Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - Etihad joins Ferrari...

Big, big bux I expect, to be sponsor of Ferrari including the good spots on the cars - rear wing and helmet.

What does this mean - are Etihad flights to Italy and generally continental Europe the next expansion phase?

Story below - I'm a little shocked that the airline has so much cash to splash.

Though we are hosting the F1 this weekend, surely the timing means we can get to see the sponsorshop decals on the car this weekend? Etihad needs to fill those empty BNE-SIN seats!

Pitpass.com reports (http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=34092), just now:
Ferrari has announced that it has reached an agreement with Etihad Airways, the United Arab Emirates national airline which, starting today, becomes an official sponsor of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Team.
...the Etihad logo will be positioned on the back of the rear wing, on the turning vanes and on the drivers helmets...for three years.

Etihad Ferrari pic here (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/13/222198/pictures-etihad-airways-signs-three-year-sponsorship-deal-with-ferrari.html).

Just for fun: F1-themed Etihad A320 (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/01/08/220684/pictures-etihad-unveils-formula-1-branded-airbus-a320.html)

Sponsorship is reportedly 60m GBP.
PICTURES: Etihad Airways signs three year sponsorship deal with Ferrari (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/13/222198/pictures-etihad-airways-signs-three-year-sponsorship-deal-with-ferrari.html) [FlightGlobal]
Abu Dhabi's international carrier Etihad Airways has switched its Formula 1 allegiance to Ferrari as the 2008 Grand Prix season begins in Melbourne, signing a three-year sponsorship deal with the current world champions.


"Sports sponsorship is a major part of Etihad's marketing strategy and the growing association we are building with Formula 1 is a key driver to enable us to reach a global audience," says the airline's chief executive James Hogan.


Abu Dhabi already has strong links with the Prancing Horse as government-owned Mubadala Development Company holds a 5% stake in the company and is a sponsor of the F1 team. Ferrari is developing a close association with Abu Dhabi where it is building a $600 million theme park that will open in 2009 offering 24 attractions.

Not as expensive as it would be if they were on the front of the rear wing, which still belongs to Marlboro. The percentage of TV and press images that show that angle are minimal in comparison. There will also be a sticker on the chin area of the drivers helmets and a patch on their race suits.

Still, good for PR purposes and they enjoyed their association with the ex. Spyker team last year.

This will only add to already very unhappy staff with regard to inflation and housing + other allowance issues, which are ignored by EY.

Splash the cash...plenty of oil remaining in Abu Dhabi about 300 years supply I'm told. I heard they are diamond studding their A380....even though it will probably be half empty:p:D

James Hogan transfered Ansett strategy to Gulf Air and is now using that same strategy with EY :o.........except this time he has PLENTY of cash to do it with and more:rolleyes:

I think he'll find it one hell of a challenge returning to an airline run on a totally commercial basis when he leaves EY one day.
CJ:)

I watched the Melbourne F1 race and only saw 'Etihad' clearly and prominently on the Ferrari rear wing ONCE.

Qantas' flyover before the race is a good stunt and thank goodness Longreach wasn't followed by a JetStar airbus.
If Qantas, like EK, had their name painted on the undercarriage, QF would have received a lot more eager pre-race eyeballs than EY and its DNF Scuderia Ferraris. :rolleyes:

Strange that Etihad chooses to splash out on the sponsorship yet doesn't promote its flights to Australia as a link to the F1 team sponsorship.
Maybe Etihad's Ferrari sponsorship is exclusively for the benefit of its wealthier mid-east and UK customers ('hey, that's the same make as one of my red cars...'!).

Did anyone else watch the 'Gulf Air F1 GP, Bahrain'?

The UK commentators mentioned the Etihad sponsorship on the rear wing of the Ferrari toward the race end as well as the future Abu Dhabi F1 plans. Dubai was also mentioned as a possible third race location.

All in all, the coverage was very very positive for motorsport in the region and mentioned the sport's popularity in the Mid-East.
No mention of Gulf Air (though the signage made the race a constant GF billboard).
In the absence of much signage on the Ferraris due to tobacco ad restrictions, EY got great exposure this week.

I wonder if any FTers did the trip?

Did anyone else watch the 'Gulf Air F1 GP, Bahrain'?

<snip>



Here in the states SpeedVision showed the Gulf Air F1 A340 briefly. The video must have been shot during the flyover, although the on-sceen reporter (Peter Windsor) said the flyover was a Gulf Air A380...

FWIW
DLM

;)Here in the states SpeedVision showed the Gulf Air F1 A340 briefly. The video must have been shot during the flyover, although the on-sceen reporter (Peter Windsor) said the flyover was a Gulf Air A380...

