Fast Track | News Feed

FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP UAE 2013 MASCOT LANDS IN THE EMIRATES

2013-05-01T00:00:00

Shaqran is named after a popular type of falcons in the Emirates, a bird that is synonymous with the country’s heritage and tradition of falconry. HE Mohammed Abdulla bin Bdoua, Tournament Director, said: “I am delighted to introduce our tournament mascot, Shaqran, to all football fans in the UAE, many of whom are familiar with the falcon that the mascot is named after. Falcons are a potent symbol of our nation and represent great strength and determination, two qualities present in all 24 qualifying teams for this tournament. Shaqran therefore emerged as the perfect name for our event ambassador and mascot.”

The fun falcon mascot provides the tournament with an exciting brand asset that will be used to engage with football fans, especially children, across the Emirates during the build-up to the biggest celebration of football in the country’s history.

“We continually aim to select FIFA U-17 World Cup mascots that fans from the host country can relate to and are familiar with. Shaqran was the best pick for this tournament as he not only represents the Emirates’ heritage of falconry but he is also a symbol that many UAE nationals identify with in the same way that they identify with the one of the nation’s oldest sport – football,” said Iñaki Alvarez, FIFA Deputy Director of Competitions.

The 15th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup takes place across six cities – Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah - from October 17 to November 8 and is set to be the largest football event in the nation’s history. A total of 52 matches will be played in the UAE’s top stadiums – Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Emirates Stadium in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah Stadium in Fujairah, Sharjah Stadium in Sharjah, Rashid Stadium in Dubai and Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain.

Fast Track Strengthens Award Winning Content Offering

2013-05-01T00:00:00

Dan Humphreys joins in the newly created position of Head of Content, with responsibility for leading the award-winning Content team with Head of PR Jon Deacon and Head of Digital Graeme Harrison, and building a department with a full set of creative and production tools at its disposal.
In addition, Miles Rose joins as Business Development Director, with a broad responsibility for creating Content opportunities for clients and new prospects, as well as leading a number of the agency’s high profile accounts including Emirates.

Both Humphreys and Rose have strong experience in the digital content sector, Humphreys having spent five years at specialist consultancy markettiers4dc, before more recently as consumer PR director with Burson-Marsteller, whilst Rose joins from TVC, another market leader in the communications space.
With the agency already working with a wealth of UK and international clients including The National Lottery, Oman Football Association, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, HSBC, the LTA, Tetley’s Football Pools, Carlsberg and the RFL, Fast Track’s CEO Andy Westlake said, “We are delighted to welcome Dan and Miles into Fast Track at a time when our clients are realising the power of sports content to engage with their target markets and we want to build an offering that is as good as any in the world.

“As part of CSM and with offices in more than a dozen countries, we know there is a huge opportunity for our business but also a wealth of opportunities for our clients to produce world class work. These hires and a number of other on-going investments demonstrate our seriousness to be right at the forefront of this fast growing sector.”
Humphreys has a unique 360-degree perspective of Fast Track first gained as a former client at Camelot; then as a specialist provider of digital and broadcast PR services on various Fast Track client projects, and now within the agency.
His earlier experience includes senior in-house PR roles at Camelot, operator of The National Lottery, Sport England, ITN and Channel 4 News.

Commenting on his appointment, Dan said, “It is a privilege to join the international leadership team at this prestigious sports marketing agency.
“I am excited by the opportunity to work with experienced colleagues to drive forward our great PR and digital capabilities around the world and build our distinctive Content offering at the heart of the business.”
Rose has a wealth of experience in the sports sector, having worked in a senior position at TVC with a focus on the award winning British Gas sponsorship of British Swimming, plus his previous appointment at Speedo International as Sports Marketing Manager for EMEA and Speedo Australia.
Miles said, “Fast Track is a highly regarded agency within international sports marketing and I am very excited to be joining at a time with tremendous opportunities across sport and entertainment and look forward to working with a talented agency abundant with creative people.”
Fast Track is an International Sports Marketing Agency and part of CSM Sport & Entertainment.
CSM Sport & Entertainment is currently the fourth largest sports marketing and entertainment agency in the world and growing.

Fast Track delivers knockout campaign to win SIA Social Media fig

2013-05-01T00:00:00

In a year where the ceremony was dominated by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the award was a stunning cut-through success for the agency in a highly contested, new category which celebrates the ever evolving world of digital media.

Fast Track worked with the world champion boxer as he came out of retirement and used social media to promote a story about struggle, demons, finding support in unexpected places and, ultimately, redemption.
The Ricky Hatton story is a powerful, emotive tale of one man’s fight to turn his life around.
In 2009, Hatton had a disastrous fight and he retired. What followed was heart-breaking: drugs, alcohol, fast food and depression.

After his daughter’s birth, Ricky decided to box again but, crucially, he needed the unanimous support of the sceptical media and a disillusioned public. His comeback would be wholly dependent on this.
Fast Track worked to build a movement of support using social channels to allow Ricky to find the strength to quit his addictions and secure an opponent, venue, ticket sales, television deal and sponsors.
The strategy was anchored by an authentic and compelling narrative of human redemption.

Social media was utilised to connect with Ricky’s fans and use their support to keep him focused and ultimately enabled Ricky to re-gain his boxing faith and the British public and media a sporting role model.
Following the campaign, his comeback fight sold out the 18,000-seater Manchester Arena in 48 hours, which was a record for a non-championship fight and Pay Per View figures were double Team Hatton’s estimation.
The tone across social media was incredible: 20 per cent of mentions of @HitmanHatton on fight weekend refer to Ricky as “a legend” and there were over 32,000 mentions on social media and Ricky saw a 200 pent cent increase in Twitter followers.

Fast Track Head of Digital Graeme Harrison said, “To have Fast Track’s social media work on the Ricky Hatton: Redemption campaign recognised by the Sports Industry is a huge honour and cements our belief in an ever evolving media world that brands now need to be part of to tell their story.

“Social media is a huge force which the population are engaging in and we recognised that the best way for Ricky to tell his story, connect with his fans and work to overcome his demons was through honesty, which Twitter and other social platforms enabled us to do.”

Fast Track was also awarded for their work in 2012 with shortlisted nominations in the ‘Best Use of PR’ category, for the National Lottery London 2012 Campaign, and for Agency of the Year.

Fast Track Strengthens Senior Management Team

2013-04-01T00:00:00

In the first of two appointments, CEO Andy Westlake takes on full responsibility across Fast Track’s international offices.

The agency also sees the promotion of former Olympic hockey captain Jon Wyatt to Managing Director, with full remit across the day to day management of Fast Track London.

Andy Westlake’s evolving role as CEO to the international group follows the move of Jonathan Castleman to Head of Group Development for CSM. Castleman was the former International Managing Director at Fast Track.
Westlake said, “These changes will help Fast Track further cement our global prominence in the sports marketing industry as we continue to build our brand and offerings.”

The CEO, who has been in the sponsorship business for over 20 years, eleven of which at Fast Track, continued, “Jonathan Castleman has driven our international offering around the world to tremendous effect and we currently have offices situated in the UK, Glasgow, Spain, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and Sydney and I look forward to the new challenges of further cementing our work in these and new territories.”
Prior to his promotion to MD, Jon Wyatt was Fast Track’s Client Services Director having joined the agency in 2002 from management consultancy Accenture.

Initially cutting his teeth leading the Lucozade Sport account, Jon has worked across many of Fast Track’s clients including G4S, Polar, Mizuno, LTA and most recently HSBC’s sponsorship portfolio of the British and Irish Lions, Hong Kong 7s, Sevens World Series, Wimbledon and the International Equestrian Federation’s HSBC FEI Classics eventing series.

