Tour De France, tour de force.

You may not be a Tour De France fanatic, but I bet you can guess what colour jersey the winner wears?

Take a second…

You got it, right? Yup – it’s Yellow! Or Le Maillot Jaune, in French.

But what if I told you it hasn’t always been this way?

120 years ago in the first ever Tour of 1903, the winning rider, Maurice Garin, wore a green armband to signify his place at the top of the pile.

It wasn’t until 16 years later, in 1919, that Eugène Christophe became the first rider to wear the yellow jersey.

In the first post-WWI race, Henri Desgrange a newspaper publisher and the actual creator of the Tour de France (and by now race Director), wanted a way to make the race leader stand out more to both riders and spectators alike.

Out went the green armband… and so began one of the earliest sponsorship activations in the world – with his paper L’Auto, then printed on yellow paper, inspiring the colour of the leader’s jersey.

This tradition has remained ever since, and Le Tour remains a great place to look to for clever sponsorship activations. Teams are all named after their sponsors and it remains an incredibly strong way to put a brand front and centre to a global audience (Forget the World Cup, the Tour is bigger!).

But while billions are spent by brands sponsoring sporting events, so many of them are happy to let the billboard, the jersey or the photoshoot do the work.

I’ve always felt a creative and unusual activation is necessary to back up basic sponsorship spend – and it’s time we move on from the ‘spoken word’ slow-mo stories that seem to have become a first stop for many over the past decade and a half.

People are tiring of overly saccharine creations, and demand something more authentic, something that *really* conveys what the magic of ‘their’ event is all about – something they can relate to as fans.

Step up Škoda Auto, a brand that’s celebrating 20 years of sponsorship in the Tour De France. With agency Fallon, they decided that if they could not take british cyclists to the Tour de France, they’d bring the excitement of Le Tour to a popular Sunday cycle route in the UK – giving these everyday cyclists the thrill of the peloton.

They dressed the last segment of the route to look exactly like a Tour stage, with the Race Director’s iconic red Škoda Enyaq, French road signs, the infamous Tour de France devil superfan Didi, rowdy fans and messages of support chalked on the road.

There was even an official finish line and podium, with post-race interviews!

This was all done to celebrate Škoda’s 20 years involvement, and it was built as social-first content. It will run alongside sponsorship idents on ITV (for both Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes) and it gets the #KingOfActivations jersey for me.

Maybe the next time you’re thinking of putting a name on a Jersey – think of the yellow one, and how it’s important to always think one step beyond. Putting money into Sponsorship is a fool’s errand, unless time and creativity is put into taking the activation to that next level.

Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh is a Senior Account Manager at Fuzion Communications, a full service Marketing and PR agency with offices in Dublin and Cork, Ireland. We help businesses with their brand development, creative advertising & sponsorship activations.

Content Marketing – Does Your (company’s) Shoe Fit?

By Dylan Morley

In recent years, we have seen a shift away from traditional marketing and toward digital marketing. There are many new marketing techniques, with content marketing (CM) becoming one of the most important. CM is starting to replace traditional marketing, as customers become more and more aware of traditional advertising and expect new approaches from businesses to catch their attention and entice them to purchase.

According to the Content Marketing Institute: “CM is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.” 

Within the context of digital marketing, CM refers to the creation of entertaining and/or informative content that does not explicitly advertise a company’s products or services. When we talk about CM, we can refer to anything from a simple video, blog or article to larger content such as webinars. With this type of content, educational value is also important to consider.

Given that it is free, this information service differs from traditional information institutions or settings. This is because it occurs online and online content consumers expect information to be free – this is the internet’s central allure for many. When you walk into a store and choose a product to buy, the only information often available to us is located on the product/packaging or, if we’re lucky, an employee who can provide us with further information. However, these specifics may only include information such as the price, technical specifications and so on. What content marketing allows companies to do, is to provide additional information like how to use the product, where to use it, etc.

