Finding the Club
Club Perdomo made a name for itself on the side of the racing yacht Switchblade. But how did it all come about?
(The Maktoum Sailing Trophy Event February 21st through the 29th 2008)
Sports sponsorship, across all sports disciplines, is undoubtedly one of
the fastest growing branding strategies implemented by companies
and sports personalities in today's advertising world. While often
being accused of sticking to long held traditions in other areas, the world of
sailing has embraced sponsorship for decades, with boats and competitions
branded and re-branded with such names as Pimms, B&Q/Castorama,
Cutty Sark, Mumm and Skandia. As company owners and marketing
departments became disenfranchised, disillusioned and disappointed with
the results from using traditional forms of media, many have discovered the
world of sailing offers a breath of fresh air and now proudly display their
brand or company logo over hulls, banners, spinnakers and crew clothing.
And to see the results first hand, they need no more than attend the regatta
where their brand, in full display on the main sail, hull and spinnaker, sails
by under a full head of wind.
However, for the boat and its crew, taking on a sponsor is not a “free
ticket” to the sailing season.” The boat still has to perform, to put on a good
show and to place highly as often as possible. While the majesty of a great
company logo billowing across a giant spinnaker blows away traditional
outdoor billboard advertising, at the end of the day, sponsors pay for
performance. Not only do they expect to see a return on their investment
if not in podium position but also in publicity, on television, on the web,
in magazines and by word of mouth. They want their brand well known in the target market and the demographic group their brand appeals to.
To the best of my knowledge, I believe the only racing boat in Dubai that
has now kept a sponsor (that is not an owner) for more than two seasons
running is the Beneteau First 36.7 Switchblade, owned by DOSC sailors
Cameron Price and Will Ramage. When the white-hulled Beneteau first
appeared at the Maktoum Sailing Cup last year, emblazoned in black and
gold, her crew matching the palette in sleek shiny black tops under the heat
of the February sun, they certainly made an impression. And while the new
Club Perdomo brand may not have initially attained the podium results it
was looking for, it certainly attained the social spotlight dockside, because
it was next to the Beneteau that the key players, local celebrities and well
heeled always gathered. So, how does Switchblade continue to please their
sponsor without standing on the top step each race?
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Top left: The crew had a direct hand in the design of the logo on the boat and are proud of the look they helped to create
Top right: Even in the setting sun, the contrast of the balck hull works really well
Bottom right: With such a large surface area to play with company logos work really well for sponsors |
Catching up with Cameron at his usual place behind Switchblade's
wheel after a training sail, sundowner in hand, he revealed the simplicity
of the campaign. “We are very lucky not to have a sponsor that is obsessed
with podiums,” sighed Cameron, “as it is getting increasingly competitive
in the local fleet. The competitive bar has certainly been raised in Dubai
since we bought Switchblade. Back then the sleek design was the fastest on
the water, but now the age of the design is beginning to show. First place
finishes were always attainable the first two years, but now we have to really
fight hard for third. On race day it means we need to up our game and work even harder, as the closeness of the results is very telling. Now you can have
just thirty seconds separating second and fifth position. Just one missed tack
or slow sail change and you're out of the running!”
The matching of the Beneteau with the Club Perdomo brand was a
good fit from day one. The Club Perdomo brand is all about living life to
its fullest and enjoying the best life has to offer. That's what Club Perdomo
does through its growing string of high-end, private aficionado destinations
(private clubs) in Jakarta, Macau, Bangkok and soon in Dubai and other
cites across Asia. It is a leading edge brand in the world of high-end, lifestyle
products and services, initially offering premium cigars, gourmet coffee
and private, member only clubs. And the Beneteau is all about the leading
edge, the winning edge and the zest for life, not to mention well travelled
in the circles of the Middle East's elite. And so the partnership was born,
appropriately brought together by good friends and good Margheritas. The
Beneteau had its sights on a savvy sponsor, and Perdomo had its sights on a
future aficionado lifestyle destination in Dubai.
Having raced consistently with the same pool of crew for the past four
seasons, with Cam on helm and Will on the main, and always tapping an
experienced team of seven DOSC regulars such as Pete, Russell, Mark,
Simon, Sam, Marcel, DB, Pat and Danny, the Beneteau is working
hard to maintain its position among the fleet leaders. And not only is
this consistent Switchblade crew one of the keys to the Club Perdomo
on-the-water success, they also helped in the creation of the branding.
