The various technologies used in the America’s Cup, from Aluminium spars to synthetic cordage to plastic sails-Let alone 40 knot foiling cat’s, often leads commentators to remark that the trickle down technology is good for the average yachtsman.

Well, is it really?

Consider my monthly column for May in Wind Check Magazine

Larry’s Big Cats are a great look, but about as close to the average everyday sailor as a Le Mans car is to a Honda Civic.

With due recognition to the original report, Le Figaro paper in France, and without their authorization the following is a cut and paste of a translation from their website this morning. Translation was done by an on line gizmo, hence the odd grammar and syntax. Anyway it is better than my doing the translation….

In sum it reads to me as though in media “Hits” (total coverage?) the race itself has generated nearly 57,000 hits. Macif , a large French Insurance Co. is going to get the lions share of the Media coverage with pretty big multiples of its investment (e7.5) in the media coverage of THE race itself. The story reports that the ’12 Olympics recorded only 48,000 “Benefits” (Hits?-Presumably this is in France only.

BEGIN:

Saturday January 26, 2013 at 08: 00

Key words: Vendée Globe , Banque Populaire , Macif

By Figaro boating

The insurance group has invested € 7.5 million over 4 years to win the biggest event in racing in France.

Never the Vendée Globe will have received media coverage as beautiful. A godsend for sponsors, Macif, who should win the best share of the cake. “Vendée Globe is an event apart, which enjoys a very high media exposure, explains Virgil Caillet, Director of KantarSport. The departure had never also publicized. The race is better than in 2008 because the TV landscape has evolved, and cameras to enhance the interest. It is a race that we want to follow.

Indeed, the departure has received coverage up 68% from the previous edition, which is due to increased TV coverage, linked to the arrival of new channels. The latest edition of the Vendée Globe had registered 56.738 benefits, including subject 16.272 TV subject 18.042 radio and 22.424 articles in the print media, to deliver advertising 144 M€. By way of comparison, London Olympics have generated 48.000 benefits, all media confused on one month. “There has been a relatively quiet Vendée Globe, with enormous pressure initially and aborts initially. Then, the pattern of race settled, with a duel between the first two. There has not been dramatic event as in the previous edition, which generates a lot of benefits and an immediate media impact. Should also have a media weight for two weeks. “The Pack behind is very tight, it created the suspense”, he says.
A costly but effective sponsorship

“This kind of race brings two main things to the sponsors: high media exposure and a strong recovery.” This allows the brands to develop their memory. It is a costly but effective, additional sponsorship to advertising. Memorization is stronger in moments of emotion than as part of an advertising campaign.

“With the sail, it is a positive theme of courage, innovation, self-transcendence, which is not the case of all sports. If the benefits of Macif, which has invested 7.5 M€ in four years, are not yet known, they should be higher than those of Foncia, winner in 2009. The sponsor of Michel Desjoyeaux had seen its memorization rate advance from 49 to 68% for a valuation of 12.9 M€ only on the race. (My highlights)

Enhancement of Veolia, 2nd, had exceeded the 6 M€. Mid-January, Macif had registered 20,000 benefits for 250 daily impact all media alike, against 18 to 19,000 for Banque Populaire. “There is always a bonus to the winner, even though Banque Populaire should have good impact as Armel Le Cléac ‘ h has long been at the top.” The difference is always upon arrival”, adds Virgil c p.

Macif and Banque Populaire should hit the jackpot, other sponsors, who had much less substantial budgets, should also make their own. “The world does not start to win. Some skippers are developing strategies to enable their sponsors benefit from a great visibility. This is the case of Tanguy de Lamotte (Initiative-heart), which was staged in videos, or ink, Allesandro di Benedetto (Team plastic), said Virgil c p. This kind of communication strategy that is taking place in the heart of the race there was no or little before. The media focus on the facts of race or dramas. Need to find a way to exist otherwise “. The disqualification of Bernard Stamm, who has caused much ink, should Meanwhile allow Cheminées Poujoulat recording beautiful benefits nevertheless.