8 replies to this topic

[Rene]

Source:http://www.pitpass.c...cfm?newsid=1112

Vodafone's sponsorship of Ferrari, which is understood to have been brokered by (Marlboro brand owner) Philip Morris is rumoured to be worth in the region of £28-£35m ($40-$50M) a year and was seen as a major coup when it was revealed in 2001. Philip Morris as Ferrari's title sponsor has the rights to sell space on the Ferrari therefore a large proportion of Vodafone's money flows directly into the tobacco company's coffers.

this is the stangest thing I have read in a long time

[Williams]

It does seem a bit strange, because why would PM pass a diminshing opportunity to the highest-profile adversting billboard in the world ? Certainly not because they need the money.

[davioissimo]

So instead of advertising their brand the Cigarette companies are just making money from the F1 cars ad-space instead of the shops ? hmmm interesting way of fiddling the Tobacco sponsorship issue...Typical F1 spin doctors little trick same as bribing the British Government to allow Cigs sponsorship on F1 cars in Britain when it is categorically banned on any TV here.
I know Ferrari are actually advertising the Cigarettes on their cars but are they practising for when they're banned ? If so all this dodgy dealing is getting outta hand. I'm interested to know an alternative more innocent view here please.

[Foxbat]

I assume this is just part of the three-way deal between Ferrari, Marlboro and Vodafone to allow Vodafone to buy into Ferrari-sponsorship, with the goal of ultimatly taking over as title sponsors, without upsetting existing agreements.

[SeanValen]

Originally posted by Foxbat
I assume this is just part of the three-way deal between Ferrari, Marlboro and Vodafone to allow Vodafone to buy into Ferrari-sponsorship, with the goal of ultimatly taking over as title sponsors, without upsetting existing agreements.

Makes sense to me, although not a expert in this area, does gel well for me if this is the reason behind this issue.

[Dudley]

That's the story I heard before the season

[Mat]

Maybe Marlboro want to hold onto the sponsorship and rent it out after the full tobacco ban, but then during private testing days slap on some Marlboro stickers, take heaps of photos, then use them in 'information packs' and pamflets that can be given away when people buy a packet of cigarettes.

[tifoso]

Rene, this is exactly what Formula 1 Magazine reported in its March 2002 issue:

As if Ferrari didn't already have enough money it has now landed another heavyweight sponsor in the shape of the world's biggest mobile telecoms company, Vodafone. The mobile giant is into sponsorship in a big way and only goes for the expensive top prizes...Ferrari tied the new sponsorship deal up through the Philip Morris cigarette company, which owns most of the rights to the car. It is worth around $125 million over 5 years and is the biggest secondary sponsorship deal in the paddock.

[Scoop]

financial world works in strange ways.

the idea is perhaps to keep PM as the route to the sponsorship, thereby keeping vodafone an equally high profile partner.

this way PM will be ok with it.. a small sweetner i would think.