Serious questions are being raised about the value of being “The official Television Partner” of the Australian Grand Prix being held in Melbourne on the weekend of the 7th till the 10th of April 2022, Melbourne’s Grand Prix Corporation run the event.
The TV sponsorship gig at the Grand Prix appears to be popular with Chinese brands with TCL throwing their hat in the ring at this year’s event, after Hisense and then ChiQ walked away from the Melbourne event.
In a press release that was not syndicated to tech or TV industry media, due in part to incompetent PR by the Corporation’s internal PR staff, who did not see the relevance to the consumer technology industry when making the announcement.
Hisense pulled out of a Formula One sponsorship deal in Melbourne for TV’s
Instead, their idea of getting PR for the event, was to quietly announce the TCL sponsorship deal to ‘marketing media’ only which appeared to be more about spruiking hospitality sales.
The so called “one-year deal” will see TCL’s televisions mounted throughout all premium hospitality facilities for four days only.
At this stage it’s not known whether TCL has had to pay or whether the Grand Prix Corporation were so desperate to find a sponsor that they cut a contra deal for this year’s event which will be broadcast by Foxtel in 4K in Australia.
ChiQ alao pulled out as the TV sponsor at the 2019 Grand Prix.
Dutch brewing company Heineken has been named the title sponsor of this year’s Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation general manager – Sales & Commercial, Michelle Greco, said: “With the best visual and sound experiences on offer across all of our hospitality suites, TCL will make you feel closer to the on-track action than ever before.
This is the same pitch statement the Corporation pumped out, when ChiQ sponsored the event and when Hisense pumped thousands into the event.
Today ChiQ TVs are not sold at any of the mainstream retailers, Harvey Norman, JB Hi Fi or The Good Guys.
The Corporation is still spruiking hospitality tickets starting at as low as $299, which says a lot about brands being interested in taking their clients to the event.