Jon has stellar sports credentials himself having won 195 England and Great Britain hockey caps in a highly successful career which included captaining the 2000 GB Olympic team in Sydney, winning bronze at the 1996 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games and being part of the 1996 Olympic and 2002 Commonwealth Games teams.
Wyatt said, ”This is an exciting time for Fast Track as we look to capitalise on the growth and increased profile of CSM, particularly with Lord Seb Coe joining as Chairman.
“Like all agencies within our sector, we are in a post-London 2012 era and we continue to build on the wide-ranging Olympic and Paralympic experiences of our team here in London, which now includes Seb’s extensive experience and knowledge.”

“We are in the privileged position of working with some of the biggest brands and sporting organisations in the world, helping them to build deeper connections with their audiences through the power and passion of sport, and to be asked to take on this management position is very exciting.”

Fast Track is an International Sports Marketing Agency and part of CSM Sport & Entertainment.
CSM Sport & Entertainment is currently the fourth largest sports marketing agency in the world and growing.

Triple Honours for Fast Track Middle East at Sports Industry Awar

2013-04-01T00:00:00

Fast Track work in the Middle East was honoured for its HSBC and Mubadala sponsorship campaigns, beating a strong line up of competitors to win three major awards.

The HSBC Middle East Rugby Programme secured the top gold award in the category of ‘Best Sports Marketing Campaign’, recognising the four year campaign created by Fast Track to engage the bank’s key regional stakeholders including retail customers, corporate clients, prospects and staff.

HSBC’s global sponsorship of the HSBC Sevens World Series took home silver in the category of ‘Best Sports Sponsorship’, recognising the success of its partnership with the Dubai rugby Sevens in delivering strong business and brand returns for the bank across the region.

Completing the hat-trick of awards, the Mubadala Football in Schools grassroots sponsorship programme, conceptualised and activated by Fast Track for the past three years, won the top gold award in the ‘Best Youth Sports Programme’ category.

Elsewhere HSBC also claimed gold for ‘Best Sports Event’ with its title sponsorship of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, another event to which Fast Track Middle East provides HSBC with support through the delivery of its VIP Guest Management and Hospitality programme.
More information on the Sports Industry Awards can be found here.

FAST TRACK APPOINTED TO UNDERTAKE FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP UAE 2013 MA

2013-03-01T00:00:00

ast Track, part of the CSM Sport & Entertainment group, was appointed in February by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) after a competitive pitch process which began in August 2012.
The 15th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup tournament, which takes place across five of the Emirates of the UAE from 17th October – 8th November, is one of the biggest international football events in the world and will be the biggest football tournament ever to be hosted in the UAE.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, His Excellency Yousef Y Al Serkal, is pleased with the appointment of the award-winning sports marketing agency as the latest member of the project team:
“Fast Track is a market leader in the delivery of international sports marketing campaigns and we are very pleased to have brought their expertise to the organising team for such a prestigious and important event in the UAE,” said Al Serkal.

Fast Track will report directly into the LOC on the nine month project.
“It is a thrill for Fast Track to be a part of such an important international sport event as the FIFA U-17 World Cup,” said Ben Faber, Director of Fast Track Middle East.
“This will be the biggest football event ever in the UAE and we are looking forward to helping make it an extremely successful event later this year.”

The countdown to the tournament began on Tuesday 5th March as the official emblem was unveiled at a glittering ceremony at the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi. The emblem depicts an oyster shell and pearl in the national colours of the UAE, a reference to the country’s historical relationship with fishing and pearl diving.
24 nations will compete for the prestigious FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy, seeking to be crowned the best teenage team on the planet. Over the years, the tournament has been the birthplace of some of the biggest stars in the game, with the likes of Ronaldinho (Brazil), Luis Figo (Portugal), Alessandro Del Piero (Italy) and Juan Sebastian Veron (Argentina) all having made their name as youngsters in previous FIFA U-17 World Cup tournaments.

A total of 52 matches will be played over a three week period in six of the UAE’s top stadiums – Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Rashid Stadium in Dubai, Sharjah Stadium in Sharjah, Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, Emirates Stadium in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah Stadium in Fujairah.
Tickets for the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013 are expected to go on sale from June 2013. For more information visit www.fifa.com/u17worldcup.

Fast Track Nominated at The Middle East's 2013 Sports Industry Aw

2013-02-01T00:00:00

Meanwhile Fast Track's work on the Mubadala Football In Schools programme has earned a nomination in the Best Sport Youth Development Project, awarded for demonstrating a tangible contribution to the development of grass roots youth (aged 6 to 21) participation of sports in the region.

The SPIAs seek to recognize and reward outstanding events, organizations, brands, sponsors and facilities that have contributed to the development of Middle East sport. The award presentation will take place at will be presented at The One & Only Royal Mirage on the 27th of March 2013 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The complete list of nominees is available here

Fast Track shortlisted for SIA ‘Agency of the Year’

2013-02-01T00:00:00

The 2013 Sports Industry Award shortlist has now been released and sees Fast Track involved across three shortlisted entries. The successful campaigns are listed below, see the full shortlist for the 2013 Sports Industry Awards here.

Agency of the Year: Fast Track

Best Use of Social Media: Ricky Hatton : Redemption

Best Use of PR: The National Lottery, The National Lottery London 2012 Campaign

Results will be announced at the Sports Industry Awards 2013 on 2 May in Battersea.

On the Road to Rio!

2013-02-01T00:00:00

The Road to Rio series in partnership with The National Lottery launched in the Daily Mail this week with athletes Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Heptathlete), Adam Gemili (Athletics), Chris Mears (Diving), Rebecca James (Cycling), Max Whitlock (Gymnastics), Harry Brown (Wheelchair Basketball), Sally Brown (Paralympic Athletics).
The Daily Mail will be hosting a Road to Rio page on their website which will be updated monthly with blogs, top tips, videos and images of GB’s newest rising stars.

Fast Track Report Reveals London 2012 Boost

2013-01-01T00:00:00

The results indicate that sponsorship activation budgets will rise along with a wider diversity of investment as brands look to develop new opportunities after the London 2012 focus.

The report, featuring a foreword by Lord Coe, shares the results of a survey of over 50 leading industry voices including LOCOG, BPA, BBC, Sony, Land Rover and Sport England and revealed that:

• Paralympic sport and women’s sport have benefitted substantially from Gamestime exposure
• Two-thirds of NGB’s surveyed believe sport participation levels will rise
• Nearly half of the brands surveyed believe they will now spend more on their sponsorships
• Three-quarters of brands believe new sponsors will enter the market

Lord Coe, the new Executive Chairman of CSM Sport & Entertainment, Fast Track’s parent company, believes the landscape of British sport has been changed permanently by London 2012 and expects sport sponsorship to thrive in the post-Olympic and Paralympic market.

“London 2012 was without doubt an important commercial event, breaking all previous OCOG records for sponsorship income and prompting some of the most far-reaching marketing and sponsorship activation programmes ever seen around a summer Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Lord Coe.

“Inevitably this will have impacted our industry, both in the UK and beyond, providing food for thought for brands, governing bodies and agencies alike.”

In total, 82 per cent agreed sponsors and potential sponsors have changed their views on sports sponsorship as a direct result of London 2012, while 78 per cent of brands believe new sponsor brands are now more likely to enter the market.

It is also expected that brands will increase the allocation of activation budgets as sports sponsorship increasingly delivers audience focus, both in-game and out-of-game and across all media platforms.

