We must try harder

As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the world of sport is thrust into the spotlight as well. Cancellation of sports events in Russia and the exclusion of Russian athletes, teams and sponsors is an unavoidable outcome. As Tanni Grey-Thompson, one of Great Britain’s most successful Paralympic athletes said, “there is more politics in sport than in politics”. The pressure on brands, people and organisations to withdraw from all types of relationships with Russia has reached unprecedented heights. And no doubt the aftereffects will be felt for many years.

One of the most high-profile cases is that of Chelsea FC which has been under ownership of Roman Abramovich for almost 20 years. With sanctions against Abramovich and other Russians with UK based assets, there is now pressure on sponsors of the club to terminate existing agreements. According to media reports the shirt sponsor ‘Three’ has temporarily suspended the sponsorship and asked the club to remove branding from the shirts and other club related sources. The fate of the club and others in a similar position will be of concern to employees, partners and suppliers who will be disrupted by these developments.

We can take the collective moral high ground with well-worn phrases such as ‘beware of the company you keep’ or ‘you reap what you sow’ in reference to allowing the club to become so dependent on Abramovich and his billions. Any impact on what happens to Chelsea FC or others in a similar position, pales into insignificance compared to the loss of lives and livelihoods in Ukraine.

From a sports industry perspective, greater tests lie ahead. In a recent report from Nielsen Sports called ‘Fans are changing the game’ there is some insightful research about consumer trust in people, influencers, brands and other marketing channels. Unsurprisingly 89% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know. In second place, 81% of consumers trust brand sponsorships in sporting events ahead of ads on TV, influencer ads, online video ads or ads on mobile devices and social networks.

However, in the same report 55% of consumers are not convinced the measures brands are taking contribute to real progress. And from a messaging perspective, sports fans are looking to sponsors that champion societal issues they believe in. Yet, despite the increased focus on societal issues around the world, only 9% of people strongly agree that the measures big brands are taking around pertinent issues are improving the connection between brands and fans. Clearly this research was not conducted with reference to what is taking place in Ukraine. But it does reflect the changing sentiment of consumers and fans towards brands on a macro level.

Back in 1962, the number two car rental brand Avis launched a new slogan – ‘We try harder’ as part of their promise to deliver a high-quality service and close the gap on the number one brand Hertz. This slogan was used for more than 50 years. When we look back at the influence of questionable individuals, companies or countries who have been allowed to invest in sport to achieve their goals, there is only one conclusion. We did not go far enough in protecting sport for the people who matter the most – the fans, supporters, participants or volunteers who willingly invest their time, effort and money without questioning other’s motives. If there is anything from a sport perspective we can take away from the Russian war in Ukraine, we must protect sport more for the benefit of future generations. It will take many years before we regain the levels of trust that have been eroded in recent weeks. Starting today, we must try harder to prevent similar mistakes ever taking place again.