Corporate scrum keeping eye on the ball

Virgin Group chairman Sir Richard Branson will be a guest at the World Cup. Photo / Kenny Rodger

The catch-cry for both teams and corporates at this Rugby World Cup could well be "focus".

Tens of millions of dollars will be spent wining, dining and schmoozing during the six-week tournament but the word from business is that the spending will be selective.

Given the profile of the visitors, many of whom will be here just for the business end of the tournament, the stakes are too high to let the invitation list run too long.

Top end hospitality at Eden Park can cost as much as $23,000 a head for the tournament so as one veteran of the PR scene said: "The champagne will be flowing but the corks will be targeted."

World Cup sponsors, who have paid millions of dollars to have their brands associated or will give away the same in products and services, want bang for their buck.

Tax rules mean it can't be all play for international visitors. Although they vary, rules in corporate visitors' home countries mean they are required to demonstrate a work component during their stay in order to qualify for tax benefits.

The guest lists are now being finalised with names ranging from Richard Branson (inked in) to Avatar director James Cameron (chatter in IT circles) adding a touch of glamour.

Corporates will use rugby stars of past World Cups to entertain clients with their own war stories and to MC hundreds of functions throughout the six-week tournament.

One official sponsor, Heineken, is bringing about 4000 guests into New Zealand, according to DB Breweries, which manufactures and markets the Dutch beer brand in this country.

DB communications manager Jo Jalfron said Heineken's guests would arrive from Russia, Poland, France and England and Latin America.

The firm will host "key customers" from across New Zealand at pool matches and finals games.

Emirates, whose sponsorship was kicked off by Wayne "Buck" Shelford in 2008, will fly in guests including travel industry clients, freight forwarders, business partners and frequent fliers.

"We use these events to consolidate our existing relationships and obviously forge new ones," said Chris Lethbridge, Emirates manager for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

"It's often easier to do that in a social environment at an event such as this," he said.

The airline was involved in rugby, football, golf, sailing, horse racing and cricket. "They all give us a very good return on investment on a global scale."

Entertaining clients and partners at the Rugby World Cup was an opportunity to talk business and provided more than a telephone call or an office meeting could. "It allows people to open up and share their passion for the sport and talk about things they possibly wouldn't talk about in a boardroom environment," Lethbridge said.

As the official logistics supplier to the tournament, DHL is in the top tier of cup companies and will entertain hundreds of international clients, with most arriving in the final two weeks of the tournament.

"We're not bringing down thousands, it's just a focused group who are our top customers globally. They're famous in the world of DHL but not so famous for other people," said the company's sponsorship manager Fiona Taag.

DHL has a clear brief.

"Everything that needs to be moved before, during and after the tournament is going through DHL."

This means 100 tonnes of team gear from 19 countries overseas points from Tonga to Tbilisi will be shipped to New Zealand and back again. Former All Black skipper Sean Fitzpatrick is DHL's "global ambassador". Another captain, Tana Umaga, is the firm's New Zealand representative.

ANZ is one of the top tier sponsors and its managing director of commercial and agri Graham Turley said earlier this year the Cup was a good fit for the bank. "It is an event that we can touch all parts of our business," he said.

The bank would bring in several hundred customers, mainly from Asia and Australia, for the finals.

"We're trying to build connections between the customers. Deals don't get done over a game of rugby but the relationship starts to be formed."

He said there would be "a lot of entertaining and rugby watching" but also seminars. Guests would be agricultural customers and "influencers" rather than those who would make the gossip pages, Turley said.

Land Rover, the official vehicle sponsor, has had a team in New Zealand since last October organising a programme for 129 VIPs from Britain, Italy, Russia, China, South Africa and Australia.

Russell Reynolds executive chairman of Motorcorp Distributors, the importers of Land Rover, said more than 60 vehicles would be on sale following the Cup but the association was more about building the brand.

"It's visibility for our vehicles, we hope to have VIPs in them. It's quite an investment from a New Zealand perspective but we see that as having a long-term benefit for Land Rover.

