EXP South Africa
delivered yet another successful sponsorship activation on behalf of Absa- the
Absa Cape Epic. The project
involved a number of key activities such as supplier and stakeholder
management, Absa business unit liaison, relationship management with event
right’s holders, client service, branding and operations, and PR and media
management.
The planning
phase began in July 2011 and EXP were involved in all aspects of the preparation
for the event- from strategic and creative inputs right through to the final
implementation at the race.
The Absa Cape
Epic is regarded as the world’s premier mountain bike stage race. The race
takes place annually in the Western Cape and the route is redesigned each year.
The 8-day race includes a prologue time trial and covers an average of
700-800kms riding and 16 000 m of uphill mountain- bike climbing.
A limited number
of 1200 riders participate each year in teams of two; the main concept of this
race which makes it unique is the partnership between two riders which must be
maintained in order to finish the race. This year, riders from 46 countries
participated in the event.
The team managed
the main Absa hospitality tent and winner’s lounge at the rider village of each
stage of the 8 day mountain bike race. Our professional ops team ensured that
there was a supply of running water, Absa branded towels, and cold drinks for the
top teams to enjoy each day as they prepared for the podium handovers at each
stage.
The operations
team also ensured that all Absa branding was correctly displayed and installed
at each venue.
The project team
managed communication between the various business units (Retail and Business
Bank, Private Bank, Absa Capital) and their (number?) “day-trippers” and 50 “access
to entry” riders. This initiative includes selected Absa staff and clients, and
gives the nominated riders a guaranteed entry into the Absa Cape Epic and the
opportunity of a lifetime to experience the Magical and Untamed Mountain Bike
Race. Their supporters are then hosted in the Absa hospitality tent along each
stage which gives them direct access to the finish and start line in a
comfortable environment.
The project
manager also served as liaison between all parties involved, most importantly
with the event’s rights holders and regional Absa staff.
Another exciting
element of the race was the V&A Waterfront activation- the Absa Relay
Spinathon, which took place on the Amphitheatre stage on Saturday, 24th
March 2012, the day before the Prologue stage of the race. Team Absa raced
against other celebrities, ex-sportsmen, and Absa Cape Epic mountain bike
riders in a relay format on spinning bikes in a bid to raise money for their
Absa Cape Epic nominated charities. MC’d by Paul Kay and Liezel van der
Westhuizen, the activation was a great success, with lots of crowd engagement
and a total of R 14,000.00 raised for charity.
The PR team
managed Absa’s representation at press events such as the Route Launch in
October 2011 and the official Event Launch in February 2012, and secured
interviews for key representatives such as Steward Masela, Absa Sponsorship
Manager, and Lynn Naude, Absa General Manager Sponsorships and Events.
The PR elements
primarily focused on promoting Absa’s sponsorship of this unique sporting event
as well as profiling Team Absa, a group of 10 personalities who participate in
the Absa Cape Epic on behalf of charity. This year’s team included media
personalities Max Gebhardt (Deputy Editor Financial Mail) and Kevin McCallum
(Chief sports writer The Star), celebrities Vanessa Haywood and Nico Panagio,
sports legends Elana Meyer and Joel Stransky, Absa employee Jack Stroucken and
retired Absa employee Ernst Viljoen (team manager), and other mountain bike
enthusiasts such as Sean Kristafor and Clayton Duckworth. The profiling of the
team included media releases, media interviews, and social media communication
platforms.
In addition to
media liaison, the PR plan included various internal communications initiatives
and profiling the Absa Cape Epic and Team Absa through Absa’s various channels
such as QTV, Abacus Magazine etc.
Furthermore, Team
Absa visited the local Absa branch at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town to
sign autographs and meet with the staff and clients in the branch at the time.
The project and
operations team also activated and managed the Absa Capital Lounge, a relaxed lounge
area away from the hive of activity at the race finish line where all riders
are allowed exclusive access. The amenities in the Absa Capital lounge included
comfortable furniture, free drinks, chiropractic services, massage services,
internet and laptop access, and popular sports magazines and daily newspapers
available to the riders to read. The project management of this activation also
involved liaising with various suppliers and co-sponsors such as Telkom
Business, who provided the laptop stations and internet access
infrastructure.
The event
incorporated Absa business unit leveraging in the form of Absa Home Loans who
branded the riders’ mobile homes with rear window decals.