Coronation Cup
Audi, Piaget and The Financial Times' "How to Spend It" are among the luxury brands coming together July 26 for the Coronation Cup in Egham, Britain, at the Guards Polo Club.
The Audi-sponsored British team will face off against the Equus & Co. Argentina club. Throughout the day attendees will be able to mingle and enjoy a host of activities surrounding the contest.
"Audi gains much brand image profile from this high status occasion, but at the same time we achieve client engagement with this very hard to target audience as we host them," said Jon Zammett head of Audi U.K. public relations, Milton Keynes, Britain.
"We are attracting a very sophisticated audience into the clubhouse as usual and the atmosphere will feel very exclusive as it did last year," he said.
"It’s a royal event in a royal park with a royal as president of the club, so our approach must respect this. Expect quite a few global movie stars to be lunching and watching."
Royal history
The Coronation Cup originated in 1911 to honor the coronation of King George V. Following World War II, polo suffered through a period of prolonged decline.
In 1971, a pair of friends from Britain and the United States decided to revive the cup and stoke broader interest in the sport, eventually bringing the event to the Guards Polo Club.
Cartier boosted the event's credibility with a 25-year sponsorship from 1984 to 2011. Audi took over as the title sponsor in 2012.
A total of 10 countries have competed in the Coronation Cup. Argentina has won three times and Britain has won six times.
From the Coronation Cup
This year's event is a full-day social affair that guests attend for far more than polo.
Gates open at 10 a.m. and the "Buddha Bar After Party" begins at 6 p.m. Throughout the day, guests will have time to chat with acquaintances and interact with brands in the International Pavilion and the retail village. Ticket prices range from $34 to $120.
Guests can also order VIP food and drink packages for the day ranging in price from $257 to $660.
More information can be found here. The Audi team recently competed in the St. Regis International Cup (see story).
Luxury brands regularly endorse polo to court the affluent through sponsorships, special products and brand alignment.
Watchmakers, automakers, hospitality leaders, spirits brands and fashion labels have flocked to the world of polo to cosset the crowds and gain the elite cachet it imparts. While mainstream sports provide brands with lots of noise useful for spreading campaign awareness, sports with high barriers of entry generate loyalists.
Polo is a sport with global appeal that nonetheless has a high barrier to entry. Unlike many mainstream sports that simply require land and a ball, polo calls for a horse, which instantly shears away those without the necessary means.
Prince Charles of Wales with a member of the Audi polo club
Also, the affluent gravitate toward the sport precisely because of this exclusivity. Discussing and playing polo acts as a kind of status currency, with the most versed participants able to groom their social standing.
Obviously, luxury brands stand to gain by displaying an affinity for polo, not only because it reaches a concentrated audience, but also because it boosts reputation among this preferred clientele.
Coloring in the day
Many equestrian events are all-day affairs that provide brands with space to engage with consumers.
For example, Land Rover furthered its strong relationship with the world of equestrian sports through an expanded partnership at the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in Lexington, KY.
The automaker hosted the Land Rover Tailgate event and renew the “Land Rover Best Ride of the Day” eventing triathlon, in which riders competed in dressage, cross country and show jumping, to vie for a 24-month lease of a 2015 Range Rover Evoque. Brand relationships often take many years to cultivate, and Land Rover’s extensive commitment to Equestrian sports has certainly melded with the brand’s image (see story).
"Polo is still a great sport for luxury brands, as it will always be an exclusive sport with a high-end following," said Damon M. Banks, freelance journalist and media consultant, New York.
"Many brands involved with these polo events are able to become very integrated into the event, and often look for ways to also collaborate with the local community to discover more ways to cross-promote their brands, and the event," he said.
"It's often very much about the hospitality pavilions, as these provide direct access to the public."
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York