Sponsorship Vs Naming Rights
Internet Technologies Angola (ITA) is an ISP that offers wireless and satellite Internet services to the corporate market primarily in Angola. The companies vision is to be the number one Internet service provider offering innovative products and exceptional customer service. The company provides services mainly in Luanda, Angolas capital city but has embarked on a plan to extend its network nationwide and to grow its customer base by providing services to customers in every city in the country.
To support this growth plan, ITA has to enhance its brand identity. In the past ITA has provided the best services at a higher than average price. The challenge for ITA is to now increase awareness of its brand within national market where customers are more price sensitive.
ITA has decided to create positive perceptions of its products through a high profile sports sponsorship deal. It wants consumers to view the ITA Internet brand as being one of great quality for its price. To do this it has harnessed the power of sports marketing to influence consumers perceptions of its products.
Benfica de Luanda
Sport Luanda e Benfica, usually known as Benfica de Luanda or simply as Benfica, is a football club from Luanda, Angola. The club is named after Sport Lisboa e Benfica, of Portugal, and shares the same colors. The logo is also very similar to the Portuguese one. The club, as of 2005, has never won the Girabola (which is the name of the Angolan league first division) or the Angolan Cup. The club ended the 2011 season in second place and its home location is at Estadio dos Coqueiros
Estádio dos Coqueiros
Estádio dos Coqueiros is a multi-use stadium in Luanda, Angola. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is owned by football club Benfica de Luanda. The stadium holds 12,000 people and was originally built during the colonial times (pre-1975). It underwent major renovation works in 2004. When not used for football, the stadium is also used for athletics as well as a venue for music concerts.
Sponsorship and Naming Rights Deal Details
To advance its promotional objectives for expanding its services into the provinces in Angola, ITA plans to make extensive use of sports marketing – such as sponsoring the Benfica da Luanda football team as well as acquiring naming rights to the Estadio do Coqueiros. The Sponsorship involves the ITA paying a fee of 2 Million USD to have its logo appear on the playing and training kit of the Benfica do Luanda football team as well as all Benfica merchandise produced for a period of 5 years.