June 6, 2014
Jaguar Land Rover sponsors equestrian event
Jaguar Land Rover Canada is trying out a different kind of horsepower at the three-day equestrian event, Bromont CCI***.
The competition that hosts the best horses and riders in eventing will be the focus of the weekend, but the three days will also feature activities for fans courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover. Spectators, both brand enthusiasts and newcomers, will have the opportunity to test drive new models and gain knowledge of the brand.
“Speed and agility, style and elegance and precision are just a few of the qualities a world-class horse and rider combination need to succeed at the pinnacle of equestrian competition,” said Barbara Barrett, national communications and public affairs manager at Jaguar Land Rover Canada, Mississauga, Ontario. "These are also qualities ingrained in all new Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.
“Equestrians have a multitude of uses for their vehicle and by nature are outdoor oriented and often adventurous," she said. "All of these factors make our vehicles a perfect fit with their lifestyle.
“[Also,] Equestrians require the rugged durability and luxury of a Land Rover, but also enjoy the refinement and power of a Jaguar.”
Horses and Jaguars
The Jaguar Land Rover Bromont CCI***'s Todd Sandler Challenge is the final preparatory event for athletes hoping to be on the United States or Canadian Olympic Eventing Team.
This three-day competition will be held June 5-8 at Bromont Olympic Horse Park, the site of the equestrian events for the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.
Bromont CCI *** advertisement
Jaguar Land Rover is sponsoring this event most likely because of its high-profile in the sport and its fans.
During the three days of competition, athletes compete in three different phases. On the first day the dressage competition commences to demonstrate the horse’s training. The second day attracts the most attention with the fast-paced cross country event and the competition ends on the last day with show jumping.
During the three events Jaguar Land Rover will be hosting activities for the fans.
The largest event will be the opportunity to test drive a Jaguar XJ, Jaguar XF and XFR-S, as well as the recently launched, all-new 2015 model year Jaguar Coupe, which has only been in dealerships since May. The convertible version of the Jaguar Coupe, launched last year, will also be available.
Jaguar Coupe will be available to test drive
The test drive will be on a road course with a trained and experienced driving instructor as a co-pilot.
Fans will also have the opportunity to test drive several Land Rovers on an off-road demonstration course.
Presenting fans the opportunity to test drive the car without the formality of a car dealership will likely promote the brand to unfamiliar consumers.
Pursuing new prospects
The benefit of non-luxury car owning individuals test-driving a luxury vehicle is that new, previously unknown, interests can be sparked.
For example, German automaker BMW looked to boost test-drive registrations with an interactive video campaign that showed ordinary people in various countries driving the i3 for the first time.
The “BMW i3 Experience” campaign centered on a microsite that lets fans go for a drive with regular people that have never had an experience with an electric vehicle. The open-ended nature of the campaign allowed the brand to travel from country to country to appeal to new markets (see story).
Awareness that arises from brands temporarily opening their product to new potential consumers is comparable to the coverage gained simply by sponsoring an event.
For example, Italian automaker Maserati propelled the brand with its title sponsorship of the United States Polo Association’s U.S. Open Polo Championships at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach, FL.
The USPA Maserati 109th U.S. Open Polo Championships ran for four weeks. Maserati was likely to gain brand exposure during this event since these matches were the highest-rated polo tournament in North America (see story).
Brand awareness at an event is an easy and effective marketing strategy to appeal to new consumers.
“The eventing competition takes place over three days and is based in an outdoor country setting,” Ms. Barrett said.
“[Also,] The nature of the event set up provides an opportunity to showcase all models across both ranges in a unique setting and allows us to demonstrate our vehicle benefits in an authentic on and off-road location for audience members to take test drives,” she said.
Final Take
Nancy Buckley, an editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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