ROYAL GEELONG YACHT CLUB
2018 FESTIVAL OF SAILS PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
www.festivalofsails.com.au @festivalofsails
MESSAGE FROM THE FESTIVAL CHAIRMAN
The Royal Geelong Yacht Club's Festival of Sails is the largest yachting event in Australia and the biggest keel boat event in the southern hemisphere. We welcome your interest in becoming involved in this exciting, highly regarded event held in the heart of Geelong in January every year.
In 2018 we celebrate a significant milestone with the 175th anniversary of the first Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race. The prospect of up to 300 yachts vying for bragging rights will see a spectacular start off Williamstown and a grand entry to Corio Bay later in the day to begin the Regatta. With expectations of the regular sea breeze filling in for a fast spinnaker entry into
Corio Bay it is certainly a spectacular sight as the fleet converges on the channel and the final quick leg to the finish off Geelong’s waterfront.
The Festival of Sails with its international reputation as a major race week is considered one of those bucket list events for yachties around the world. This is the yachting event for everyone to be part of and we host sailors and their friends from yacht clubs around Australia as well as many international competitors. We boast regular entrants from around Australia who plan their summer around this event and in 2018 it will be an even bigger drawcard. With the Australian Yachting Championship in Melbourne just prior to the 2018 running, the fleet is expected to see even greater number of Interstate entries from high profile yachts who will add Australia’s biggest regatta to their program. The added media exposure and national and international promotion of the 2018 event and the 175th anniversary of the Melbourne Geelong Passage Race will ensure great exposure for your brand and provide terrific opportunities for unique corporate hospitality and entertainment for your clients and guests, as well as activations for your brand or product. This year the Passage Race start and Festival featured on National TV coverage and was covered by International sailing media.
The Festival of Sails is strongly supported by the Victorian Government, the City of Greater Geelong and our long term presenting partner, Rex Gorell Land Rover. We are also pleased to have the support of many other local and national businesses, making our festival bigger and better every year. More than 300 yachts with 2500 competitors are on the water, and 120,000 visitors are attracted to the Geelong Connected Communities Waterfront Festival.
The Festival of Sails provides an exciting backdrop for sponsors to link their brand to a sport that breeds Australian Olympic Gold Medallists, National and even World Champions. Our event builds on the atmosphere surrounding yacht racing with the fun of the entertainment which runs day and night. We provide numerous bands, roving events, interactive displays and fairground attractions blended with diverse food stalls and casual wining and dining. The Festival of Sails program and the Regatta Village caters to the interests of the local community and visitors from around the world.
The 2018 Festival of Sails will again see new dimensions to the sailing events and innovative activities along the waterfront. We are positive that the impact of the event will be greater than ever and your partnership with us will be rewarding. Being on the VIP spectator boat at the finish is a memorable experience and
something only a select view get to experience, so reserve your berth now!
Thank you for considering becoming a partner in the Festival of Sails at Royal Geelong Yacht Club. We look forward to you joining us, perhaps even on the water!
Peter Alexander Chairman
Festival of Sails
Steve Hassell Commercial Partnerships
Manager
PARTNERING WITH THE FESTIVAL OF SAILS
Partnering with the Festival of sails provides your business with the opportunity to
position your brand and connect with competitors, event visitors and other sponsors.
The Festival of Sails implements a comprehensive communications campaign using
both traditional and digital channels to communicate with its participants, commercial
partners and the broader community. Generating wide event exposure benefits all
partners with the opportunity to enhance their own brand awareness.
Access to one of
Victoria’s major
VMEC events
Geelong’s
premier
waterfront
event Targeted
marketing and
advertising
opportunities
High profile
exposure through
digital, national,
TV, radio & print
media
Networking
opportunities with
other high profile
sponsors
Access to
2,500 +
competitors
120,000
People attending
over event period
FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES
The Festival of Sails is an iconic, fun-filled event which seems to get bigger and better every year. It offers
something that no other regatta in Australia does - combining first-class racing with a huge Waterfront
Festival over the event.
The event Is traditionally opened by the Victorian Premier with the Melbourne to Geelong passage race.
