V-Flyer

I have now had a chat with Joanna at Virgin. SR received the letter, and being a sailor liked the idea. He passed it through to the flying club department asking them to try to find a way to make it happen. This is when Joanna picked it up (Because her boss gets seasick).

She has checked their staff incentives and 'other' marketing budgets and there is not much money spare. However she does not yet know the costing, and I suspect the small size of the numbers will surprise her. She then came up with the idea of tying it in with the activities associated with their 'charity of 2007'. This would give budget to stage the event, but we would need to find a way of making money out of it.

Joanna has had the idea that each of the crew members would be sponsored. There are about 14 crew on each boat. So that is 28 people all in all. If each could commit to raising £x then I think if the funds were shared between VS's and Clipper's charities we could get the boats cost free.

I have committed to sending her the numbers, which I will do today. I have flagged that at the moment they are indicative.

I also committed to very confidentially asking for ideas here. I cannot emphasis the confidentiality enough. So this is a request for brain storming of money raising ideas. Some rules - no idea is too stupid, please come up with anything at all that comes to mind. Even if it is obviously not going to help it may prompt another idea in someone else's mind. So let rip!

A few to start the ball rolling:

Sell branding on the side of the boat - VS suppliers may well be keen to pay in order to stay in VS's good books.

Auction (ebay/to FC members) 2 places, 1 on each boat.

Sell tickets for a corp entertainment package to watch the racing on one of Phils boats (Making assumptions here phil - sorry!)

Sell the prize giving rights (Lots of cost in this one too, paying for a party, organising the party, etc [n])

Have the racing just off cowes and hire the Royal Yacht Squadron Lawn (very swanky) for a paid ticket event.

Sell autographed crew photos/shirts (SRB and Sir Robin Knox Johnston to autograph / and be in photos)

We could all use life-jackets "from" VS aircraft, bought from eBay of course, to save cost...

Could we get the boat sponsored by Ozwald Boateng? [:p]



You did say no idea was too stupid... [:I]

Life jackets not bad as a publicity stunt!

OB would be great as a sponsor - I wonder if they have a replacement up their sleeve? Maybe v-vie? It would open another budget to us.

I did say any ideas, and I meant it.

I think I mentioned earlier, possibly getting VS Champagne supplier to provide some bubbly/sponsorship?

Thinking aloud, what about Virgin Wines? Also Amex, as the Virgin Credit Card supplier may have some interest in a sponsorship package?

Can we sell sponsorship on the sails Jeremy or is that too costly to produce?

Wonder if the company that make VS sleep suits might come up with the Teams outfits?

Barry.

Originally posted by Bazz


Can we sell sponsorship on the sails Jeremy or is that too costly to produce?

That can be done, and not too expensive

Originally posted by Bazz
Wonder if the company that make VS sleep suits might come up with the Teams outfits?

Please no! - We'll end up looking like people that have just got up, or a gang of ninjas... [:0]

Wow, this is getting exciting. Are you certain you want to do this, Jeremy, with such a wild group?

Chuck-

Sponsored dead pool.

Bolier suit type uniforms with sponsor logos

Sweepstakes on completion times

I think you hit all the best ones

Sponsored Dead Pool????

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_pool [:w][}:)]

Ok on the proper boat side of thing's[:w] i may be able to get a an 82 flybridge, the guy has just got it and is keen to push for the boat to be out as much as poss. also on the cards are a 64 & 58 flybridge and also the start boat a little 34 superhawk, advertising on the boats is not a problem.

I dont see any prob's with the selling either ticket's or as a corp package.

I'll have a chat with the guy's and see what they say.

Are they coded? Poss insurance issues otherwise.

Originally posted by sailor99
Are they coded? Poss insurance issues otherwise.

Yep all coded the 82 is for 20 inc 3 crew the 64&58 for 14 inc 2 crew and the 34 is 8 inc 1 crew (me), and me old man insures them all[:w]

If we're billing it as a regatta a couple more races with entry fee and VS giving UC tix as prizes?

What kind of money are we talking here Jeremy? I have access to our Sailing budget which we ahve used in the past to sponsor a few things, and we do have sails and flags that could be used as bait (advertising).

How much sponsorship per person are we looking at - for me I can walk round our office and get people to sponsor me. Not wanting to push V-Flyers out, but what if they had to ensure they raised £x amount of money to confirm a place?

Happy to go and find merchandise as gifts/prizes for the event, will be the usual software/hardware stuff though.

Or do we get them to pitchup some miles, and we can rally some other prizes for an auction which will help raise funds. Before when I was organising our charity raffle they dished out 40k in miles for prizes, and I sorted some others out, and tickets sales hit £4k.

Thanks,
Richard

Maybe worth looping in VHols too for some sponsorship/prizes?

Thanks,
Richard

We are talking about £2k per boat per day. With 14 pax on board that is £300 for a training day and a regatta day.

How about making it 3 boats - the third going to v-hols.

Originally posted by sailor99
How about making it 3 boats - the third going to v-hols.

I dont see why not[:?]

Oh dear! I feel I'm of little use here as I'm not really an ideas person - but then every so often I surprise myself. Perhaps if I sleep on it?

Originally posted by sailor99
How about making it 3 boats - the third going to v-hols.

You have access to a third boat Jeremy? That would narrow our chances of winning somewhat.

What are the pros and cons of making it less select; viz only VAA and VF getting the lions share of the publicity (and the sponsors of course).

For the V-Flyer boat, would the obvious targets for sponsorship be Microsoft & B&Q?

Just thinking aloud here. Feel free to chip in Paul & Richard...

It's possible - B&Q tend to want the odd thing in return, but I can certainly ask the marketing girlies on Monday...


... never a chore spending time with them, anyway [:w]