One company that provides entertaining content marketing to its customers is Footaslyum. The UK high-street retailer specialises in sports trainers and apparel for men, women and children. However, their target audience is young people, especially men, between 18 and 25. Footasylum targeted this audience by creating content with social media influencers ‘Chunkz’ and ‘Young Filly’ who are hugely popular figures among their core demographic. 

The content marketing strategy was simple; a 10-15 min YouTube show starring Chunkz and Young Filly called ‘Does The Shoe Fit?’. The premise of the show is that the duo would go on a series of speed dates with attractive women that would often lead to humorous outcomes. However, while on these dates, the other show presenters can watch live and commentate on their co-hosts dating performance. Guests also formed a major part of the show as Chunkz and Young Filly would often be joined by other high profile influencers including former Love Island contestants. 

Footasylum’s content marketing strategy was a major success with some episodes of the show racking up over 7 million views on YouTube. The online show went on for five seasons and while it came to end in late 2021, funny snippets still appear across social media feeds especially on TikTok, giving the content even further marketing longevity. 

The success of ‘Does The Shoe Fit?’ is a lesson to brands and companies that audiences are tired of the hard sell. Nowadays, marketing should and can be about more than just your product or service. If content marketing is not currently part of your marketing strategy, then you are almost certainly missing out.

Dylan Morley is an Account Executive at Fuzion Communications, full service marketing and PR agency, with offices in Cork and Dublin.

21 Questions with… Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh

welcome to the tenth of our Fuzion Friday series, where we put 21 devilishly difficult questions to a team member, giving you an insight that Freud would be proud of.

Next up is Tokyo and Jesus fan…..Ciarán!

1. Tell us something about you that nobody else in the team might know.

Once danced in front of Heidi Klum & Anne Hathaway on a movie. Was on Blackboard Jungle.

2. What film have you watched more than five times?

Intouchables. Die Hard. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (original). Beetlejuice.

3. What work are you most proud of in the past year?

Just helping everyone in the team to be the best human they can.

4. Dream job?

Donald Trump speechwriter.

5. Favourite brand? – Why?

Apple. Just pristine in everything they do. (Apart from ports & cables)

6. Favourite Holiday Destination?

Japan. Everyone should go once before they die a slow, miserable death.

7. Best lesson from your career?

Never be afraid to ask what might seem like a stupid question.

8. Eurovision or World Cup?

Scratch my last answer, sometimes you should be afraid to ask a stupid question!

9. Who is the joker on the team?

Like, Michelle.

10. Recommend a podcast.

Bill Burr. Revisionist History (first season). Winds of Change.

11. Reality shows – Love or Hate?

Hate. Pity. Despair.

12. Dinner party with 3 people – dead or alive – who do you invite?

The famous Jesus Christ and his two parents (we think), Mary and Joseph. They’d have *some* great chats.

“Dad, why are the lads in class saying mam’s a virgin?”

“Oh Jesus, I mean, son…ah…sure lookit. More wine, Mary?”

13. If you could be anywhere in the world – where would you be & what would you do?

Japan. Riding Bullet trains all day long, and eating mad-flavoured Kit Kats with folks dressed like Super Mario characters.

14. Who is your role model?

Nanda – my grandfather, was my idol. Gave me a love of cycling and I’m not sure I’ve ever been happier than when he was on the side of the road at a race I won.

15. What was your first job?

Roches Stores. Not sure what I was meant to be doing.

16. Death Row meal?

Eddie Rocket’s burger with garlic cheese & cyanide chips.

17. Favourite book?

Impossible to choose. But I wish I could read The Long Walk (Stephen King) and Going Solo (Roald Dahl) again – for the first time.

18. Your a grammar nazi oar not?

Ja!

19. First album you bought or downloaded?

Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby.

20. Work from home – or office?

If ‘home’ was in Dubai or Tokyo, then home – but miss the camaraderie of an office.

21. Most memorable ad slogans – why?

“‘Snap! Crackle! Pop!’” Almost 90 years old, but still amazingly sharp.

Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh is a Senior Account Manager at Fuzion Communications, full service marketing and PR agency, with offices in Cork and Dublin.

21 Questions with…Dylan Morley

welcome to the eighth of our Fuzion Friday series, where we put 21 devilishly difficult questions to a team member, giving you an insight that Freud would be proud of.

Next up is Ronaldo and 1984 fan…..Dylan!

1. Tell us something about you that nobody else in the team might know?

I have never had a pint of Guinness 

2. What film have you watched more than five times?

Shrek 2.

3. What work are you most proud of in the past year?

Completing my MA in Public Relations with New Media.

4. Dream job?

Supreme Leader of Ireland (with the six counties back) or Public Relations Officer for Man Utd.

5. Favourite brand? – Why?

Coca-Cola – because of the series finale ending scene in Mad Men and the Christmas advertisement.

6. Favourite Holiday Destination?

Rome – the eternal city.

7. Best lesson from your career?

Always try to answer your phone and if you can’t, then always return the call.

8. Eurovision or World Cup?

World Cup.

9. Who is the joker on the team?

Ciarán – but the bar is low.

10. Recommend a podcast.

The WinHappy Podcast, obviously.

11. Reality shows – Love or Hate?

LOVE.

12. Dinner party with 3 people – dead or alive – who do you invite?

Alex Ferguson, Ronald Reagan, and Margot Robbie.

13. If you could be anywhere in the world – where would you be & what would you do?

Cork and working for Fuzion.

14. Who is your role model?

Siiiiiiiiiiiiuu – Cristiano Ronaldo.

15. What was your first job?

Pizza Chef.

16. Death Row meal?

Chinese.

17. Favourite book?

1984.

18. Your a grammar Nazi oar not?

Depends on my mood.

19. First album you bought or downloaded?

None – I’m too young for that, I grew up with Spotify. 

20. Work from home – or office?

Hybrid.

21. Most memorable ad slogans –

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies – ‘Snap, Crackle, and Pop’.

Dylan Morley is an Account Executive at Fuzion Communications, full service marketing and PR agency, with offices in Cork and Dublin.

Football & Brand Loyalty

The recent return of the Premier League for its now 31^st season has begun to intensify rivalry and debate with the offices of Fuzion Communications.

As a Manchester United fan, I have been on the receiving end of most of the mockery that has taken place. However, it has not stopped me defending my club like I am a player or member of the coaching staff. In turn, this led me to think about why we show such loyalty to our football clubs compared to other brands, businesses, and organisations.

The process of being a fan of a football club is clear. You start to like football, you watch a couple of matches, you select the club you want to follow, and you support that club for the rest of your life. Seems easy and hassle free doesn’t it!

In reality, it is often not so easy and not so hassle free.

I first started to watch football in the 2007/08 season. At this time, Manchester United were the current English champions and my dad, a Leeds United fan, told me they were the biggest and best club in England, if not the world. Me being me, only the biggest and best would do and so I became a Man Utd supporter. Over the next six seasons, I would see Man Utd win four Premier Leagues, a Champions League, two League Cups, and a Club World Cup. Then Sir Alex Ferguson decided to retire as manager in 2013 and our reign of success came to an end.

Fast forward nine years, and I have not seen Man Utd win another Premier League title. This would have been unimaginable to think the day I started supporting the club and not just to me or Man Utd fans but to every other football supporter across the globe. So, after nearly a decade of no league titles and relatively little success, why do I or even should I continue to support the club?

Over the last few years,  I have been a generally unhappy and dissatisfied Man Utd supporter. If I was unhappy with any other brand, business, and organisation, then I would simply switch to a competitor, if available. There are plenty of football clubs that I could support instead. I am sure being a Manchester City or Liverpool FC supporter over the last few years would have made my life much easier (although United supporters do hold the bragging rights over Liverpool fans at the moment!).

The key reason why football fans do not decide to ditch their team for another comes down to brand identity. In any business or organisation, brand identity should be considered the essence of the brand. A strategic goal of any brand strategy is to develop a pathway for the ‘returning customer’. Creating a distinct and attractive brand identity allows you to further brand loyalty and retain it over the long-term.