FWIW
DLM

It was an A330 in fact ;)

One of the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Funds owns a small stake in Ferrari, hence the tie up. Ferrari theme park is to be built in AUH also.

Ah, that is very interesting news, GK.
I recall the Ferrari theme park story, now the ownership stake makes sense. :)

I think Shell's sponsorship of Ferrari is extremely successful and can only hope that EY can leverage its own brand to some success, on a financially responsible scale, in the airline market.

Better value than the Spyker sponsorship previously.
How is GF's sponsorship of the F1 going for GF?

(PS. On a branding/awareness level, what's the buzz about the relative effectiveness of GF and EY sponsorships, at the 2008 BAH GP? :D)

One of the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Funds owns a small stake in Ferrari, hence the tie up. Ferrari theme park is to be built in AUH also.


Ferrari is pouring a ton of effort into building its Middle East business. They just helped sponsor a Ferrari Classics Festival alonside the Bahrain F1. Article is on page 16

http://www.ferrarilife.com/library/download_pdf.php?type=flq&id=91

In terms of effectiveness, a Ferrari F1 sponsor ship gives you 2 hours of global TV coverage 18 times a year. Much less expensive then buying commercials

Grand Prix de France tonight local time, a nice 1-2 finish for the Etihad-tailed Ferraris.

Interestingly, both Etihad on Ferrari and Air Asia on Toyota (the other placegetter) have their sponsorships in black and white, rather than blending into the teams' main colour scheme.

On the sponsorship angle, one advantage of sponsoring a tobacco-branded car like the Ferrari is that in much of the world, the car is sponsor-free, aside from the small sponsors. Etihad has the largest branding on the car wherever tobacco sponsors must be disguised or hidden. ^

The winners are wearing 'Mubadala Abu Dhabi' red caps.
Is this the local Ferrari concessionaire? ;)
No, here's the story - the investor arm of UAE (http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMubadal a_Development_Company&ei=xlleSJ-kC4nysAOCpbmADA&usg=AFQjCNEbnlVXh5tYEmoxSH4bMYmsCuUp4w&sig2=34W8Rv95A8imiM4kibQ4ag)!


Kimi Raikonnen is very lucky to have finished the race, let alone be runner up. That car is lucky to have not gone up in smoke, barcoded sponsor nothwithstanding. ;)

Etihad has the largest branding on the car wherever tobacco sponsors must be disguised or hidden. ^

and lots of the camera positions this weekend gave the back of the car, and therefore 'Etihad', some good airtime, unlike some other tracks recently.

I think it does help in marketing. I am booking myself with them for my flight from Manila to Milan this month with it being one of the reason. My other choices were CX and SQ but got Etihad Pearl class instead. Being lower of course, another reason of course is to upgrade my Etihad guest status to a higher one. I think the airline is a good option for Asia to Europe flights where you fly half way, get down for a stretch and finish the other leg after. Just hope that Abu Dhabi airport gets renovated or expanded soon and standardize it as a real international airport!

The winners are wearing 'Mubadala Abu Dhabi' red caps.
Is this the local Ferrari concessionaire? ;)
No, here's the story - the investor arm of UAE (http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMubadal a_Development_Company&ei=xlleSJ-kC4nysAOCpbmADA&usg=AFQjCNEbnlVXh5tYEmoxSH4bMYmsCuUp4w&sig2=34W8Rv95A8imiM4kibQ4ag)!



Told you... it's part of the Abu Dhabi oil funds.

micks69, welcome to FlyerTalk and thanks for your reply. :)
It's always good to get feedback on Etihad and I hope you can report back on your trip.

I agree with your points; how long is your transit in AUH?
I'm also interested in your impressions of the MNL leg and the pricing.
ex-Asia flights can often be very well-priced compared to flights ex-Australia, so I'm keeping an open mind to buy a few EY flights from there to European or Australian destinations. :cool:

It's good to know there are a few EY pax in the forum reading the 'EY news'. :D

The AUH lounges are now open for F and C; have a look for the Etihad Lounge threads! ^

I think it does help in marketing. I am booking myself with them for my flight from Manila to Milan this month with it being one of the reason. My other choices were CX and SQ but got Etihad Pearl class instead. Being lower of course, another reason of course is to upgrade my Etihad guest status to a higher one. I think the airline is a good option for Asia to Europe flights where you fly half way, get down for a stretch and finish the other leg after. !

