It is especially important to note that in Heineken, the channel received a serious and significant partner that actively supports sports across the world and has been sponsoring the most significant sporting events for many years.”
Sports marketing is traditionally one of the most effective mediums for promoting beer brands. Beer advertising returned to Russian television in mid-2014. Beer brewing companies were allowed to promote their products during sports broadcasts on specialized TV sports channels and radio stations, as well as at stadiums and in print media. This step was made on the eve of the 2018 World Cup and as a way to attract additional funds to the development of sport.
“Match TV is a leading provider of world-class sports broadcasts in Russia. We are pleased to expand our partnership as an important platform for the company’s marketing activity,” said Nabil Nasser, Heineken’s marketing director in Russia.