To identify successfully with any customer or fan, your brand needs to include features that appeal to and satisfy their needs. Your brand identity should have characteristics, traits, and values that match your customer or fan-base, while also having a clear distinction from competitors. This allows you to build a high level of prestige for your brand and enables fans or customers to perceive their favourite team/brand as attractive and share a common identity with other fans. You will see greater brand loyalty translate because of this strategic approach.

The benefit of greater brand loyalty is important to the long-term sustainable future of any business or organisation. For those who partake in brand loyalty, whether consciously or not, they do so without cost being a significant factor, as they perceive a higher quality and better service than other brands.

Brand loyalty can only be considered as reached when customers repeatedly purchase a particular brand. For example, a regular cup of coffee at Starbucks can cost about 2-3 times as much as at a filling station or supermarket and you are not guaranteed the same product or service at different locations around the world. However, people will still queue in Starbucks stores, even if they are running late, for their coffee fix.

When you achieve brand loyalty then there are two reasons that a fan or customer will stay loyal: hope and expectation. Your brand’s loyal customer base will be hoping and expecting for a certain standard of product or service.

It is important to remember that achieving brand loyalty does not mean that you have that customer for life. That is where football clubs and more traditional business-orientated brands differ. It is much easier to ditch your regular brand of washing powder than your football club. You must keep your customers with a level of hope and expectation to retain brand loyalty.

But as is often said in sport and life, ‘it is the hope that kills you’!

Dylan

Dylan Morley is a PR account executive with Fuzion Communications, a full service Marketing, PR and Graphic Design agency who operate from offices in Dublin and Cork

21 Questions with… Michelle Harrison

Welcome to the second of our Fuzion Friday series, where we put 21 devilishly difficult questions to a team member, giving you an insight that Freud would be proud of.

Next up is the mysterious mind of Kardashian fan Michelle Harrison!

Fuzion Communications Picture: Miki Barlo

1. Tell us something about you that nobody else in the team might know. 
   I tell the team everything so there’s nothing I can think of they don’t know ha! 

2. What film have you watched more than five times? 
   Home Alone – but who hasn’t! 

3. What work are you most proud of in the past year? 
   Working on the IACP Joe Caslin Mural and their 40th Anniversary conference! 

4. Dream job? 
   Owning my own vintage clothing shop/chain of shops 

5. Favourite brand? – Why? 
   Apple because they made the iPhone 

6. Favourite Holiday Destination? 
   Portugal 

7. Best lesson from your career? 
   Always have a paper trail to cover yourself – but also don’t take things so seriously – we’re not saving lives, have fun and enjoy it! 

8. Eurovision or World Cup? 
   Neither! 

9. Who is the joker on the team? 
   Ciarán lol! 

10. Recommend a podcast
     Doireann Garrihy – The Laughs of Your Life 

11. Reality shows – Love or Hate? 
    I only watch one reality show and that’s The Kardashians! 

12. Dinner party with 3 people – dead or alive – who do you invite? 
    My grandad, Lewis Capaldi (Comedy and Music in one), Princess Di (Fashion Icon and I’ll also get all the goss on what really went down with the royal family) 

13. If you could be anywhere in the world – where would you be & what would you do?
    Chicago – running my own vintage clothing shop! 
    
14. Who is your role model? 
    Kris Jenner – badass momager! 

15. What was your first job? 
    Waitress in my local pub 

16. Death Row meal? 
    I feel I wouldn’t be very hungry if I was on death row – but if I had to choose maybe prawns for a starter, coddle with loads of fresh bread and butter for main, and a Cheesecake Factory cheesecake for dessert along with a mega pint of wine!

17. Favourite book? 
    The Power of Now

18. Your a grammar nazi oar not? 
    Not – I probably should be for my job tho, eek! 

19. First album you bought or downloaded? 
    The first tape I ever bought was Britney Spears’ ‘Hit me baby one more time’! Can’t remember the first album!

