Anil Singh: “Time For Rigtht Partnerships”
After 17 years of seeding the sport of running in India, and building the whole ecosystem, what lessons does sport still teach you?
Sport is the university of life. The syllabus is simple and the degree invaluable. In sport the goal is to win and to achieve victory at whatever level, you need to do that one thing better than the rest, at least on that given day.
However, what I learnt from participative sport (running) was truly surreal. It taught me that an individual by mere participation in any avatar was a winner, simply because it made him/her a better human being. In the university of life unlike spectator sport, in participative sport no one student is better than the other, you either graduate or you don’t.
This journey of 17 years has truly been humbling. I have come to realise that human beings are inherently good souls. The haves and have-nots contribute equally in one way or another. It all boils down to intent, perseverance, communication, and the ability to instil a sense of ownership. These my friends are not hollow words. The fact that Procam International’s four distance running events have raised more than Rs 400 crore benefitting over 700 NGOs is a living testament of our society’s character.
How do you approach an association with a brand? How are sports sponsorships different?
In exactly the same way we approach any form of collaboration or partnership. Principles are the same. So why should the approach towards sponsorships be any different?
Like everything else it’s about common sense and prioritisation. However, before a promoter or a business development executive approaches a brand, adoption of a few key fundamentals would substantially increase the percentage of success. Interestingly, including these fundamentals benefits a brand too; these help the brand custodian to assess the opportunity and the promoter much better.
To begin with, it’s vital to analyse the value of your product. Once done you must respect and believe in it. The authenticity in your pitch or the lack of it will either endorse or expose you. In order to arrive at a best probable value, you need deep knowledge of your product, it’s relevance, where it’s today and where do you intend to take it. Simple common sense, sadly not common at all.
Two, it’s critical to differentiate advertising from sponsorship, a well-camouflaged pitfall to watch out for. Advertising is the right to choose. Sponsorship, on the other hand, is a platform you partner to influence the passionately loyal base to connect and embrace your brand, with both sides having one eye constantly and strategically focused on widening the existing base. It’s a touch-and-feel process which can only be achieved through engagement, communication, synchronised amplification of the brand’s values, ideals and immediate objectives. Sponsorship is not a branding exercise period. To effectively leverage any sponsorship, a further investment in the ratio of 2:1 at the minimum should be budgeted for. In many cases brands have been known to spend 4 to 5 times their initial investment.
Three, brand fit is key for beneficial and long-term partnerships. Ideally, the brand should fall in either of the two buckets. Is the brand critical to the fabric of the event i.e. hospitality, airlines, timing, merchandising, etc? Do the brand’s values, actions, philosophy and ideals credibly align? There is a third bucket, it’s when a brand’s inclusion considerably adds value to a general need or convenience for the base.
Fourth, legal contracts effectively serve the purpose of defining and protecting the structure of ownership and rights. IPs evolve and so does a sponsor’s need. My advice to any promoter is to always bend backwards for a sponsor, and try to accommodate all that is legally and respectfully possible without referring to the contract. There will always come a time when the promoter needs the sponsor to bend backwards in support. Successful partnerships are driven by a sense of ownership, trust and intent, not by clauses in a contract.
Fifth, always think big. It’s a myth that big is impossible, at times it may prove to be easier. Giving birth to an IP is similar to delivering a baby. To achieve their potential, IPs just like babies need constant love, care, guidance, attention and investment. Another advantage of thinking big is, it enables a promoter at the very inception to draw a strategic roadmap of his/her long-term vision.
Sixth, stay true to your beliefs and vision. Don’t ever compromise the big picture for hurdles that seem insurmountable or blame it on the lack of monies. Pay closer attention to the naysayers, culling the relevant bits will help you to be better prepared. Stay the course, you won’t get a second shot if the first one misfires.
Seventh, tell stories. Life is about stories.
How does ‘giving back to society’ play a role in your approach to partnerships?
It is not my mandate to suggest or advise a partner to give back to society, hence it should never be factored into the approach. Giving back to society is the sole responsibility of the promoter to ensure that his platform benefits society directly and indirectly. Let’s take Procam’s running platform as a case study. My brother Vivek and I were crystal clear from the start, that the running movement will be built on 5 pillars. Pride and prestige to the city, communal harmony, charity, health and fitness and benefit to Indian athletes. It’s our unwavering belief in each of these pillars that has thankfully delivered the desired impact. The results of which are out in the open for everyone to see and judge for themselves.
This article was first published in the print issue of (10 July - 25 July) BW Businessworld. Click Here to Subscribe to BW Businessworld magazine.