The final race of the 2009 F1 season will be in Abu Dhabi

The final race of the 2009 F1 season will be in Abu Dhabi

Sponsored by Etihad. :) Tentatively November 15, 2009 (http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080054554&ch=6/26/2008%208:31:00%20PM).

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/12/7191.html

EY website: Etihad to sponsor Formula1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (http://www.etihadairways.com/etihadairways/global/en/aboutetihad/mediacenter/newslisting/newsdetails/EtihadtosponsorFormula1AbuDhabiGrandPrix.htm)

Official Abu Dhabi F1 GPwebsite (http://www.abudhabigp.com/)

I hope the Australian premier motorsport category (V8 Supercars) holds something there in future considering the exports of local GM product to the emirate. :)

Ferrari World in AUH will be promoting soon, but probably not open until 2010

Told you... it's part of the Abu Dhabi oil funds.

Here's another sovereign fund purchase (as distinctive and loved in the architectural (& office space?) realm:
WSJ Evening Wrap July 9, 2008 -- 5:57 p.m. EDT
Chrysler Building Sale (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121561441265439259.html?mod=djemTEW)
Sovereign wealth fund Abu Dhabi Investment Council has taken a 90% stake in the Chrysler Building, one of New York's most iconic skyscrapers. Tishman Speyer Properties, a New York landlord, will retain the remaining ownership piece and will manage the property.


What this means for the location of Etihad's NYC office, I'm not sure. :D

India Times primer on F1 sponsorship by (four Asian) airlines.
Are airlines in Formula 1 more than just hot air under the wings? (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Auto/Are_airlines_in_Formula_1_more_than_just_hot_air_u nder_the_wings/articleshow/3216514.cms) [India Times]
The first of the Asian fleets to sponsor a team in the pinnacle of motor sport was Emirates. The UAE based airline signed a deal with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team on 10th March 2006. Airline chief Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum had commented then, "Grand Prix racing attracts millions of followers around the globe, and we believe it will be an excellent vehicle to further Emirates' brand awareness internationally."

The advantages are limitless, and on tap for anyone with the capacity to be able to sponsor Formula 1 ...one of the highest television viewerships the world over (second only to the Olympic Games and the football World Cup, events which are held once every four years).

With such endless scope of reaching out to an audience that transcends all political boundaries, there is hardly a better mode of advertising especially for a company with truly global ambitions. And with tobacco advertising (the virtual bankroller of the sport for the better part of three decades) now having been consigned to history and off the cars, F1 had to find newer sources of funding.


The buck doesn't stop with just the sponsorship of Formula 1 teams - the airline companies have now gone on to sponsor races as well. Gulf Air, the national airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain, sponsors the Bahrain Grand Prix and Etihad will go on to sponsor the Abu Dhabi round of the F1 calendar in 2009 as well.

In the past airlines such as BOAC (as British Airways was earlier known as), Qantas and Korean Air were prominent supporters of top flight motor sport and this is evidence enough that what one sees in F1 today is not a recent phenomenon. In fact, even our own national carrier Air India was heavily involved with motor sport, namely the sponsorship of the now defunct Himalayan Rally for over a decade and a half beginning in 1980.

Our world is shrinking and an increasing number of people are taking to the skies as their preferred modes of transport. The involvement in Formula 1 not only gets the airlines exposure to international markets but makes people aware of their existence as well. The number of airline users increases with the augment of the F1 season...

I just noticed this. not really news, more of an interview with Peter Baumgartner.
Sponsorships put Etihad in fast lane against high-powered rivals (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24121647-7582,00.html)[The Australian]
FOUR and a half years ago Etihad was billing itself as the world's youngest airline, emerging from the Middle East to take on the established players.

Now it is the world's fastest growing airline, and global marketing chief Peter Baumgartner says it has been sponsorship, not advertising, that has allowed the Abu Dhabi carrier to achieve growth of more than 40 per cent every year.

Many companies put advertising first, Baumgartner says, but the challenge of getting the name of the airline in front of millions of potential customers in dozens of markets required a special strategy.

The answer, he says, was sponsorship.

The winners are wearing 'Mubadala Abu Dhabi' red caps.
Is this the local Ferrari concessionaire? ;)


Mubadala ("exchange") is essentially a reincarnation of the old UAE Offsets group and is the more active and aggressive private equity-style investor in Abu Dhabi. They bought their 5% stake in Ferrari years ago.

