Source: TheDrum
The Premier League is in the midst of deciding which global media agency it will appoint to help with the increase in planning and buying requirements expected following its decision to run a clean brand strategy after splitting with long-term title sponsor, Barclays.
Initial talks are understood to have begun in May with the Premier League handling the media review directly. A campaign to coincide with the start of the 2016/17 season in August had been scheduled, however with kick off so close it is understood that this will now take place in January.
The addition of a global media agency will follow on from the League’s appointment of its first ad agency earlier this year after RKCR/Y&R won the league’s advertising pitch in February.
The decision to end its title sponsor model will see the Premier League’s sponsorship strategy rely more on the commercial clout of its clubs to swell its own value beyond TV which in turn will make it easier to sell sponsorships worldwide.
Last year, the English top flight’s media spend reached £22m, a figure which is expected to increase significantly with the introduction of above-the-line advertising for the first time.