20. Work from home – or office? 
    From home!

21. Most memorable ad slogans – why? 
    “Maybe she’s born with it …maybe it’s Maybelline” or “Should have gone to Specsavers” 

Michelle Harrison is a senior account executive at Fuzion Communications, full service marketing and PR agency, with offices in Cork and Dublin.

21 Questions with… Greg Canty!

Welcome to the first of our Fuzion Friday series, where we put 21 devilishly difficult questions to a team member, giving you an insight that Freud would be proud of.

Leading the way is Partner and Liverpool nut Greg!

1. Tell us something about you that nobody else in the team might know.

I managed local bands for a few years, many moons ago

2. What film have you watched more than five times?

Planes, Trains and Automobiles – a genius movie by John Hughes

3. What work are you most proud of in the past year?

I did a series of podcasts for the Heritage Council, which were all quite different 

4. Dream job?

Doing any job as part of Jurgen Klopp’s team

5. Favourite brand? – Why?

Liverpool FC – I think football teams are the ultimate brand that we all have a deep connection to. You might change your partner, but you never change your team!

6. Favourite Holiday Destination?

That has to be Siena in Tuscany in Italy for the Palio. It’s a beautiful city that oozes history and character as well as having great food and wine of course.

7. Best lesson from your career?

Stay positive – when things are tough, roll those sleeves up, and get stuck in 

8. Eurovision or World Cup?

World Cup!

9. Who is the joker on the team?

That could be me !

10. Recommend a podcast.

I think Hidden Brain is very clever.

11. Reality shows – Love or Hate?

How about ‘detest’?

12. Dinner party with 3 people – dead or alive – who do you invite?

Jurgen Klopp, Robert Plant and Ken Robinson

13. If you could be anywhere in the world – where would you be & what would you do?

I would have a little music store/café in Siena.

14. Who is your role model?

Jurgen Klopp and my dad

15. What was your first job?

I had my own newspaper round

16. Death Row meal?

Spaghetti Bolognese 

17. Favourite book?

Good to Great by Jim Collins

18. Your a grammar nazi oar not?

Not really

19. First album you bought or downloaded?

Boomtown Rats’ debut album. I caught it in a small store in Dungarvan while staying with my uncle and aunt.

20. Work from home – or office?

This social creature discovered he likes working from home!

21. Most memorable ad slogans – why?

Ronseal – “It does what it says on the tin”!

Greg Canty is partner at Fuzion Communications, full service marketing and PR agency, with offices in Cork and Dublin.

Our learning: Teamwork – So far and yet so close!

A lot has changed over the past number of weeks as we somewhat return to ‘normal’ life and are hopefully waving goodbye to all of the constraints and negatives associated with the pandemic for good.

And while there were so many negatives that consumed our lives over the past nearly two years, we can’t ignore the positives that have changed our lives. We were forced to adapt and change, review our processes and get on with life in a whole different way.

We had to be resilient and innovative, flexible and caring and so much more to navigate our way through this unprecedented journey.

Professionally and personally, teamwork and how we strengthened this has played a huge role in our journey. Working from home has been a game-changer for many reasons (I especially do not miss the endless hours sitting in traffic) and it would not have been so effective without some great teamwork along the way. As a team in Fuzion, I can honestly say that we have never felt so close across all departments and locations, despite not seeing each other in person for months!

Key to this and something I definitely recommend to businesses if feasible, is the introduction of a regular team catch up. For us that happens as a 30-minute, 9am social catch-up every Monday morning with the whole team on Zoom, chatting about weekend events and hearing about what everyone got up to.

Its impact has been extremely beneficial, really bringing the team together as one rather than the separate locations and functions. Our team is spread out across all four corners of the country and there are always plenty of stories to be told and ironically we’ve really gotten to know each other far more than before the pandemic and without even realising it!