The ability to power both brand stature and brand strength is cementing sponsorship’s place alongside the more established marketing disciplines.

The most universal assertion made by the research is the increase in attractiveness of Paralympic sport to sponsors, with 85 per cent expecting an increase on this front in the coming months and years.

Chief Executive of the British Paralympic Association, Tim Hollingsworth, was understandably pleased with the findings of the report but despite the positivity believes the hard work is only just beginning.

Hollingsworth said: “There was a fantastic rise in awareness of Paralympic sport through the Games, but we are still at base camp in terms of climbing the mountain.

“Commercial partners will have realised that Paralympic sponsorship offers something unique and it is therefore no surprise that industry figures are predicting increasing interest in both the Paralympic movement and women’s sports in the future; both of which would have been considered minority players in the past.

“These commercial partners will be crucial to the continued rising of awareness of the success of our athletes and the impact their success can have on wider society.”

Women’s sport also appears to have caught the eye, with 74 per cent of brands stating it is now seen as a much more attractive proposition than before the summer.

The research suggest brands will aim to improve their reputation through grassroots and community investment, with less emphasis on traditional measurable ROI’s such as coverage numbers and more on the accruement of a ‘goodwill’ towards the sponsor.

There will also be a greater focus on major multi-sport events, starting with the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Lord Coe, who also remains Chairman of LOCOG until May, added: “The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was a hugely powerful and successful sporting and cultural event for the whole nation.

“There have already been a number of learned pronouncements on the outcomes of London 2012 both commercially and from a brand perspective, but it’s interesting to see that this research has unearthed some intriguing details as it comes from those at the very heart of sport.

“From the research, it’s fair to say that companies that live and die by their ability to understand what young people are doing are actually probably more accurate and effective drivers of sport participation than public sector initiatives.”

These sentiments were echoed by Fast Track’s Chief Executive Officer, Andy Westlake, who expects to see some new major brands getting behind sport sponsorship as the industry comes of age.

Westlake said: “We’ve seen in the past the successes of other major events in terms of attracting sponsors to sport, but I don’t think anyone will have seen anything quite like this. In an increasingly fragmented communications market, sports sponsorship allows brands to get right within a targeted consumer’s sweet spot.

“The increasing importance of sponsorship to brands is obvious and there is a fantastic opportunity here to back sports whose profiles have risen incredibly.”

Lynne Tinsley, Opinion Leader Research, said: “Whilst a relatively small number of people were surveyed, what sets this research apart is the level of influence and seniority of the people who took part.
“The research included key opinion leaders from across the sector, including brands, media, NGBs, charities and quangos, and therefore represents the views of a highly influential cross section of the industry.”

Carlsberg enters new three year partnership

2013-01-01T00:00:00

This partnership offers a unique range of rights and opportunities for consumers to engage with the Carlsberg brand, including use of official designations; marks and imagery; match-day access and hospitality; and content for online and social media channels.

Commenting on the agreement Tom Moradpour, Vice President of the Carlsberg Brand, said:

“At a time when we are fully committed to growing the Carlsberg brand, it is fantastic to be associated with such an iconic football property as the Premier League.

“The Carlsberg brand has a long association with football and we are delighted that this partnership with the Premier League provides us with another platform with which to connect with consumers and football fans around the world and drive greater engagement with the Carlsberg brand.

“This new partnership significantly strengthens our existing portfolio and we look forward to activating this sponsorship through innovative and imaginative campaigns across all our markets.”

Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, added:

“We are extremely pleased that Carlsberg has chosen to invest in the Premier League and, from next season, become the League’s official beer partner.

“The Premier League is well known and well followed in the UK and internationally and that makes Carlsberg – one of the most renowned breweries in the world – an excellent partner for us.

“The commitment and investment from commercial partners like Carlsberg is very important in helping us to continue to put on a high quality football competition that is enjoyed by fans at home and abroad.”

Fast Track Tops 2012 Marketing Magazine Sponsorship Agency Table

2012-02-01T00:00:00

The influential list that ranks sponsorship agencies in order of annual fee income placed three companies of CSM, a division of Chime Communications PLC, in the industry’s top 15.
In addition to Fast Track, sister agency Essentially replicated their second place in the league table, while The Sports Business finished in 14th once again.
Andy Westlake, Chief Executive of Fast Track, said: “It is fantastic to retain our position at the top of the table again this year. It’s been a brilliantly exciting year in our sector, not only for us, but for CSM as a whole, and it’s great to still be such a significant part of this growing and vibrant industry”.
“We now have to work hard to ensure we finish top of the table for an eighth consecutive year and I know for a fact that our fellow CSM colleagues will be pushing us all the way.”
Jim Glover, Chief Executive of CSM commented: “A fabulous year of sport for the UK and another really impressive year for Fast Track. London 2012 provided a fantastic showcase for the many service offerings within the agency, and our on-going non-Olympic work continued to grow both in the UK and across our International network.”

Emirates and Arsenal Agree New £150 Million Sponsorship Deal

2012-01-01T00:00:00

Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing international airlines, and Arsenal Football Club have today announced a new £150 million deal which grants the airline a five year extension to their shirt partnership with the Club until the end of the 2

• Emirates to remain shirt sponsors of Arsenal to the end of 2018/2019 season
• Emirates Stadium naming rights extended to 2028 as part of deal

As well as being one of the biggest deals ever struck in the game, the agreement, worth £30 million a year for five years, extends and deepens one of the strongest and most recognisable partnerships in sport.

The new agreement was formally concluded today at Emirates Stadium by Arsenal Chief Executive, Ivan Gazidis and Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Boutros Boutros.

"This is an exciting day for Arsenal Football Club and all our supporters," said Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis. "This agreement is a testimony to Arsenal’s approach and to the capabilities we have developed in recent years as well as the strength of our partnership with Emirates.

“The original deal with Emirates was a key facilitator of our move from Highbury and this next phase of our relationship will be just as critical to keep us at the top of the game in England and Europe.

“Emirates is the perfect partner for Arsenal and we are delighted to have agreed a new partnership. Emirates is a world class brand and by flying to over 120 destinations across six continents has a truly global reach. This reach will play an important role in our own ambitions to further extend the depth of our following around the world. The fact this partnership will continue for many years to come underlines how much both organisations value and benefit from the relationship.”

As part of the deal Arsenal’s home will continue to be known as Emirates Stadium up to 2028.

The Emirates brand will also continue appearing on the front of Arsenal’s playing and training kits and the new agreement contains a number of marketing rights, which come into effect immediately, to ensure Emirates can engage with Arsenal fans in the UK and abroad.

"Arsenal’s strong appeal around the globe and ambitious approach to the game parallel our own approach to business, making them a valuable partner for our brand," said His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group. "We continue to see immeasurable value in our global sports sponsorships and our sponsorship with Arsenal is no different. The Club has been an important enabler of the growth of our business over the last decade and we are confident this will continue as part of our extended deal.

“This partnership remains a perfect combination of two truly global brands. Through our global network and carefully selected sports sponsorships Emirates is able to unite and engage fans, and coupled with Arsenal’s world-wide fan following this makes for a strong match,” added HH Sheikh Ahmed.

As part of the partnership agreement the Arsenal soccer school in Dubai, which launched in 2010, will also continue. Since the school opened over 4000 youngsters have trained there and are often visited during the term by Arsenal’s first team players.

Emirates first signed its sponsorship agreement with Arsenal in 2004, providing the airline with naming rights to the stadium until 2021 and a shirt sponsorship that began in the 2006/2007 season.

