Innovation We Trust: An Inspiring Joint Sponsorship Campaign at the Nordic World Ski Championships

The Challenge

The 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships were held in Falun, Sweden, from 18 February to 1 March 2015. Visitors enjoyed 12 days of Nordic skiing and an exhilarating atmosphere ‘beyond all expectations.’

The local organising committee (LOC) engaged MCI to help its national sponsors successfully engage a diverse audience and boost their brands through the championship’s Pavilion.

Strategically located in the event village near the ice hockey rink, the Pavilion would be visited by thousands of people, and each sponsor needed to maximise the brand boosting potential of this unique sporting event.

The Solution

Inspired by the combination of forward-thinking Swedish brands sponsoring the event and their commitment to innovation, our creative team worked with the LOC marketing team to convince the sponsors to join forces and make a bigger impact.

We contacted each sponsor, interviewing them to learn more about their objectives and vision for the event. Finding many opportunities for collaboration and key synergies such as a focus on innovation and sustainability, we then approached the brands with the creative concept ‘Innovation We Trust.’

ABB, Atlas Copco, Electrolux, LKAB, SAAB, SSAB and Stora Enso all loved the concept and agreed to join forces to demonstrate the strength of Swedish innovation and create a truly innovative sponsorship experience for visitors to the Pavilion.

Our experts then created experiential concepts for each brand in order to meet the following key objectives: demonstrate their commitment to innovation and sustainability; engage audiences in new ways; and show the innovative strength of Swedish brands.

Fancy meeting robots with a sense of balance or interacting with a world-class chef? How about checking out industrial designers doing their thing, or watching a fashion show where the designs are based on wood-fibre materials?

Visitors to the Pavilion experienced all of this and more, with the MCI team creating a whole host of interactive and dynamic experiences that challenged all of the senses and engaged adults, teenagers and potential employees alike.

To ensure impressive media coverage around this innovative experiential space, we also managed a joint press conference and set up interviews with key journalists.

Results

From 18 February to 1 March, over 57,000 visitors were inspired by the brands and their innovative Pavilion.

The Swedish King was so impressed that he visited the Pavilion twice, while the Swedish Minister of Innovation was delighted with the Pavilion and its showcase of Swedish brands.

The Pavilion gained extensive coverage in print, radio and online media, including a 2-page feature in Swedish business daily Dagens Industri.

The experiential nature of the Pavilion engaged all different age groups, while the brands were able to engage potential employees through the emphasis on innovation, creativity and flexibility.

All seven brands were delighted with the results of their sponsorship efforts and with MCI’s work, giving us an average of 4.4 out of 5 for concept, value for money, engagement and delivery.

If you’d like to discuss how we can design a sports sponsorship experience that delivers real results for you, contact us on solutions@mci-group.com.