"It's not like the Fieldays and how many cars did we sell, it's building up the brand image and awareness."

Former rugby stars in the Land Rover camp include England World Cup winner Josh Lewsey, Springbok fullback Percy Montgomery and All Black No 8 Zinzan Brooke.

Reynolds said companies were putting in a lot of work behind the scenes. "I get the feeling there is a lot of interest from all around the world but people are starting to sort out exactly what they're doing. I think it will come alive."

New Zealand's second biggest company, Telecom, does not have a corporate box for the Cup, but will be hosting major clients at various games.

Sky Television chief executive John Fellet said that Sky would be using its corporate box to entertain advertisers and clients. Despite its broadcasting role in the World Cup, it had no special advantages or access for its guests.

Bruce Gadd, NZ Trade and Enterprise World Cup project director, says big champagne bashes for thousands are not what the business push is about.

"These are more bespoke activities where we can show them the real New Zealand but do them in a more targeted way."

This could involve hosting at a golf course. "You're not talking about doing a deal on the golf course. We want to start the conversation now and follow up after the Cup finishes."

Claudia McDonald, managing director of public relations firm Mango, said entertaining may well be less glitzy and more restrained given the lumpy economy and mood following the Christchurch earthquakes.

"I think we're feeling quite serious at the moment, we take our rugby seriously and we don't want to be flippant," she said.

"It's a little more down to earth and homely but I think everybody's going to want to be involved. I get a sense it's going to be humming.

"Aucklanders particularly leave things to the last minute then don't want to miss out."

Businesses had to be selective in their invitations and adhere to the rule that 20 per cent of people provide 80 per cent of turnover. They also had to be smart about luring New Zealanders they did want at functions out of their homes.

"You have to have a little bit more than 'here's a drink and a canape'. There needs to be a degree of entertainment - people get bored pretty quickly, you want things to happen," he said.

Accountancy firm KPMG, an official sponsor, will be taking clients to games in Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton, as well as other parts of the country, but will not be taking a corporate box.

Law firm Meredith Connell confirmed it would be hosting clients from private companies at a number of games.

The firm has the Crown warrant so is covered by rules applying to other government agencies which restricts staff benefits from RWC hospitality.

Fonterra group director of supplier and external relations Kelvin Wickham said the dairy co-operative welcomed the attention the Rugby World Cup would give New Zealand on the world stage.

Fonterra would host a number of high-value international customers at matches and provide them with opportunities to experience New Zealand's approach to farming and world-class expertise in dairy processing, Wickham said.

"We have already responded to a number of requests for site visits and education briefings on the New Zealand dairy industry from senior overseas business and government officials, including through the New Zealand Guest of Government programme," he said.

WHAT'S ON OFFER

Rugby Travel & Hospitality, the business which sells corporate suites and packages, is offering five Eden Park deals.

Joelle Talbot, PR and communications manager at Rugby Travel, says packages do not have to be bought as a series and matches can be bought individually.

The five categories are:

* Sky Box (corporate boxes)

$23,595 per person for nine matches, average of $2621 per match. Priced around $424,000 in total over the series. High level of luxury including food and drinks, dedicated seating outside corporate entertaining area, dedicated host or hostess for the evening.

* Eden Park Pavilion

$20,795 per person for nine matches, average $2310 per match. Giant marquee in grounds of Eden Park. Includes pre-match three-hour hospitality and reserved category A covered seating for game.

* Platinum

$18,695 per person for nine matches, average of $2077 per match. Access to an exclusive in-stadium corporate lounge, reserved Category A covered seats, champagne reception and canapes, four-course dinner, complimentary bar, post-match drinks and savouries

* Premier

$16,495 per person for nine matches, average of $1832 per match. Guests get access to a dedicated hospitality area, reserved seats, dinner, guest speakers and complimentary bar.

* Club

$11,095 per person for nine matches, average of $1232 per match. Access to a hospitality area in the stadium, reserved seats for group bookings, contemporary NZ cuisine, pre- and post-match drinks.