Aside from European football club sponsorships, Emirates is also an Official Partner of the FIFA World Cup™, the Official Airline of a number of golf tournaments internationally and supports a range of high-profile horse racing, tennis, rugby, sailing and cricket events across the globe.

Fast Track client Oscar Pistorius Awarded Honorary Degree From St

2012-01-01T00:00:00

The South African sprinter was joined by hundreds of engineering graduates as he was made a Doctor of the University. The award builds on the University’s relationship with the sports star, who gave the keynote speech at Strathclyde’s Sporting Prosthetics Conference last year.

Having made history by competing in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London this year, Oscar has become a role model for sports and physical activity for all, and is being recognised for his sporting success as well as his work with humanitarian causes.

He was awarded the honorary degree after meeting with patients, students and staff of the University’s National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics within the Department of Biomedical Engineering, which is helping to develop the health technologies of the future.

Speaking before the ceremony, Oscar said: “I am incredibly honoured to be awarded an honorary degree from such a prestigious University as Strathclyde – I have had a great history working with them and believe they lead the way in prosthetic research and development and have very much enjoyed the work I have done with them in the past and look forward to continuing a great relationship with them.

“Today is a very proud day for me. The people of Scotland are always so warm and welcoming towards me and I think of it as my second home here. Thank you to everyone at the University for their support, this truly does cap what has been an amazing year for me.”

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal of the University, said: “We are delighted to welcome Oscar back to the University. His sporting success, combined with his determination to help people affected by disability, has made him an excellent role model, not only for our graduating students here at Strathclyde, but for millions of people across the globe.

“As a leading technological University, we are committed to ‘useful learning’ – teaching and research that has an impact on society.

“It is fitting that Oscar’s visit has included a visit to our Department for Biomedical Bioengineering – an excellent example of what can be achieved by bringing together innovative technologies, determined people and excellent teaching to improve lives.”

Professor Bernie Conway, Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, will give the oration this afternoon. He will describe Oscar’s sporting achievements, as well as his support for charities associated with humanitarian causes.

He said: “There can be no doubt that Oscar Pistorius is a remarkable person and athlete, where the will to prepare to win is strong but is rooted in a positive life philosophy that centres on trust, equality and respect for others.

“A winner whose winning habit has been powered by dedication, commitment and an unshakable determination to live a life without limitations or barriers, Oscar’s road to success has been both inspirational and immensely challenging.

“We see our own mission to provide training and innovation that can better people’s lives and with this honorary award to Oscar, we wish to recognise not only his remarkable past achievements, but his future commitment and drive to help people and children affected by disability.”

Oscar is one of five distinguished figures being honoured by the University this Autumn. The others are:
• Professor Neil Gershenfeld, Director of the Centre for Bits and Atoms at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Doctor of the University)
• Sir Paul Nurse, the British geneticist, cell biologist and Nobel Prize Winner (Doctor of Science)
• Professor Anne Glover, EU Chief Scientific Advisor (Doctor of Science)
• Fran Healy, lead singer of Scottish pop band Travis (Doctor of the University)

Emirates to fly the flag for Glasgow 2014's global ambitions as O

2012-01-01T00:00:00

The Partnership strengthens the international airline’s commitment to Glasgow and Scotland and will play a key role in profiling the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on a global stage.

Today’s announcement was made by First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, at Glasgow International Airport. He was joined by Lord Smith, Chair of the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, Richard Jewsbury, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Europe and Russian Federation, Laurie Berryman, Emirates Vice President UK as well as representatives of Games Partners - Michael Cavanagh, Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland and Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council.

To mark the announcement of the exciting Partnership, the 777-300ER aircraft on today’s afternoon flight to and from Glasgow was adorned with the Glasgow 2014 Official Partner logo on both sides.

Commenting on the Partnership, First Minister Alex Salmond said:

“It is excellent to have such a prestigious sponsor as Emirates Airline on board to help us deliver a fantastic Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Emirates has a superb track record in supporting world-class sporting events and its involvement as a major sponsor underlines the global reach that the 2014 Games will have.

"This announcement is significant, not just because of what it means for the success of the Games, but also as it demonstrates the excellent relationship Emirates continues to have with Scotland, after the airline announced an expansion in its Glasgow to Dubai service earlier this year.

"Forming strong, enduring partnerships with blue-chip sponsors such as Emirates will be essential to ensuring that we are able to stage a hugely successful Commonwealth Games in Glasgow of which the entire country can be proud."

Lord Smith, Chair of the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, said:

“Together, Glasgow 2014 and Emirates create a compelling partnership which recognises the international ambition and scale of the Commonwealth Games taking place in Scotland in 2014.

“These Games create a world-class festival of elite sport and culture but also wider collaborations and further opportunities for Scotland on a global scale.”

Richard Jewsbury, Emirates Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Europe and Russian Federation, said:

“For many years Emirates has been at the forefront of sports partnerships in the UK. Now, we are taking this engagement to a new level, as an Official Games Partner of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and Official Airline of the Queen’s Baton Relay. These partnerships are particularly significant for Emirates as we currently fly to 23 Commonwealth countries, enabling us to connect athletes and spectators from across the globe to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow through our hub in Dubai.

“For the past eight years Emirates has been proud to play a key role in supporting Scotland’s international connections. Since 2004 our Glasgow service has carried over 1.7 million passengers and over 46 million kilos of cargo to and from the Middle East and beyond. This new multi-million pound partnership with Glasgow 2014 demonstrates our continued commitment to Scotland and highlights the nation’s place on the international sporting stage.”

Emirates is already a significant supporter of high profile sport in the UK and internationally with a prestigious portfolio which includes the FIFA World Cup, the 2012 Ryder Cup, the International Cricket Council and Arsenal Football Club at Emirates Stadium, as well as the Emirates Airline Glasgow Rugby Sevens

The partnership with Glasgow 2014 will see the airline play a key role in the Queen’s Baton Relay, the unique prelude to the Commonwealth Games during which a message of goodwill from Her Majesty The Queen is taken through the 71 Nations and Territories which will be sending athletes to compete in Glasgow.

Emirates is also proud to have secured naming rights to Emirates Arena, Glasgow’s latest world-class sporting facility. Home to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Emirates Arena will host Glasgow 2014’s Track-Cycling and Badminton events.

The announcement was also welcomed by Glasgow 2014 Games Partners, Commonwealth Games Scotland and Glasgow City Council.

Michael Cavanagh, Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that Emirates has come on board as the Glasgow 2014 Airline Partner. Commonwealth Games Scotland has enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Emirates since 2006 and we see this as a fitting extension of their involvement.

“Emirates flying from Glasgow has connected Scotland so seamlessly to the rest of the world making travel to and from most parts of the Commonwealth very easy. They have a first class understanding of the needs of sports and athletes and visiting teams will undoubtedly benefit from this as we have for previous Games.”

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council said:

“I am delighted to see this fantastic sponsorship agreement, once again showing the attraction of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games for the business community.

“This partnership illustrates the global reach of the Games and joins the other sponsorship agreements in promising to help deliver a memorable event in 2014.”

Lord Coe appointed Executive Chairman of CSM Sport & Entertainmen

2012-01-01T00:00:00

It is intended that Lord Coe will be appointed Executive Chairman of CSM in January 2013, once the acquisition of his company, Complete Leisure Group, is finalised by Chime.

On completion of the transaction, the current CSM Chairman and Fast Track founder, Alan Pascoe, will become President of CSM.

Andy Westlake, Chief Executive of Fast Track, said:

“Everyone here at Fast Track, and indeed the whole of CSM, is delighted Lord Coe will be joining us from the New Year. It’s a hugely exciting time for us here as the business continues to grow and evolve and there’s no better person than Lord Coe to help usachieve our ambitions.

