Pernod pulls out of Wimbledon

With Jacob’s Creek in its last year as official wine supplier to Britain’s increasingly corporate grass court tournament, Patrick Schmitt asks who can afford to replace the well-known Aussie brand?

With England’s World Cup hopes destroyed after a painful penalty shoot out, British sports fans’ attention will no doubt switch to Wimbledon, the tennis tournament which until now, has been overshadowed by football fervour.

This change of emphasis is of course vital for those brands involved in the London-based grass court competition. It’s also vital for the organisers of Wimbledon, who have made the event more corporate, and expensive to sponsor. Even on-court officials are clothed in branded gear this year – Ralph Lauren being the first external company in almost 130 years to dress umpires, line judges and ball boys.

In the world of drinks, Robinson must be Wimbledon’s most famous sponsor, an association which stretches back 70 years and has been built on with a £4m advertising and marketing campaign featuring Tim Henman and Andy Murray.

But what about booze? Certainly Lanson Champagne has a healthy long-term tie-up with the tournament, an association which began in 1977 and was recently sealed when the brand’s was selected as "Official Supplier of Champagne to the Championships". No doubt a far from cheap arrangement.

When it comes to wine, Jacob’s Creek has done a creative job of its role as Wimbledon wine sponsor, using the association in clever advertising slogans. Compared to Robinsons and even Lanson though, Jacob’s Creek’s link with the tournament is new – it started in 1998. And while Jacob’s Creek is currently enjoying its eighth year as "official Australian wine" it also told the drinks business this is to be its last. According to Phil Laffer, Jacob’s Creek’s winemaker, the cost of this sponsorship has quadrupled since 1998, and hence Pernod Ricard, owners of the brand, have chosen to look at using this no doubt sizeable chunk of marketing money for other activity – although what is yet to be revealed.

The question must be, however, who will replace Jacob’s? If Pernod can’t afford to sponsor Wimbledon who can? FGL Wine Estates might seem the obvious choice, with its range of well-know wine brands, but this company, which made much of Beringer Blass’ link with the Ashes last year, is apparently pulling out of sponsorships (while its decision to sell Rosemount, Denman and Seppeltsfield wineries in Australia, and Domaine La Motte in France, doesn’t suggest it is flushed with cash).

In fact, overall, one wonders whether wine can afford to sponsor high profile global sporting events, especially in the current vinous climate of squeezed margins, oversupply and increasing costs. Presently, a truly international wine brand appears beyond the reach of even the most powerful drinks companies.

© db 4th July 2006