Times of India Film Awards failed to land big-bucks Canadian sponsor
April 3, 2013, Business in Vancouver.
A lead time of 10 weeks meant the Times of India Film Awards was
unable to sign a big Canadian sponsor, according to a marketing adviser
hired for the taxpayer-funded, inaugural Bollywood awards.
Score Marketing president Garnet Nelson was contracted by BCCL International Events Private Ltd., the event-organizing arm of the Times of India Group, to assist in the hunt for sponsors. The awards were announced January 22 – just 72 days before the three-day event.
Nelson’s credits include arranging Honda’s title sponsorship of the Celebration of Light fireworks and Pepsi and Budweiser sponsor/supply deals for BC Place stadium. He admitted that potential TOIFA sponsors shied away because of the tight timeline.
“Our primary objective was to ensure that TOIFA organizers clearly understood the domestic (Canadian and regional) sponsorship realities, challenges and opportunities – while also helping TOIFA to gauge national brand interest,” Nelson told Business in Vancouver.
“While reaching out to gauge potential brand interest in TOIFA, we found that there was solid interest in TOIFA and the event’s target demographic; however, as expected, given the short timeline most major brands already had their Q2 2013 sponsorship budgets and related resources already well locked down.”
Nelson said smaller, local businesses were “more nimble” with sponsorship decisions.
Developer Thind Properties, whose projects include Skyway Tower, Metro One, Metro Two and Casa d’Oro, signed on as the Canadian presenting sponsor. Other domestic sponsors include Verka Foods, Gagan Foods, Fruiticana grocery and Nanak Foods.
A roster of 20 media partners included Postmedia’s Vancouver Sun and Province, Shaw, Global BC, Red 93.1 FM and the Indo-Canadian Voice.
Two days before the event, Indian underwear giant Luxcozi’s logo was posted on the TOIFA website as the title sponsor.
BIV obtained sponsorship and hospitality brochures that offered packages for $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000. BCCL required full payment in advance. The top-priced “Diamond Supporter” package comprised 67 tickets to all events, including four important tickets, four VIP tickets and 15 general tickets to the April 6 awards.
Eight tickets to the April 5 TOIFA film screening at Strawberry Hills were also to be included. However, the event at the Surrey Cineplex was cancelled, to the disappointment of the Surrey Board of Trade.
Diamond package purchasers were to receive logo presence in ethnic and mainstream media and on event posters, mention in the TOIFA website and social media, recognition at all venues and full-page ad inserts in program brochures.
The 22-page partnership offering estimated paid and earned ethnic media integration would be worth $10 million, with a local audience of 50,000-plus attendees and broadcast and online reach of a minimum 1 million.
“Exclusive, ‘money can’t buy’ VIP hosting opportunities, multiple sponsor representation, consumer contests, film screenings and much more,” said the document of what would be included. “Government, stakeholder and high net worth client engagement opportunities; High brand visibility and overall ‘brand affiliation’ positioning.
“Limitless opportunities, customized to suit business objectives,” it ended.
No rate sheet was included in the copy BIV obtained.
BMackin@biv.com
@bobmackin
Score Marketing president Garnet Nelson was contracted by BCCL International Events Private Ltd., the event-organizing arm of the Times of India Group, to assist in the hunt for sponsors. The awards were announced January 22 – just 72 days before the three-day event.
Nelson’s credits include arranging Honda’s title sponsorship of the Celebration of Light fireworks and Pepsi and Budweiser sponsor/supply deals for BC Place stadium. He admitted that potential TOIFA sponsors shied away because of the tight timeline.
“Our primary objective was to ensure that TOIFA organizers clearly understood the domestic (Canadian and regional) sponsorship realities, challenges and opportunities – while also helping TOIFA to gauge national brand interest,” Nelson told Business in Vancouver.
“While reaching out to gauge potential brand interest in TOIFA, we found that there was solid interest in TOIFA and the event’s target demographic; however, as expected, given the short timeline most major brands already had their Q2 2013 sponsorship budgets and related resources already well locked down.”
Nelson said smaller, local businesses were “more nimble” with sponsorship decisions.
Developer Thind Properties, whose projects include Skyway Tower, Metro One, Metro Two and Casa d’Oro, signed on as the Canadian presenting sponsor. Other domestic sponsors include Verka Foods, Gagan Foods, Fruiticana grocery and Nanak Foods.
A roster of 20 media partners included Postmedia’s Vancouver Sun and Province, Shaw, Global BC, Red 93.1 FM and the Indo-Canadian Voice.
Two days before the event, Indian underwear giant Luxcozi’s logo was posted on the TOIFA website as the title sponsor.
BIV obtained sponsorship and hospitality brochures that offered packages for $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000. BCCL required full payment in advance. The top-priced “Diamond Supporter” package comprised 67 tickets to all events, including four important tickets, four VIP tickets and 15 general tickets to the April 6 awards.
Eight tickets to the April 5 TOIFA film screening at Strawberry Hills were also to be included. However, the event at the Surrey Cineplex was cancelled, to the disappointment of the Surrey Board of Trade.
Diamond package purchasers were to receive logo presence in ethnic and mainstream media and on event posters, mention in the TOIFA website and social media, recognition at all venues and full-page ad inserts in program brochures.
The 22-page partnership offering estimated paid and earned ethnic media integration would be worth $10 million, with a local audience of 50,000-plus attendees and broadcast and online reach of a minimum 1 million.
“Exclusive, ‘money can’t buy’ VIP hosting opportunities, multiple sponsor representation, consumer contests, film screenings and much more,” said the document of what would be included. “Government, stakeholder and high net worth client engagement opportunities; High brand visibility and overall ‘brand affiliation’ positioning.
“Limitless opportunities, customized to suit business objectives,” it ended.
No rate sheet was included in the copy BIV obtained.
BMackin@biv.com
@bobmackin
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