As the fleet arrives at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, the festivities begin! 'Yachties', and residents come
together to celebrate Summer with an abundance of activity and entertainment on the waterfront.
Initiatives include:
Live music with headline acts in the SteamPacket Gardens and RGYC Club precincts
Free 'Come and Try' activities like our Discover Sailing program
Arts and crafts as well as specialty food stalls
Family-friendly activities such as camel rides and kids shows.
An incredible fireworks display to mark Australia Day
Water ski shows
A new event app which allows people to plan their visit and find attractions
Our sponsors also add to the excitement, with pop-up bars, giveaways and terrific activations like the Land Rover Terrapod experience, which again in 2017 gave hundreds of visitors the chance to try out the latest in 4WD capability. We are more than happy to work with our sponsors to ensure that they maximise their event marketing opportunities by delivering outstanding brand experiences.
WATERFRONT FESTIVAL MAP
Proudly brought to you by Geelong Connected Communities
INCORPORATING SPONSOR ACTIVATION OPPORTUNITIES
SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS
INVESTMENT LEVEL (All + GST) MAJOR
$ POA
(2 Only)
EXCLUSIVE CATEGORY
EG Wine, Travel, Security, Energy, Includes tailored sponsored zones and activations from $10,000
MAJOR ATTRACTION EG Water ski,
Fireworks From $10K
SUPPORTING
From $6,000
ASSOCIATE
From $3,500
Race Series Naming Rights √ √
Flags & Event signage √ √ √
Key sponsor signage in club & competitor event area
√ √
Entertainment precinct branding for attraction
√
On-water brand recognition (on Competitor boats in main media view)
√
Exhibitor stall – 3 x 3m in Steampacket or Regatta Village
√ √ √ √
Social Media Promotion √ √ √
Logo displayed on FOS Website Event Tiered Signage FOS Newsletter
RGYC Internal TVs
√
√
√
√
√
Advertisement across LED outdoor screen in Regatta Village
√ √ √ √
Ability to supply promotional offers for inclusion in Skipper Packs.
√ √ √ √ √
Access to skipper & competitor database via FOS email (not direct)
√ √ √
Brand name on trophy for key race
√ √ √
On-water exclusive sponsors’ hospitality
√ √ √ √ √
VIP Sponsor Functions invitations
√ √ √ √
Full regatta passes all days
club access to pass holder only areas & entertainment
√ √ √ √ √
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
REX GORELL LAND ROVER
Presenting Partner
Festival of Sails 2016, 2017 & 2018
Rex Gorell Land Rover and Land Rover Australia, saw significant value and benefit, in partnering with the Festival of Sails as the key sponsor (naming rights), for a multi- year period.
There is a deep linkage between Land Rover and sailing globally, as is there long and traditional links with
the Rex Gorell Group and their passion for the Greater Geelong Community.
The presence of such a strong, global brand in Land Rover, and indeed, that of the Rex Gorell Group in Geelong, shows tremendous confidence in the Festival of Sails event, and is testament to the continued
growth of this iconic, major Victorian event.”
Geelong Connected Communities
Waterfront Festival Partner
“Since its inception in 2013, Geelong Connected Communities have assisted many Geelong business and charities with more than $900,000 donated throughout the region.
From very early on, there was a clear partnership between GCC and RGYC, in presenting the waterfront festivities to the greater Geelong community.”
SPONSORSHIP CATEGORY CURRENT STATUS
Major (2 only) 1 Available
Supporting Partners Available
Associate Partners Available
Water ski show sponsor Available
Official Beer Partner Carlton Draught
Fireworks sponsor Avalon Airport
Official Wine Partner Wolf Blass
Official Marine Insurance Partner Club Marine
Official Timepiece Partner Bausele
Security Partner Available
Media Partners Geelong Advertiser / Bay93.9
Taxi Partner Geelong Taxi Network
Super screen advertising Available
www.festivalofsails.com.au
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WHERE TO FROM HERE?
If you are interested in partnering with the Festival of
Sails, please contact
Steve Hassell Commercial Partnerships Manager (03) 5229 3705 or 0413 425 273
Email: [email protected]
25 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong
www.festivalofsails.com.au
@festivalofsails