In a series of recent posts, Brandchannel tackled the subject of "Sponsorship Politics" saying that more and more evidence is emerging of fans actively rejecting brands that sponsor a rival team.
It's particularly rife in football says contributor Mark J. Miller where, as far back as 1996, Kevin Keegan's appearance in a Sugar Puff/Newcastle United ad caused Sunderland fans to "spurn the cereal in droves". Although a local phenomenon, the desertion had a marked effect on Sugar Puff sales in that part of the UK.
Here's the offending ad that did it - (apart from being infamous, it's also pretty crap)
There's even a story which broke in The National, that middle eastern fans of Manchester United once refused to board an Etihad Airlines flight because of its sponsorship of Manchester City.
Some teams will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid this problem - like Rangers and Celtic who have the same shirt sponsor to avoid antagonising fans on either side.
I guess football is one of those fiercely tribal sports which is so much part of a fans' life that he can't accept the dilution of loyalties to his team by supporting a brand which sponsors a rival.
It's particularly rife in football says contributor Mark J. Miller where, as far back as 1996, Kevin Keegan's appearance in a Sugar Puff/Newcastle United ad caused Sunderland fans to "spurn the cereal in droves". Although a local phenomenon, the desertion had a marked effect on Sugar Puff sales in that part of the UK.
Here's the offending ad that did it - (apart from being infamous, it's also pretty crap)
There's even a story which broke in The National, that middle eastern fans of Manchester United once refused to board an Etihad Airlines flight because of its sponsorship of Manchester City.
Some teams will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid this problem - like Rangers and Celtic who have the same shirt sponsor to avoid antagonising fans on either side.
I guess football is one of those fiercely tribal sports which is so much part of a fans' life that he can't accept the dilution of loyalties to his team by supporting a brand which sponsors a rival.
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