Photo credit: © Diana Bogaards

Knock-knock...Wake up Dutch Marketing Managers! There is more than soccer, skating or cycling. And yes, our top athletes are also leading in different, much more adventurous sports fields. You might have heard about Conny van Rietschoten, who won the Whitbread Round the World Race twice in the late seventies and early eighties. Well I have good news, we still have potential winners in our ocean racing fleets.

And you have the opportunity to join them in one of world’s most extreme yachting races around the globe; the Volvo Ocean Race. No, I am not talking about a budget of tens of millions Euros. It takes 3,5 million per year, a total of 10 million for a two or three year campaign, to bring your company to all oceans and continents. As title sponsor if you get my meaning, so your team will carry your business name on the hull, clothing, in the sails and in all communications.

No stadiums as network location for your VIP’s, but renown port cities around the world with their own cultures. In addition, the association with ‘Life at the Extreme’ and tough ocean sailors. How unique is that. Your alternative is a middle class soccer club in the premier league…

Not convinced yet? Take a look at Team Delta Lloyd in the Volvo ocean Race 2008-09, that commenced only a month prior to the start as major underdog. It reached however a ROI of 23,5 million Euro with an investment of 8 million Euro. The media value was worth 12,7 million Euro and the brand awareness rose from 28 percent to 34 percent. I call this a successful business proposition!

How come there’s still no Dutch team for the coming edition of the Volvo Ocean Race, to start in October 2014? You can still win the next edition, so hurry up and contact the two main initiatives at the moment: Team Holland (Anita van Oeveren) and Team Heiner (Helga Oosterkamp).

See you in Alicante next year!

Diana Bogaards, September 14 2013