For me, it wouldn’t feel right without our team call as it is something that we all really enjoy now as it gets us in the right mood for the week as well as helping to shake off those Monday morning blues. It has allowed us to strengthen our relationships with each other, improving how we communicate and work together and ensures a positive team environment, even during the height of a global pandemic!

With so many benefits, we certainly won’t be waving goodbye to this pandemic learning for a very long time.

Saidhbh

Saidhbh Sweeney is a Senior PR Account Manager with Fuzion Communications: PR, Marketing, Graphic Design and Digital Marketing from offices in Dublin and Cork Design

The diary of a newbie!

I am delighted to have joined the Fuzion Communications team three weeks ago.

I have been working as a freelancer for the last two years, and there are many benefits to that… but also a lot of negatives (if you know, you know!).

Last winter, I realised that I missed working as part of a larger team and the bigger projects that tend to come with that.

I wanted to join the right agency for me, a place that truly cares about delivering the best results possible for their clients, and has a fantastic team at the heart of the organisation. Thankfully that is absolutely the case.

In my first week I was keen to be in the office as much as possible while the team was adapting to work towards the hybrid style, everyone was so warm, friendly and straightforward about everything, which is something that I really appreciated. In addition to this they were fantastic in dishing out tips for the best local coffee and where the best lunch spots are…Tir on Baggot Street is my new firm favourite for sandwiches just in case you were wondering. You weren’t? well, sure now you know!

Some of my observations and learnings from the first week are that a good office manager is everything and already I can’t count the number of times I’ve said “Thank God for Olivia!’

Everyone joining a new organisation needs to have that person that knows everything and like Olivia is so helpful in sharing her pearls of knowledge with new joiners.

One of my first tasks was to prepare a presentation for a potential new client.

What was amazing about this process was talking through everything with Dee the founder of Fuzion, where she explained with heart the ‘why’ behind each action as opposed to saying “this is just what you do.”

Last Friday was a team day in the gorgeous Montenotte Hotel in Cork, which was a lovely opportunity to meet everyone off-screen, in person over a cup of coffee… who would have thought something so simple is in fact so important to our working lives?

One of the main items on the agenda in Cork was reflecting on the year just passed and future planning for 2022.

One of my key observations was just how engaged everyone on the team was while their colleagues spoke, every idea and wish was noted to see how it could be brought to life down the line. I’m not sure I’ve ever witnessed that in action before, it was lovely.

There was a shared sense of respect, and yes, of course, we all have to and want to work hard but there is an onus on everyone to make the best of it, by speaking up and being a part of the brilliant ideas that are at the heart of what makes this organisation tick. I am so excited about what is to come, it’s been a long time since I had that feeling that I was truly in exactly the place I am meant to be.

Sarah

Sarah Murphy is an Account Manager with Fuzion Communications a Marketing, PR, Graphic Design and Digital Marketing agency with offices offices in Dublin and Cork, Ireland

E-Newsletter : Don’t leave your brand behind

I received an email newsletter from a really fantastic brand this week that featured special offers, new products, deal bundles and suggestions for Father’s Day gifts.

Visually it was executed well as I have come to expect from the brand, with superb photography that showcased the quality product range perfectly, clearly placing it the very “premium” category, which it most certainly is in.

However, there was one huge, but very simple thing missing from the e-newsletter.

They left a big part of their brand behind, and in the “click of an email campaign” they managed to relegate who they were to a lower league and they became another commodity retailer.

Even though they have my name there was no personalised “Hi Greg” and there was no attempt anywhere to start the communication with a friendly on brand message, nor any attempt to briefly update me on the recent exciting developments (things relevant to the reader) in their business.

The view might be that people have no time for any of that when they are online and it should be “BOOM” lets get straight down to business, but the crazy thing is that this company is the total opposite of this – they pride themselves on customer service and the relationship with their customers, and in person there is no one better but for some reason on this occasion they left so much of what makes them special outside the door!

The big lesson in this ….don’t leave who you are outside the door just because it is an online e-commerce transaction.

Greg

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications, a full service PR and Marketing agency with offices in Dublin and Cork