PR Firm serves up a new title sponsor

OCATAGON

Octagon, the world’s largest sports marketing firm, selected Axia Public Relations to find a new sponsor its Women’s Tennis Association event in Northeast Florida. In order to gain the expsoure Octagon needed to spread the news of this unique opportunity, Axia reached out to Sports Illustrated and USA Today along with many other news outlets. By the end of its campaign, Axia gained more than a half-million dollars in earned media coverage that generated the leads required to secure a new title sponsor.

IDEAS

Octagon, the world’s largest sports marketing firm and leader in athlete management, hired Axia to look for a new sponsor for the WTA event held on Amelia Island northeast of Jacksonville, Fla., following Bausch & Lomb’s exit after 22 years as the clay women's tennis event’s title sponsor.

RELATIONSHIPS

[Axia understood] what key objectives were important [to potential sponsors].”

- John Arrix
Tournament Director
Octagon

Axia used target news outlets including Sports Illustrated and USA Today, to create a sense of awareness for the tournament sponsorship opportunity and generate inquiries and leads. In addition to the media, Axia first served the opportunity to is clients before leveraging its relationships with Northeast Florida corporations and bringing them to the event giving a true experience.

RESULTS

In the end, Axia secured a sponsor in one of its retained clients, MPS Group, later Adecco Group. Axia served the opportunity to MPS Group and its other clients first. Once the news coverage phase turned on, it caught the attention of the staffing firm's CEO via a story on the local NPR member station, who then formed an explorator committee. After much negotiation, including revenue upgrade, which required relocating the tournament to nearby Ponte Vedra Beach, the event was renamed to The MPS Group Championships. MPS Group received more than a half-million dollars worth of news coverage surrounding the tournament, more than the cost its sponsorship investment.