How to Get Sponsored by BFGoodrich
Peter Calhoun, Motorsports Marketing Manager at Michelin and BFGoodrich explains:
Why Michelin considers itself a mobility company and how that affects sponsorships.
Why Michelin sponsors everything from the World Endurance Championship to Dakar, Baja, IMSA, the Mazda MX-5 Cup, Formula E, and "everything in between."
The difference between sponsoring control and spec tire series', like Formula E, versus sponsoring open tire competitions, like Baja.
How many proposals a year Peter gets from racers and properties seeking sponsorship.
Why it's important to know about a company and how to educate yourself before reaching out to them.
Why BFG wants to be a partner, not a sponsor.
How sponsorship has changed and why telling sponsors how many races you won with their logo on your car "does not work in the 21st century" and what works instead.
The two most important things of a partnership.
How good team partnerships bring value to the brand.
Why it's important to differentiate yourself from "all the other slew of people that are trying to do the same thing."
Why it's important to make sure your athlete social channels are separate from your personal channels.
The importance of usage rights and why they are critical for sponsorships.
How COVID accelerated a change in the media landscape and why it's "just not about eyeballs anymore."
Why social responsibility and sustainability is important.
How the company looks at motorsports as a three-legged stool of R&D, marketing & brand awareness, and commerce and how they affect sponsorships.
How the company uses what it learns in motorsports to trickle down to consumer products.
Why most of the company's sponsorships are product sponsorships.
The importance of being clear with expectations, whether money, product, or discount and why it's equally important to be clear on what you're going to deliver.
Why the company sponsors grassroots events, like club road racing, autocross, and drag racing.
Why timing is important and what the best time of year is to approach Group Michelin.
That asking for a sponsorship in February for a season that starts in March or April is too late.
Why BFG is active in Australia.
Why BFG sometimes sponsors teams and other times sponsors individual athletes through personal services agreements.
Why Travis Pastrana, Ken Block, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mario Andretti are successful at securing sponsorships.
Why drifting is not currently on BFG's radar.
Why the company partnered with Global Rallycross when Red Bull was the title sponsor.
Why TV isn't the big thing that it used to be and how live streaming is taking over.
Why you should never have your initial reach to a prospective partner be via social media or text, and how to reach them instead.
Why it's important to have a one-year, three-year, and five-year plan.
What to report in a Proof of Performance report.