Thursday, February 05, 2009

Why We Love Louis: Business Bite

This in from a fav web-site devoted to the growth of Sailing's exposure to the entire world:

YachtSponsorship.Com Presents:
Louis Vuitton’s Title ‘Partnership’ of the LVPS

Lynn Fitzpatrick from World Regattas.com talks to Christine Belanger about Louis Vuitton’s Pacific Series.

Louis Vuitton has established deep running relationships during its quarter of a century commitment to the America’s Cup. Louis Vuitton’s Director, Christine Belanger, explained, “Our relationship has been as a partner in running the event, not a sponsor and there is a big distinction.”

Belanger and Bruno Trouble visited Auckland in August to work through the details of the event with their co-hosts and partners Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Emirates Team New Zealand. The regatta was announced on September 15 and within no time teams that had confidence in Louis Vuitton because of the company’s tradition of delivering results and standing behind it’s word, expressed interest. Registrations poured in on the average of one a day for the first two weeks.

The partners knew that it would be impossible accommodate the teams by holding the regatta with only two boats. They considered the message that it would send if they refused teams. Would it be interpreted as only choosing the best teams or the first ones to register? “We never look only at the short-term return. We considered our long-term relationship with the sport and with the people.”

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