Clever subbing - the 'goal' isn't Man City and big-name Premier League transfers. Here is the reason d'etre of the sovereign funds including those two in Abu Dhabi plus what's happening in Dubai.
Abu Dhabi: the Sheikh's real goal (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article4692422.ece)[The Times]
Manchester City’s sale to a desert prince looks like a rich man acquiring an expensive plaything. But it is actually about turning a nation that has sat in Dubai’s shadow into a world player

...
Abu Dhabi’s rulers realise that it will take more than one-off projects to secure their future. They know that it must be based on trade, financial services and tourism – and that there is a place for such a global centre to develop between the European and Asian time zones. THE fly in the ointment is that they have a rival, Dubai, a fellow member of the United Arab Emirates which is only 90 minutes away up the desert highway.

“The UAE is supposed to be one federal state but, crucially, when it was created in 1971 each of the emirates retained the right to keep its natural resources and therefore its own economic path,” explained Christopher Davidson, a Middle East expert at Durham University. “Now we are beginning to see different emirates drift away from each other more and more.”

Indeed it is in sport where the rivalry is best expressed, with a series of tit-for-tat deals to sign up the world’s best sporting properties. When Dubai became the home of the International Cricket Council, the sport’s governing body, Abu Dhabi offered English cricket $750m over 10 years to play host to its Twenty20 one-day competition. After Dubai became the venue for a top event on the men’s professional tennis tour, its rival funded a women’s championship. Aware of Dubai’s attempts to host a Formula One grand prix, Abu Dhabi bought a stake in Ferrari and secured a place on the circuit for next year.

So far the only thing that has eluded them is the hosting of a football World Cup or an Olympics, but bids for future events are understood to be in progress. THE Manchester City deal operates on a different plane. Such is the global popularity of the Premier League that at a stroke the Abu Dhabi royal family have garnered more publicity for their country than any of the Maktoums’ horseracing exploits. Indeed, it even overshadowed their own announcement last week of a $1 billion fund to make 40 movies in the next five years with Hollywood studios.


Despite a general lack of interest here on FT, these spending sprees are making Abu Dhabi and Etihad more visible.
Hopefully AUH can be expanded and upgraded in line with the record numbers of pax transiting there, so that the transit experience is in line with the in-the-air experience.

Finally - the Las Vegas analogy ;)
Indeed, the “branding” of Abu Dhabi is a preoccupation in the emirate. There is already an Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi that exists to promote its reputation abroad. While some might criticise such a naked expression of promoting the nation’s profile – Peter York, the cultural commentator, has described its buying up of cultural institutions as “like building Venice in Las Vegas” – there are some bright minds behind it.

As speculated above, the sovereign fund's new EPL property has signed up the world's hottest football property, for a record price (http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skysports.com%2Fstory%2F0%2C1 9528%2C11679_4126274%2C00.html&ei=1svHSI-kA6qYoQSI8ZTPAQ&usg=AFQjCNHNMjAE5XKPTq2eUMyX_7XQ8S68fg&sig2=_-W5YoMbkg6seMOFr6eo3A).

How prominent do you think the Etihad connection will be, when it's time to renew sponsorships?

They seem to have a little spare cash :eek:

Melbourne, due to get Etihad long haul services in a matter of months, will likely see its iconic Telstra Dome renamed Etihad Stadium (http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=510676&highlight=etihad+stadium).

This is yet to be reported officially but has been the subject of debate on an Aussie Rules (AFL) forum. Someone noted that Melbourne Stadiums has even registered the URL Etihad Stadium .com.au.

Re: New name for Docklands (http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showpost.php?p=12863431&postcount=71)
This is now good as confirmed.
Just had a look, and the domain name www.etihadstadium.com.au has been registered by Melbourne Stadiums Limited.

(from www.austadiums.com)

[I cite this in the context that arguably Melbourne's largest spring 'racing' party is sponsored in a massive way by Emirates. ;)]

News: Telstra Dome renamed Etihad Stadium (http://www.theage.com.au/national/telstra-dome-renamed-etihad-stadium-20081023-56w3.html) [The Age]
Sponsorship listed on Etihad's sponsorship page (http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/etihad/global/en/aboutetihad/oursponsorships/Pages/oursponsorship.aspx)

and of you're going to sponsor the Grand Prix, you may as well paint your new A340-600 to advertise the fact.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Etihad-Airways/Airbus-A340-642/1464334/L/

GREAT photo (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Etihad-Airways/Airbus-A340-642/1464334/L/), FlyingOnceMore. Is it yours? ^


I wonder if the GF A340s retired this week were painted to promote their own GP. :rolleyes:

[I hope the EY 340s are more MY09 Ferrari in condition than GF A340 :D]

Thought Etihad would use Ferrari's to take C and F class pax to/from the airport from/to their homes/hotels. :D