“I see a lot of different branding in the international competitions I've
competed in,” states Cam, proudly. “And the designs that work the best
are those that sailors, the person actually using the boat, had a hand in
creating. So, when faced with making a visually stunning makeover for
Switchblade, we sat down and used the combined talents of our crew to
come up with something unique and memorable. We wanted something
simple and striking, so we came up with the black and gold design on a vinyl transfer, applied by Imageworks, who did a fantastic job. It was a bit
of an experiment for all involved, but we are all very happy with it, and the
guys that applied it did an outstanding job, especially as the transfer is not a
specific marine application.”
That was the initial challenge. This year's challenge is to upgrade the
competitiveness of the teams resources and, on the branding side, add
another of the sponsor's brands, a gourmet coffee named Casa Caff.
Integrating the two, whether on a new boat or the Beneteau, was going to
take something brilliant and clever, as it still had to carry the Versace-esque
Club Perdomo logo on its black spinnaker and the same sleek crew shirts.
Cam could not be happier with the way the yacht is going. “You have to
accept the reality of the competitive side of things,” he explained.” We love
the competitiveness of the First 36.7 class racing, but to compete at a higher
level and have a solid chance in taking the silverware, we have to change
boats. And the good news is, if the sponsor maintains their current level of
enthusiasm, then this could well translate into a new cutting edge designed
yacht for the next racing season. Choosing the right boat will be crucial, as
going larger is not necessarily our aim the bigger the boat, the bigger the
horsepower, the larger the expenses, and the harder it is to ensure a regular
and consistent crew. So basically we will be looking for a design catering for
a seven-crew maximum. Nice and simple. Not to mention the new design
concept of the two logos perfectly incorporated together into one sleek look
is an absolute stunner. The sponsor loves it.”
I can practically hear the salivating of many boat owners looking for
such an offer from a sponsor, but is Cameron's perspective upheld by Club
Perdomo? I gave Hillman Lentz, the founder of Hathor Investment Group,
the owner of both the Perdomo Asia and Casa Caffé brands, a call at their
Bangkok regional office . “Yes, Cameron is right,” he chuckled. “We are
very happy with the sponsorship and are looking into the options regarding
a new yacht. But that's all I can say on that point.”
I then asked him to give the readers of this article some perspective on Club
Perdomo, and why did you decide to take on yacht sponsorship? “Club Perdomo
started off as a small investment in getting the rights to distribute a luxury cigar
brand, Perdomo. And then it basically grew from there, as we turned it into a lifestyle
concept creating a dedicated lounge for lovers of fine indulgences, taking the
product a step further. Our first high-end club has opened in the new Ritz Carlton
in Jakarta, and we are now looking at expanding to unique venues across Asia and
the Middle East. But in line with our clientele, we are not being aggressive in our
expansion; it is almost organic. Our products and clubs are tailored for the high net
worth consumer, the person who respects the cost of a personal lifestyle of choice
and relaxation. So we have aligned ourselves with many luxury lifestyle activities,
especially yachting, golf and cars. And this association has certainly paid off, as it
has set our products away from the anti-smoking, diet-obsessed lobbies stretching
everywhere. Dubai interests us as it has a similar demographic as Singapore as in a
high density of high net worth clients living in close proximity that deserve the good
things in life.”
It's obvious the two entities operate well together. Each harmoniously getting what
they need from each other in the deal.
“We love the boat, and get on really well with the guys, and the little bit of press we got last year read really well. We are not overly concerned about placings it is
not just about the placing of a boat but the placing of the brand. And the design has
to have that certain something, that special look, so that it gets noticed and stands out
from the crowd. Cam and his crew totally deliver on that point.
“We took on the sponsorship to get people thinking about the name and the brand
in advance of us setting up a club in Dubai, also to gauge interest. And it worked.
We got a massive load of web hits after the Maktoum Sailing Trophy last year, so
Cameron and his crew obviously generated interest, which is why we are staying
with them.”
The team are very upbeat about their future in Dubai's racing calendar and are
more than happy with the strong relationship built with Club Perdomo.
“Undoubtedly, the Maktoum Sailing Trophy is the main highlight of the season.
The Commodore's Cup is a fantastic way to crew up and get in the groove for the
competition. This year we will also have some of the Club Perdomo guys over to
see us racing in Dubai, so it is important we do them proud. Their sponsorship has
enabled us to retain our competitiveness through creating a great sail plan, logos
and all. If all works well and we do upgrade to a new, more competitive yacht, we'd
certainly like to keep this sail plan, it's our winning formula.”
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