How analysing notable developments before the cinch sponsorship wave took hold can help rights holders potentially identify the next big sponsorship thing
The most common task we’re asked to help rights holders or their agencies with is variously described as finding companies: ‘on their way up’/’new kids on the block’/’hidden gems’/’breakthrough brands’. Essentially, finding the next cinch or Cazoo or cinch before everybody else.
So, how do we do that?
It’s about researching and analysing developments going on around the world to identify potential triggers or buying signals. So, using cinch as an example, one can learn how to spot similar patterns with other companies and potentially identify who could be the next big buyer of sponsorship.
Admittedly, cinch, like Cazoo (see Cazoo’s sponsorship timeline), is a very rare example: a company that in less than three years of forming entered into major sponsorships with the Lawn Tennis Association and Northampton Saints – and has since gone on to sponsor nearly 15 different rights holders. However, it does makes it easier to understand all the key ingredients as they fit together in a much shorter period of time.
Timeline until first major cinch sponsorship
- 16 Oct 2018: (Launch) cinch established as new limited company. T-minus 28 months until first major sponsorship deal.
- 26 Jun 2019: (PR) First public announcement that owner BCA Marketplace plans to launch a new platform. T-18 months.
- 16 Jul 2019: (Launch) First iteration of platform launches. T-17 months.
- 1 Aug 2019: (Hire) Hires new Marketing Director from creative agency IRIS. T-17 months.
- 19 Sep 2019: (Marketing) Launches first notable marketing campaign. T-15 months.
- 18 Mar 2020: (Sponsorship) Strikes first sponsorship deal: The Laser Tools Racing team in the British Touring Car Championship. T-9 months.
- 9 Oct 2020: (Marketing) Launches TV campaign fronted by brand ambassador Rylan Clark-Neal to promote website relaunch. T-2 months.
- 19 Oct 2020: (Launch) Relaunches ‘new ground-breaking’ online platform. T-2 months.
- 3 Nov 2020: (Funding) Secures a £50 million finance facility from HSBC and NatWest to boost its inventory. T-2 months.
- 21-23 Dec 2020: Strikes first major sponsorship deals – with Northampton Saints and the LTA’s Queen’s Club Championship. T-0 months.
So, although cinch’s timeline is squashed into a much shorter period of time than most other companies, it does contain many key triggers or buying signals to help identify the next big thing: a notable hire, marketing campaigns, a relaunch and some significant financing.
caytoo also researches smaller deals that could be a buying signal or precursor to bigger ones such as the LTA and Northampton Saints deals. As well as the example of cinch sponsoring a team in the BTCC, Crypto.com (while still called Monaco) sponsored Asian fintech event Money20/20. This was just over three years until its first major sponsorship – the Aston Martin Formula 1 team.
In fact, the first record we found of any Crypto.com branded sponsorship was a much smaller one with YouTube channel “Crypto Fiend” in December 2020 – just three months before Aston Martin. Since Crypto Fiend, the brand has gone onto spend in the region of $2-3 billion on sponsorship.
From small acorns grow mighty oaks.
Want help finding the next cinch or Cazoo?
caytoo’s Target solution helps you identify and pitch the next big thing(s) before everyone else and give you a head start in sponsorship conversations.
