But it's not target specific marketing. It's okay having 100 lorries driving up and down the country but how many people will actually take notice and start watching the sport?

The deal has left us open to more sponsors than previous deals which have locked-out any other deal. This is where the cash will come from.

People seem to not realise that you need to speculate to accumulate. The RFL are trying to accelerate our income by putting down effectively £1m worth of advertising for 3 years.

How on Earth is anyone able to answer that question?

But we could still have 'Official Stobart Super League Pie Suppliers' or betting partners if Stobart had paid cash. I don't see how Stobart giving us branded vans will make this happen. We had other parents when Engage were around, nothing would have changed if Stobart paid cash.

I don't believe having Stobart vans with a Super League logo driving round Essex will help the sport majorly like £1m would do. I'm happy to write a letter to the RFL and Stobart at the end of the sponsorship period if I'm wrong though!

isnt that part of the problem at the end of three years no one will be any the wiser as to the value of the deal as they were at the start

Yes they will, it will be SKY that will have that information, this marketing is primarily based around improving the TV audience

But that is the mystery of marketing isn't it? Think of how Stobart got started. They chose to put women's names on their trucks and people started spotting them while bored in the back of their cars stuck on the motorway or something. The drivers were also instructed to acknowledge anyone who waved at them. And now they have a website dedicated to a membership who pay £15 a month for the privilege of being a Stobart spotter with another website, Stobart Saddos, who are self-confessed Stobart spotters and they have toy trucks and a Stobart shop and all sorts.

So. Who is to say that the Superleague Stobarts couldn't become a part of that whole cult? And if they did, do you not think some people may just be curious enough to switch on to Sky on a Friday nights to find out more?

Incidentally, some media peeps on Twitter are of the view that 100 is the starting number, not the sum total.

Has it been stated yet ,if these wagons will be going nationwide or just bombing up and down the m62 and the m6?.

It may reel in a few 'Stobart saddos' but is it better than a £1m cash investment?

I don't have a clue really - my gut instinct is no but I'm happy to be proved wrong.



I don't believe it's been stated and I really hope the keep the wagons location specific but if a massive deal comes up elsewhere, there's always the chance that they will send some of the lorries somewhere else.

Agreed. Stobart have got a fantastic deal out of this and will be absolutely delighted. They agree to change the livery of 100 trailers, the cost of which is probably more than covered by Sky & Heinz paying them to have their logos on there, and in return they get 2 hours of almost constant advertising on primte time TV on a Friday night for the next 3 years. Whatever the total value of the advertising is that we receive, they will exceed that value in a matter of weeks.

Advertising and brand marketing is a strange thing though, how many potential Stobart customers haven't heard of them ? , or will be convinced to use them because of their SL association ?

It is more of a status symbol to them, than a customer winner

SL will benifit via subliminal type advertising in area's outside the heartlands , it isn' t a case of some body seeing a truck and instantly thinking " I'll watch that this week, " or I'll sign up to SKY for that , it is more subtle than that

Explain how no one will be any wiser after three years...

Quantify 'a few' and you'll have your answer.

Here's another angle. How much would it cost your club to advertise on six massive moving billboards for three years? Let's face it, all clubs market their product even if they simply rely on fans to wear their club colours around town. Few if any clubs will have considered sticking their colours on an articulated lorry but it will definitely be seen and by a lot of people. The back alone will have people gawping at it, possibly for ages if stuck in a queue.

We may never know how effective the next three years is or it may become clear very quickly. That's the risk of marketing anything. Could be a waste of time and money or could hook people left, right and centre. Time will tell but I think this is a good move because it's a necessary one. RL desparately needs some exposure, and Stobart is a very sound brand to be associated with.

Good point really. I guess time well tell.