Lord Coe said:

“I am delighted to be joining such a dynamic group with such a breadth of sporting interests and skills. I hope my experience will help develop this exciting new business and I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Jim Glover, Group Chief Executive of CSM, said:

“We are entering an exciting new phase in our evolution at CSM and I can think of no-one in the world better than Lord Coe to help us continue to build on our existing success.”

Christopher Satterthwaite, Chief Executive of Chime Communications, commented:

“Lord Coe is a hugely respected figure in the global sports market and he will bring enormous value to CSM’s international capabilities.”

An experience where two worlds truly collided

For a PR team used to working on consumer lifestyle events, Destination Star Trek London (DSTL) will undoubtedly go down as one of the most unique experiences of all time.

Photography Courtesy of Theo Cohen

William Shatner, Sir Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew and Scott Bakula united on stage to launch the exhibition in London, alongside over 30 of the most iconic faces directors, writers and producers in sci-fi history.

The weekend-long convention also witnessed the first Klingon wedding in the UK as Jossie Sockertopp, 23, and Sonnie Gustavsson 29, from Skåne in Sweden, tied the knot dressed as members of the warrior race.
There was also a Guinness World Record attempt for the largest number of people gathering in one place dressed in costumes from the sci-fi franchise. Costumed-up and getting into the spirit, the team saw over 1,083 visitors gather to successfully smash the record.

Over the course of the weekend the team handled over 350 media, six photo calls, three A-list hissey-fits, and saw over 30,000 life-long trekkies dressed head to toe as characters from Star Trek, attend the three-day event, with some fans travelling from as far away as Australia, Colombia and Vietnam to the convention.
It was an event like no other that quickly identified, to be a fan is one thing, but being a "Trekkie" puts you in a whole different league.

Despite an altogether surreal experience, and feeling that in our ‘Gold Fish Bowl’ press office we were in fact a public exhibit of the ‘normal people’, none of us can deny the success of our maiden voyage at this weekend’s event. Coverage has exceeded all expectations propelling the DSTL event worldwide, whilst proving the enduring popularity and interest in the SCFI genre.

Although I’m certain none of us will be rushing out to buy tickets to the next convention, we now have a new found appreciation for what it truly means to be part of professional Star Trek fandom.
A huge thanks has to go to the whole team for pulling it together. Nazia Williamson, Alexandra Findlay, Stephanie Ensten and CSM’s very own Captain Sean-Paul Roberts for his guest appearance and crowd management abilities; you are all true masters of the Star Trek PR universe!
So what happens next? Back to what we know: Ideal Home Show at Christmas 14th – 18th November 2012 www.idealhomeshowatchristmas.com

THE HONG KONG RUGBY TEAM MASCOT INTRODUCES ITSELF TO THE PUBLIC A

2012-02-01T00:00:00

The Hong Kong Rugby Team Mascot has today introduced itself to the local public (17 February) and began its quest to drum up support for the Hong Kong team, who are now just six weeks away from participating at the 2012 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens tournament.

Dressed smartly in the new Hong Kong team jersey, which features the Traditional Chinese logo of sponsor HSBC - the first time Chinese characters have appeared on the jersey, the mascot will be touring around the city of Hong Kong to increase the public’s awareness and support of the local team. Currently without a name, the mascot is inviting the public to give it a name. Fans who enter the naming competition will automatically be entered into a free prize draw to win tickets to the Sevens.

Giles Morgan, HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship said, “HSBC’s new partnership with the Hong Kong Team is an important part of our community engagement programme here in Hong Kong. The bank is committed to broadening the appeal of the Hong Kong Sevens, and growing pride towards the Hong Kong team, and the mascot will play a key part in achieving that over the coming weeks. The initial response to the mascot from the public has been fantastic, and we encourage everyone to get involved and suggest a name for this invaluable member of the Hong Kong squad.”

Although without a rugby playing role on the team, the team mascot is very much considered a core part of the team. Rowan Varty, a key member of the Hong Kong team who won the Thailand Sevens last weekend, agrees, “It is fantastic news that the Hong Kong team now has an official mascot as part of the squad. The Hong Kong Sevens is the highlight of the calendar, and the local support we get around the event really inspires us to perform better. The new changes to the tournament mean Hong Kong has the chance to qualify for core team status in the HSBC Sevens World Series next year, and with Rugby featuring in the Olympics in just four years’ time, we need as much support from Hong Kong as possible.”

The Hong Kong team is drawn in the same group as Tonga, Uruguay and China at this year’s Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens following the draw yesterday. Following the team’s success in the HSBC Asian Sevens Series over the weekend, the squad will be aiming for more success at this year’s Hong Kong tournament.

As part of the build up to the Sevens, the mascot will be out and about around the city interacting with general public as it visits iconic places around Hong Kong. The mascot will invite all those who he meets to give him a name that suitably represents who he is and what he stands for.

Also touring the city over the next few weeks is a special giant Hong Kong team shirt which is being signed with good luck messages to the team. The shirt made its first appearance at Kings Park Sports Ground during a mini’s tournament where over 2,000 youngsters participated, many of whom signed the shirt with messages of support for the team.

Those wishing to suggest a name for the mascot can submit their entry via the HK Sevens website, and its Facebook page, at www.hksevens.com . Entry forms will also be given out as the mascot tours around Hong Kong on 23 February (including the Peak tram, HSBC main building and Ocean Park) and 29 February (including Mong Kok, the Star Ferry terminal and Happy Valley).

Oscar Pistorius Signs With Fast Track

2011-07-01T00:00:00

Double Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius has today appointed leading international sports marketing agency Fast Track to act as his publicists.

The announcement will see Fast Track lead on all international media activity and will be Oscar’s official spokesperson.

The 24-year-old South African athlete said, “Fast Track has a detailed understanding of elite disability sport and the agency is very well connected in Olympic and Paralympic sport and I am delighted to announce I will be working with them.”

Fast Track Head of Communications Steve Chisholm said, “Oscar Pistorius is an inspirational athlete and will be one of the faces of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Fast Track has a great history with Oscar and we are thrilled to be working with him to publicise his outstanding achievements.”

Fast Track PR Account Director Kate Silvers is the contact for all media enquiries relating to Oscar: kate.silvers@fasttrackagency.com / +447789 544048

-Ends-

Notes to editors

Fast Track is an International Sports Marketing Agency, specialising in consulting, events and communications and is part of marketing services group, Chime Communications.

Fast Track represents over 40 clients across 100 sponsorships covering major global, regional and national sports events and a myriad of developing sports and youth engagement programmes.

These include the Olympics and Paralympics, Formula 1, Football, Rugby and Cricket World Cup tournaments and the Ryder Cup as well as the BT Paralympic World Cup, Lawn Tennis Association, United Kingdom Athletics, British Basketball and the UK School Games.

Brand clients include HSBC, BT, Emirates, Glaxo SmithKline, G4S, AEGON, Land Rover and The National Lottery. Fast Track is currently ranked the number 1 sports marketing agency in the UK by Marketing Magazine.

Growing Ambitions

2011-07-01T00:00:00

Jim Glover, CEO of Chime Communications' Sports Marketing Division, on plans for growth and global development.

Back in mid May Chime Communications announced that it had acquired 60 per cent of the Brazilian sports marketing company Golden Goal Sports Ventures, which lists domestic football giants Flamengo and Botafogo among its clients, along with AC Milan and Banco do Brasil.

