Suzuki backs Melbourne Storm for 3 more years
Japanese car maker retains sponsorship -- despite or because of controversy?Suzuki will sponsor the Melbourne Storm rugby league football team for the next three years -- extending the three-year deal that began in 2008 -- to help give the car brand a more macho image.
The renewal comes despite the team being stripped of their 2007 and 2009 premiership titles because of salary cap breaches. It's unlikely the Storm will be able to breach the salary cap again, as the Suzuki deal is understood to be worth less than half a million dollars a year.
The general manager of Suzuki Australia, Tony Devers, said the sport and the team provided good exposure for the brand and helped move it away from its "girlie" image.
Five years ago, almost 80 per cent of Suzuki small cars were bought by women, but last year the split was approximately 60:40, with women still accounting for the lion's share of sales.
"It's not about men or women, we want to be gender neutral," said Devers. "Football puts our brand in front of a lot of families every week through the season. It works for us."
When asked if the Melbourne Storm gave Suzuki an undertaking it would not be involved in any future controversy, such as sex scandals that have plagued other teams, Devers said: "That would be nice, but I don't think there's a football team in the country that can guarantee that. I don't think you'll ever see that in writing."
When asked if media exposure as a result of controversy was bad for Suzuki, Devers said: "Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. But with sponsorship I think you need to be there long term, otherwise it doesn't work."
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