Hurman and Moore: Blood and guts deliver big in the passion stakes

Opinion

Campaign: Adidas - Bonded by Blood
Agency: TBWA\Whybin
Creative team: Andy Blood and Guy Roberts
Reviewers: James Hurman and Josh Moore of Lowe

The air bridges conveying domestic passengers on to Air New Zealand aircraft have been refurbished and feature full-scale images of each of the All Blacks. For travellers, being flanked by uniformed forwards on that somewhat claustrophobic corridor, the effect is a little unsettling.

One would expect the All Blacks to be something of a VIP in the airline's sponsorship portfolio, hence the sobriquet "Fanatical Sponsor of the All Blacks", and that fanaticism being writ so large here on the gangway.

Only, despite Air NZ's ostensible pride, it was adidas, another All Blacks' sponsor, that we were thinking of as we found our seats on the aeroplane.

Earlier this year, TBWA\Whybin and adidas had an idea that's set to become a benchmark example of lateral marketing and a lesson in sponsorship leverage.

The website www.bondedbyblood.co.nz tells the delightful story of how adidas took blood from all 39 All Blacks and then combined that blood with the ink used to print 8000 of this year's 45,000 commemorative All Blacks posters. The posters are being given to those who purchase a black jersey.

It's one hell of a sales promotion but, more importantly, it's an incredibly powerful statement from the major All Blacks sponsor.

It speaks to consumers of fanaticism like a tagline never could.

It leaves you with a sense that adidas is a welcome member of the All Blacks' inner circle.

It summons pride in our national team in a surprising and bewitching way.

And it connects the fans with their heroes - through something as pedestrian as a poster - like never before.

The relationship between people, brands and sponsorship properties is a complicated one, made more so by burgeoning activity.

It seems today that everything sponsorable is sponsored and that any worthwhile property has a multi-tiered arrangement of several benefactors. In such an environment, it's difficult to avoid wondering about the efficacy of sponsorship.

Are we being noticed among the surfeit of other sponsors?

Do people believe our involvement with our property is a legitimate and authentic one, or just a tired marketing trick?

The real value of sponsorship comes when consumers believe you have a truly meaningful partnership with your property.

People get that sense when your brand shows authentic passion by actively contributing to the property in a special way. Putting some thought into it. Choosing not to settle for a headline touting your "proud involvement".

It's 2006. Consumers can smell a contra deal for some logo placement a mile off. It doesn't mean anything.

The reason that it won't be just us looking at Air NZ's advertising and thinking of adidas is that rather than erecting a giant platitude, adidas chose to step up and prove just how fanatical they are about the All Blacks. Consequently, they'll leave no doubt in the minds of New Zealanders.

* Each week, the Business Herald asks an advertising industry figure to nominate the best (or worst) locally produced campaign they've seen recently - not from their agency - and explain why.