Taken in isolation it is an interesting deal, providing further evidence of the lure of a nation which is set to become the world capital of sport between 2014 and 2016.

But seen in a broader context it takes on far greater significance. In many respects the addition of Golden Goal to the portfolio marks the beginning of a new era for Chime and underscores the London-based company’s determination to be seen as a major player in international sports marketing.

The man responsible for translating that desire into reality is Jim Glover, CEO of CSM, the umbrella brand for a raft of sports businesses which includes the Fast Track agency, Essentially, PMP legacy, Stuart Higgins Communications and Icon.

Over the years we have seen a number of attempts to integrate serious sports marketing divisions within larger marketing communications groups. The logic is more or less impeccable. As marketing moves from an interruptive to participatory model, sport is ideally placed as a driver of engagement and communication. In theory at least, that provides an opportunity for the major groups with strong sports marketing teams to offer an end-to-end service to existing client brands as well as widening the prospectus to include sports bodies and athletes.

Unfortunately it hasn’t always been as easy as that. The world’s biggest advertising and marketing groups are complex businesses, many with a host of individual brands run by highly entrepreneurial individuals with strong personalities and, lets face it, big egos.

Uniting them around sports marketing hasn’t ever been easy and some have been noticeably more successful than others.

Glover however, is confident that CSM will deliver on its promise: “We are in a very good place right now.

“Chime PLC decided they wanted a significant position in sports marketing because it is seen as a major point of difference in the overall offering.”

All of which means that the company set up by Lord Tim Bell that now incorporates some 35 individual companies, including the renowned Bell Pottinger PR operation, is particularly committed to ensuring its sports marketing unit really takes off. And, of course, the fact that the Sports Marketing Division is already making a significant contribution to the balance sheet certainly helps.

Chime’s first sports acquisition came back in 2007 when it welcomed Fast Track, a London-based agency which already harboured ambitions to demonstrate its capabilities internationally and across a wide range of properties and clients. Over the years the group added the PR firm run by former British tabloid editor Stuart Higgins – who Glover describes as “remarkably well-connected in every area of life” - in a move which allowed the company to dig deeper into lifestyle media opportunities while opening many other doors to new contacts and fresh business.

Next up was The Sport Business - a Glasgow-based events and sponsorship consultancy whose relationships with Carling and the Clydesdale Bank made it an important player on the Scottish football scene while Essentially, which was acquired around the end of 2009, can be seen as something of a game-changer.

With offices in Hong Kong, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, Essentially was well-established as an athlete management and sales operation specialising in rugby and cricket. Bringing it into the Chime tent not only increased the global footprint in an instant but added a new and increasingly important capability. Essentially also continues to hold key marketing sales contracts in Test Match cricket and rugby, including the Heineken Cup and Magners League.

Next on the list was PMP Legacy, a consultancy specialising in one of the biggest growth areas in sport today - advising cities and nations on the advisability of hosting sports events and developing legacy strategies around them.

This year’s acquisition of Icon, the award-winning event branding and services company, adds an additonal dimension to the CSM offering.

“After Chime bought Fast Track back in 2007 it was always our goal to look at ways we could grow the group through careful acquisitions and, over the last few years, we have seen that policy coming to fruition,” says Glover.

“The objective now is to turn what we have into something which is really world-class and offer our clients something different. That may come through bringing more people on board or making more acquisitions.

“The deal in Brazil helps make this a really, really exciting time from our point of view. It is run by two driven and dynamic individuals and we are confident that it will position us to serve our clients in an increasingly important part of the world. With the World Cup and Olympic Games coming up there are tremendous opportunities there for organisations which are equipped to deliver.

“This is now a truly international business with a presence in key growth markets including the Middle East where we have been doing some significant work for major organisations.”

This article first appeared in SportBusiness International published June 1.

Iconic Hong Kong institutions team up to sponsor Hong Kong Sevens

2011-05-01T00:00:00

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union have announced that Cathay Pacific and HSBC will be the new co-title sponsors of the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens from 2012 – 2015.

The four-year sponsorship agreement announced today resumes a successful partnership between these two iconic Hong Kong institutions and the world’s pre-eminent international sevens. Under the new sponsorship agreement the event title will be the Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.

Attending today’s announcement at Olympic House in Hong Kong were Mr John Slosar, Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific Airways, Mr Stuart Gulliver, Group Chief Executive of HSBC Holdings plc, Mr Brian Stevenson, President of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union and Mr Trevor Gregory, Chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union.

Cathay Pacific and HSBC’s previous joint sponsorship of the Hong Kong Sevens ran from 1980 through to the first of two Rugby World Cup Sevens held in Hong Kong in 1997.

Mr Trevor Gregory, Chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, commented on the title sponsorship saying, “The HKRFU is delighted to partner with two iconic Hong Kong institutions for what is undoubtedly the world’s iconic sevens event. HSBC and Cathay Pacific are synonymous with Hong Kong and like the Hong Kong Sevens do much to represent Hong Kong around the world.

“With the support of Cathay Pacific and HSBC, the HKRFU will be able to continue our efforts to grow and expand the Hong Kong Sevens. The continued success and profile of the Hong Kong Sevens also provides vital awareness and funding for the HKRFU to further expand our efforts to develop rugby at all levels of our community.”

The continued involvement of Cathay Pacific as an event sponsor strengthens a 30-year association with the Hong Kong Sevens – a unique longevity in international sports sponsorship.

Mr John Slosar, Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific Airways, commented on the announcement saying, "Cathay Pacific has had a long and happy association with the Sevens. We were there right at the beginning when the Sevens was born in 1976. And we are still supporting the Sevens some 36 years later. As Hong Kong's airline, we believed in the Sevens from the start, just as we believe that Hong Kong provides the energy and sparkle that make the Sevens the unique and wonderful event that it is.

“It's great to see two of Hong Kong’s world-beating brands – both so closely associated with the city – once again linked to this world-beating sports spectacular. Backed by the power of Hong Kong's two biggest international brands, I believe we'll see the Hong Kong Sevens soar to new heights."

HSBC’s sponsorship of the Hong Kong Sevens continues its growing support of Sevens internationally through the HSBC Sevens World Series and marks its only title sponsorship of an HSBC Sevens World Series event to date.

Stuart Gulliver, Group Chief Executive of HSBC Holdings plc, said, “We are absolutely delighted that HSBC will once again partner the Hong Kong Sevens.

“The bank’s heritage here in Hong Kong, and our historic long-term investment in rugby around the world, means that this sponsorship is a fantastic addition to our international rugby portfolio. We will work in partnership with the HKRFU to use the profile and interest in the Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens to grow and develop the sport here in the Hong Kong community, as well as more broadly across Asia and the rest of the world.

“This is an extremely exciting and proud day for everyone at HSBC. We look forward to working in partnership with Cathay Pacific and the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union to ensure the tournament remains Hong Kong’s flagship sporting event and one of the highlights of the city’s calendar for years to come.”

The Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012 will be held on 23-25 March.

Ballantine’s Focuses on Great Minds

2011-05-01T00:00:00

Ballantine’s Focuses on Great Minds

Fast Track has developed and delivered a campaign for Ballantine’s around the leading whisky brand’s sponsorship of the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea.

World number one and eventual winner of the 2011 Ballantine’s Championship Lee Westwood was one of five leading international golfers featured in the campaign – ‘Great Minds Leave Great Impressions’ - which provides a rare insight into how the world’s best apply their mental agility on and off the golf course.

Ballantine’s, the number one ultra-premium whisky in Asia-Pacific, commissioned the Great Minds campaign to explore the importance of the mental game in sport, and how the process of decision making also applies to the equally demanding world of business.

