Retailers seek gaps in RWC promo rules

Ambush marketing plays a part in all big sporting events. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Public relations and advertising agencies are forming tactics for restricted marketing around the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Some will be linked to the RWC 2011 worldwide partners - Emirates, Mastercard, Heineken and the ANZ - with the advantage of a legislated "clean zone" where other advertisers are restricted.

Others - including New Zealand retailers who want to capitalise on the world's third largest sporting event - are looking for gaps in the Major Events Management Act that protects the key sponsors.

"We intend to play by the rules," said Claudia Macdonald, managing director of the marketing communications company Mango Communications, a part of the DDB advertising group.

"But there will be some who do not and [devise] guerrilla or ambush marketing techniques to get their brands noticed," she said.

She thought PR activity would centre around the local arms of international advertising and marketing companies.

Ambush marketing played a part in all big sporting events, and would do at RWC 2011, she said.

At the soccer World Cup in South Africa, a group of women wearing orange miniskirts were expelled from the World Cup because the colour was linked to a beer brand, "Bavaria".

The ambush might have gone largely unnoticed by spectators at the game or TV.

News coverage of women being arrested drew worldwide coverage.

"But who remembers the name of the beer - all I remember is orange," said Deborah Pead of marketing communications company Pead PR.

Pead PR is one of the marketing communications companies attached to Heineken, so is understandably sceptical about the value of ambush marketing.

Since the Major Events Management Act was passed in April, attention has focused on big global brands.

But the act also affects smaller firms, including retailers who want to get some marketing attachment to the Cup.

Malcolm Hurley is a lawyer at Anthony Harper Lawyers in Auckland, a company which specialises in the retail sector.

Commenting in Retail magazine recently, Hurley said there was a sting in the tail for the rules that outlawed some phrases and images.

Under the restrictions, businesses would not be able to use Rugby World Cup tickets as prizes and would need to be careful selling goods that were not approved or counterfeit, Hurley said.

Using the words "unauthorised" or "unofficial" would not protect them, and retailers would not be able to have a Rugby World Cup sale or offer Rugby World Cup specials.

A picture of a rugby player in a promotion was fine but not combined with the words Rugby World Cup, Hurley said.

World Cup sinbin

Banned under the Major Events Management Act:

* Rugby World Cup.

* World Cup 2011.

* RWC.

* World In Union.

* Rugby New Zealand 2011.

* Total Rugby.

* Webb Ellis Cup.

* IRB.