Borkowski Weekly Media Trends 15-10-21
Cafe Patron stunt | How to run a sports brand for the 21st Century
CAFÉ PATRON: THROWING AWAY ITS ‘SHOT’?
Hangovers around the country were exacerbated on Monday when it was announced that Café Patron, the coffee-tequila liqueur beloved of people who think Wolf of Wall Street is an aspirational-yet-subversive arthouse opus, is ceasing production.
Broken by The Grocer - and perhaps only thought relevant to the food and drink retail market - the story went viral; because Café Patron, in its uniqueness, potency and ability to induce wild behaviour, is a phenomenon in the UK.
It’s a cultural touchstone and a reference point, synonymous with everything from TOWIE-lite stag and hen dos, to finance industry after-work drinks (expensed back to the client), to Clapham rugby lads intent on energising their next bellowed rendition of Sweet Caroline (despite only knowing the lyrics to half of the chorus). And though many would contest that those groups represent everything that is bad about society, their obsessive patronage has helped make Café Patron a powerhouse brand.
Thus, as with many products when their demise is announced, the irony of this story is that it gave Patron a gold-plated blizzard of adoring publicity that will send sales skyrocketing. A cynical comms professional might even be led to speculate that convincing people something they love is set to become rare and finite, only for it to make a spectacular (and much-celebrated) return shortly afterwards, would be a great idea for a publicity stunt…
RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL SPORTS TEAM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Last week, we discussed Newcastle United's takeover and its broader implications on football's global identity, ruled by money and corruption. But, for the football purists, there's a small glimmer of hope coming out of Mallorca.
Forget Real Madrid and Barcelona; the Balearics club has returned to La Liga - Spain's top-flight domestic league - with a bang. Last month, they were the division's third-most watched club on YouTube by combining "the best pizza you'll ever have", a partnership with their tourist board, and marquee signings from Japan and the USA.
As the world's most famous sports brands are jumping on the cryptocurrency bandwagon (issuing tokens to fans and investors), Mallorca has rebuilt the club by connecting fans with their players through pizza. They've created food so good that the players join fans and share a post-match slice in Mallorca FC's VIP area.
Mallorca's owners have matched their on-the-field investments with clever off-the-field stunts, installing a one-way glass wall in the tunnel, as well as a press conference viewing room and VIP mini-stand to create an organic connection between their players and fans.
They've managed to keep the die-hards happy and engaged whilst marketing the club to the Island's massive influx of tourists - scouting and investing in young talent with global appeal. As a result, Takefusa Kubo, an up-and-coming Japanese superstar, American forward Matthew Hoppe, and South Korean Kang-in Lee have all signed to the club, generating worldwide appeal.
The new owners, including former basketball MVP Steve Nash, have even managed to attract crowds of 50% women and a high proportion of millennials and Gen Z fans. Mallorca's a masterclass in running a football club and an excellent case study that doesn't involve crypto shilling.