The campaign was delivered by Fast Track in London and Hong Kong and was designed to provide PR materials for Ballantine’s agencies in their key Asian markets.

Westwood and fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, South African legend Ernie Els, Asia’s first Major winner Korean YE Yang and Chinese number one Liang Wen-chong star in the Great Minds campaign, which features the golfers talking openly about handling pressure, their heroes and the major decisions of their careers.

All five competed at this year’s Ballantine’s Championship at the Blackstone Resort in Icheon, near Seoul, from April 28-May 1.

“Decision making in golf is nearly everything,” said Westwood, “Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer always looked focused and had everything mapped out and the results speak for themselves – they are both multiple Major winners.”

Dr Karl Morris, a leading sports and business psychologist who counts Westwood and British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen among his clients, also contributed an illuminating essay on the topic.

The Great Minds campaign includes video interviews and exclusive footage of all five players, along with striking photography and imagery. Interview transcripts are available from all golfers, as well as pre-written features suitable for sport, business and luxury lifestyle publications.

The campaign ran in the lead-up to and through the course of the Ballantine’s Championship, with analysis provided online of some of the big decisions made during the four days of competition.

Campaign materials were also used throughout the media and VIP areas at the event.

The Ballantine’s Championship is Korea’s biggest golf event and attracts top-class players from all over the world.

For more information on the event and more analysis of the decision-making process in golf, visit www.ballantineschampionship.com

G4S to provide security for London 2012

2011-03-01T00:00:00

G4S, the international security solutions group, today announces that G4S Secure Solutions (UK) Limited (G4S UK) has become the Official Security Services Provider and tier three sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games following the appointment made by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

Under the agreement, G4S UK will be responsible for recruiting, training and managing the 10,000-strong security workforce that will be tasked with securing the Games alongside colleagues from the police and local authorities across all London 2012 competition and non-competition venues.

G4S UK and LOCOG will be collaborating with the Bridging the Gap scheme established by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the Security Industry Authority (SIA), Skills for Security and North Hertfordshire College to identify talented people from further education colleges across the UK. The initiative is set to bring thousands of new recruits into the security industry. It provides a formal qualification for further education students from across the UK, leading to a guaranteed job interview with LOCOG to help supplement their security provision at Games time. The programme has been awarded the London 2012 “Inspire Mark”. It is hoped that the project will prove to be a gateway for long-term careers in the security industry, providing a lasting legacy. The intake of students for London 2012 will be managed by G4S.

2010 marked the 75-year anniversary of G4S in the UK where G4S now employs 50,000 people. The group has extensive experience in the security of sporting and other major events and has been responsible for security at the Olympic Park site in East London since 2008. The deal with LOCOG will cover all Olympic and Paralympic venues across the UK.

David Taylor-Smith, Regional CEO of G4S UK & Africa commented, “We are absolutely delighted to have been selected as the Official Security Services Provider for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in 2012. We have worked extremely hard with LOCOG, the police, central government and the host venues and boroughs to develop a security proposal which will provide excellent security for the games, whilst ensuring that spectators, competitors and providers of services to the Games can enjoy the spectacle of one of the greatest sporting events in the world.”

LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton said, “This deal represents where we are with our plans for the Games – we’re now looking at operational delivery. G4S will help us ensure that the security provisions in place are robust and of the highest professionalism and we welcome them to the London 2012 family. Our commercial programme has been a great success and we’re now approaching our targets which will contribute to the staging of spectacular Games in 2012.”

HSBC Extends Commitment to Asian Rugby

2011-01-01T00:00:00

HSBC Extends Commitment to Asian Rugby with HSBC Asian 5 Nations Renewal and New HSBC Asian Sevens Series

HSBC and Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) today announced the continuation of their partnership in support of the HSBC Asian 5 Nations (HSBC A5N), Asia’s premier fifteen aside rugby competition. HSBC and ARFU also today announced the inception of a new rugby property, the HSBC Asian Sevens Series. Both sponsorships will run for the next three years from 2011 – 2013.

Speaking on today’s double announcement, Mark McCombe, CEO of HSBC Hong Kong said, “Today is another important day for HSBC as we cement our commitment to developing rugby in Asia through both the HSBC Asian 5 Nations and the HSBC Asian Sevens Series. The HSBC Asian 5 Nations has grown massively since its inception and is increasing in popularity around the region. By investing in the new HSBC Asian Sevens Series, in addition to the HSBC Sevens World Series, we aim to encourage more people to become involved with rugby union through the shortened form of the game in the build up to the 2016 Olympic Games.”

Alongside the HSBC A5N, the HSBC Asian Sevens will extend ARFU’s international rugby footprint from April through November each season. The 2011 HSBC A5N Top 5 will again be held on consecutive weekends from 23 April to 21 May. Although identified by the elite Top 5 competition, HSBC A5N offers international competition or development support for all eligible ARFU unions. Outside of the Top 5, the tournament features five divisions, (up from four in 2010), offering test match rugby for 25 ARFU teams this season.

The HSBC Asian Sevens Series consists of four events in 2011, with two ranking events, the Shanghai and Borneo Sevens, staged in September 2011. Two other events will be held in Thailand and India next year. The ARFU international window for sevens competition runs from September through November. The rankings will be used to determine eligible spots for invitations to HSBC Sevens World Series tournaments including the Hong Kong Sevens, as well as potentially serving as qualifiers for multi-sport competitions such as the Asian and Olympic Games.

One constant for the coming years will be the commitment by both HSBC and ARFU to introducing rugby to new audiences through a Coaching Tour. This concept, first launched last year in conjunction with the HSBC Penguins International Coaching Academy, offered youth rugby clinics for over 3,000 youth across 10 countries in 2010. HSBC and ARFU are committed to growing this programme in the year ahead.

Giles Morgan, Group Head of Sponsorship for HSBC Holdings, explained the reason the bank continues to invest in rugby. “Quite simply, rugby union works for HSBC in terms of enabling HSBC to communicate directly with so many target customers in key regions around the world. Rugby union shares many of the same values as HSBC as the world’s local bank – bringing together people from different cultures and communities with a shared passion, and it has proved to be a successful fit for our business.

“At the heart of every HSBC sponsorship is a commitment to the local community and the HSBC Asian 5 Nations in particular has a major community programme integrated with the sponsorship. To ensure a legacy, as well as coaching children, adults involved in this year’s coaching tour will be trained to IRB Level One enabling them to continue teaching youngsters to play the game in future years. It is the biggest investment in the growth of the sport of its kind in Asia.”

Fast Track UK partners with GOSH Children’s Charity

2010-02-01T00:00:00

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity has been chosen as Fast Track UK’s 2011 Charity Partner for an initial period of 18 months.

GOSH provides world-class care for young patients and their families and pioneering new treatments and cures for childhood illnesses. In order to carry on its extraordinary work it needs to raise over £50 million every year to fund research, buy the most advanced equipment, continue expanding the hospital and provide support services for children and their families.

The Charity was selected after an employee vote and evaluation process led by our internal CSR team, who will work closely with GOSH over the next 18 months to develop and implement a strategy across three key areas: fundraising, pro-bono and volunteering work.

The partnership will begin immediately with Fast Track donating the price of a stamp for every e-Christmas Card we send out to our clients. For further information on Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, please visit www.gosh.org

Fast Track opens Hong Kong office

2010-01-01T00:00:00

Chime Communications PLC has continued the expansion of its Sports Marketing Division into international territories with the opening of a company in Hong Kong under the ‘Fast Track’ brand.

