Royal Mail posts impressive Olympic PR performance

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.afc-uk.org/531/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It’s a pretty tough call to measure the success of sports sponsorship for the global multinationals like McDonalds and Coca Cola when they invest millions of marketing dollars backing the Olympics.

Few of us would imagine stuffing our faces with fast food would enhance our athletic performance so there is no natural synergy on that front.

Nor do fizzy drinks inspire. Imagine millions of young kids self-motivating themselves: if I just sink a few more gallons of Coca Cola I might just be able to shift myself off the sofa and start training for Rio. Watch out Usain. Here we come. Belch.

An exception was Australian gold medalist Sally Pearson. Her lust for a cheeseburger after four years hard work might have had the Big Mac PR team salivating – if only she had mentioned one of their products by name!

One corporate organisation that did shine throughout London 2012 was the Royal Mail, and they weren’t even on the long lists of London 2012 worldwide Olympic partners, London 2012 Olympic partners, London 2012 Olympic supporters or London 2012 Olympic providers and suppliers.

The Royal Mail’s Team GB Gold Medal Winners Collection stamps was a stroke of utter genius, as smooth and slick as Usain Bolt in full flow.

As well as generating much needed revenue (always a good idea for PR initiatives to have bottom line benefits), the souvenir stamps were a great way to celebrate the achievements of our athletes.

Simple, cost effective and accessible to everyone within reach of over 500 branches or the internet within 24/48 hours.

A fantastic PR idea brilliantly conceived and excellently executed from the moment I first saw silver-tongued Gary Lineker hand Bradley Wiggins a blown up visual of his commemorative stamp.

This was priceless product placement at its best that no doubt had product placement professionals choking on their Big Macs.

Although we cannot all replicate the scale and scope of the Royal Mail’s clever involvement with the Olympics, we can always try to ensure that PR sponsorship initiatives have a natural synergy and logic beyond ‘we’re proud to sponsor….’.

Now if only the Royal Mail could run its core business with the same energy and focus…. That’s another story……

[fishtank]

Nearly blew it all with the Paralympic stamps though and a ridiculously heavy handed approach to the positioning of the gold post boxes..

[music4essex]

Agree with FT wholeheartedly, bit like the revisions lol

Essex mum