eagleparbirdie

From Tournament Sponsor to Tour Sponsor: Mercedes Makes a Move

Filed in archive Golf Business on March 4, 2008

From Tournament Sponsor to Tour Sponsor: Mercedes Makes a Move
2008 Mercedes Championship
German automaker, mercedes benz, is stepping up its involvement in the game of golf.

But it's doing so in a very clever way.

The luxury car maker already has a high profile on the PGA Tour via the Mercedes Championship, the early season event in Hawaii.

However, it's upped its stakes in the game of golf by becoming title sponsor of a regional tour in Southeast Asia.



Why a regional tour in a part of the world that isn't known for golf?

Here's a possible answer. Mercedes is sponsoring the ASEAN Golf Tour, not to be confused with the Asian Golf Tour.

ASEAN is an acronym for Association of South East Asian Nations and comprises countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Laos, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.

They are also some of the fastest growing economies in the world. We think too often that China and India are the economic powerhouses in that part of the globe. They are but coming up behind them like a Kenyan sprinter are the ASEAN countries.

Mercedes has scored a coup for three reasons: first, it's put its brand front and center in a part of the world where a lot of money is being generated. Second, it has scooped the Asian car makers like Toyota, Hyundai and Honda in particular. And third, it has done so for very little money.

Reports don't specify a dollar amount but Reuters news agency reports a 7 figure sum.

That's not much money to lock up title rights to a golf tour during flourishing economic times. The whole idea, corporate goodwill in helping to develop young golf talent notwithstanding, is to sell cars.

Big, expensive ones. Very smart.

Permalink: From Tournament Sponsor to Tour Sponsor: Mercedes Makes a Move

Tags: mercedes  sponsors  golf  tour  mercedesbenz  and  southeast  asian  golf  tour  mercedes  golf  championship  ka 

Vote for From Tournament Sponsor to Tour Sponsor: Mercedes Makes a Move:

  • Currently 6.50/10
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
Rating: 6.50 out of 2 vote(s) cast.
 
Share It
RSSrss
Google google
Yahoo! yahoo
Addthis Subscribe using any feed reader!
Bloglines Bloglines
TwitterFollow us on Twitter!
Most Popular   Best of   Did you know   European Tour   Golf Business   Golf Courses   Golf Equipment   Golf Fitness   Golf Humor   Golf Instruction   Golf Interviews   Golf News   Golf Travel   Golf Wanderings   Information About   Misc   Quick introduction   US Open