Fast Track, head quartered in London, is a leading sports marketing agency within Chime Communications and is delighted to open its fourth international base.

The Hong Kong operation joins Fast Track businesses in Abu Dhabi, Spain, and New Zealand to offer clients a truly international proposition.

Jim Glover, CEO of the Sports Marketing Division of Chime Communications said:

“We have great aspirations for the global nature of our business and see a move into Hong Kong as a natural evolution of our international strategy”.

Fast Track currently has 170 staff around the world with a diverse sports client list including HSBC, Lucozade, G4S, Emirates, Land Rover, BT, Mubadala Development Company, UK Athletics and the National Lottery.

The Hong Kong office will be led by Dan Parr who has 11 years of sports marketing experience, five specifically in Asia.

Andy Westlake, CEO of Fast Track said:

“We are delighted to create an opportunity for Fast Track to grow in Hong Kong and, as brands are continually asking us to offer global solutions with regional capabilities and understanding, this positions us perfectly to deliver in a key market”.

Speaking on the opening of the new office, Jonathan Castleman, Fast Track’s Managing Director – International said:

“There is great excitement about the latest expansion to the Fast Track family. The ability to offer clients a 360 degree, fully global solution for their sponsorship strategies is increasingly important and our new base in Hong Kong will service clients throughout Hong Kong and Asia. The need for the new office in the Far East was driven by clients’ needs and came at a perfect time as we were looking to expand into the increasingly important Asian market. An ever growing number of our existing clients have business in that region and we now have a team made up of international experts and experienced locals able to offer global solutions with local relevance.”

Fast Track is one of the world’s leading businesses in delivering 360 degree programmes across consultancy, events and communications that focus on building and maintaining genuine connections between clients and their audience through a shared passion for sport.

Fast Track Hong Kong is located at Central. For more information please contact Dan Parr on dan.parr@fasttrackagency.com / +852 6136 2475 or Steve Chisholm steve.chisholm@fasttrackagency.com / +44 7765 223075

Fast Track retained by BT

2010-09-01T00:00:00

Leading international sports marketing agency Fast Track has been retained by BT Plc to help develop, implement and deliver a substantial sponsorship activation and PR campaign to highlight the compny's long-term investment in sport. The new extended agreement runs until the summer of 2011.

Fast Track has worked with BT since June 2008, when the agency was appointed to deliver a successful athlete PR programme for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. More recently, Fast Track was also tasked with leveraging title sponsorship of the BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester; an annual World Class Multi-Sport Disability Event for elite international athletes.

Fast Track will now work with BT to deliver PR and activation campaigns across all its sports sponsorships. The agency will also continue to help promote BT's Ambassador Programme, which includes some of the world's leading past and present athletes such as Dame Kelly Holmes, Sir Chris Hoy, Ade Adepitan and Oscar Pistorious.

Suzi Williams, BT Group Marketing Director, said: "We're delighted to be continuing our relationship with Fast Track to promote our commitment to British sport.

"This is a really exciting time both for BT and British sport. From supplying essential technology, to supporting athletes, we are passionate about playing our part to invest in the future and in events that will put Britain on the world stage."

Steve Chisholm, Communications Director at Fast Track, added: "BT is one of the leading brands in sport and we are excited about generating some wonderful results for them. I am confident that we will provide the necessary insight and innovation to ensure that BT capitalises on its association with some of the world's most prestigious sporting events."

Chime Communications PLC acquires PMP Legacy

2010-08-01T00:00:00

Chime Communications PLC is today pleased to announce the recent acquisition of pmplegacy, the global sporting events consultancy.

The move marks a further addition to the capabilities of the Sports Marketing Division of Chime Communications, developing our major event bidding and planning expertise.

pmplegacy, acquired from parent company pmpgenesis, has a long and distinguished twenty year track record of working with leading cities around the world on the evaluation, bidding, planning and delivery of major sporting events.

The business, founded by Peter Mann, has worked on a wide range of major events including Olympic & Paralympic Games; Youth Olympic Games; Asian and Commonwealth Games and Cricket, Football and Rugby World Cups.

Its clients include World Cup Barbados 2007; Beijing 2008; 2008 African Cup of Nations; Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games; London 2012; Glasgow 2014; Madrid 2016 and most recently, England's 2018 FIFA World Cup bid.

pmplegacy has also worked extensively with many leading International Federations including FIFA, the IRB and FIBA and NGBs such as the RFU, the FA, LTA, British Equestrian Federation and England Netball.

Jim Glover, Chief Executive of the Sports Marketing Division of Chime Communications said:

"Developing global major event bidding expertise is a clear area of focus for the Sports Marketing Division of Chime Communications. As our work is increasingly becoming more international, this acquisition marks an important move for us in our ambition to work even more closely with cities, governing bodies and bid committees on insightful strategies and activation plans to win major global events"

Alan Pascoe, Chairman of the Sports Marketing Division of Chime Communications and Vice Chair of London's 2012 Olympic Bid said:

"We are thrilled to welcome pmplegacy into the Sports Marketing Division of Chime Communications and are excited by the team's skills and insight, which will be a perfect complement to our existing skills and our planned ambition in this area".

Founding Director of pmplegacy, Peter Mann, said:

"We are delighted to have joined the Chime Group and look forward very much to being an integral part of the Sports Marketing Division, working closely with such leading companies and strong brands as Fast Track, Essentially and Stuart Higgins Communications.

"Chime's commitment to the major events sector will enable pmplegacy to build extensively upon our achievements to date and target key events and geographical markets in a robust and innovative way."

Fast Track strengthens senior team

2010-07-01T00:00:00

Fast Track, the international sports marketing agency, has attracted two outstanding industry talents to its senior team.

Mark Joy is joining Fast Track from fellow Chime Company, BMT with responsibility for broadening the company's planning, marketing, brand and new business insight.

Julian Yeomans joins from MEC Access. He brings a wealth of excellent experience to Fast Track having worked on some of the largest sports marketing programmes and will bring his knowledge to the senior team as Fast Track expands its global footprint.

Fast Track CEO Jon Ridgeon said:

"Fast Track is placing enhanced emphasis on our planning and brand insight abilities by bringing Mark Joy's first-class experience to our team. Julian Yeomans adds to our growing international experience and will add considerable support to our clients in UK and overseas markets".

"As our world is ever-changing and brands are demanding ever more effective planning, insight and creative activation strategies, Fast Track is investing in high-quality individuals to match our ambitions to ensure that we remain highly relevant for all our clients, both brand and governing body".

Mark Joy brings over 25 years of broad-based marketing communications experience to Fast Track, having previously ran the The Ingram Agency, a privately-owned Top 10 UK below-the-line/through-the-line agency managing significant clients such as Woolworths, Telewest, Burger King, and the RAC.

As part of Chime Communications, Mark ran BMT, as well as being involved in a number of major cross-Chime clients and has sat on the Executive Management teams of The VCCP Partnership and The Bell Pottinger Group.

No stranger to sport he has also worked with the London 2012 bid, the Samsung Torino Olympic Torch Relay and Sportech.

Julian Yeomans has been involved with the sports marketing & sponsorship business for nearly 20 years. He joins Fast Track as Business Director from MEC Access where he was Managing Partner responsible for running the specialist International Sport, Entertainment and Cause Marketing division.

He brings considerable international experience, especially in the Olympic Games environment having run the Visa Europe programme for a number of years. At Fast Track he will be working on a range of business including London 2012 related projects.

The appointment of Joy and Yeomans follows the recent announcement of senior PR professional Jon Deacon's move from adidas to Fast Track.