The Hindu : Business : Havas to exploit sports marketing potential

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 14, 2006
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Business

Havas to exploit sports marketing potential

P. Rajkrishnan

CHENNAI: Havas Sports, the sports wing of the Paris-based Havas group, is looking to exploit the sports marketing potential in the country. Lucien Boyer, Global Chief Executive Officer, Havas Sports, told The Hindu recently that the company was looking at "connecting brands and sports," besides tapping into the local sports market. "India is focusing too much on cricket. The value for money is not there, perhaps. Business should evolve. India is opening its doors to the world. Within four to five years, there should be a lot of new interests, a lot of diversity in terms of games, which is absent right now," Mr. Boyer said.

"We want to develop talent. You see a lot of individual talent here, but those players are not backed by organisations, sports academies. We want to help those who show potential in the local leagues become champions," he said.

"The one thing that sets Havas apart is that we are brand-focused, not event-focused. Whatever be the event or sport, the objective is to create a brand, a brand value and connect it with the sport. We always think large scale and have the advantage of experience in the field," Mr. Boyer said, elaborating on what, according to him, differentiated Havas Sports from its competitors such as Relay Worldwide, Ogilvy Sport and Vyas Gianetti Creative Sports, among others. On the potential to promote tourism through sports he said, "I feel sports can be a very important leverage to promote Indian treasures abroad."

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