What do you mean? It is a simple billboard (in effect) advert which has two calls to action:
1) go to the website stobartsuperleague.co.uk

2) watch on Sky Sports HD on Friday nights

If we see increased traffic to the site through that address, and increased viewing figures on Sky, then there is an argument that this is helping.

There is also the simple brand awareness promotion, and the fact that the RFL will be able to provide coverage to their partners (Sky and Heinz at the moment).

People complain that the trucks are like adverts for Sky Sports coverage, but then if somebody does tune in then surely there are benefits in this. Firstly, increased viewing figures. Secondly, watching the live games can only help people to decide that they'd like to attend a live game.

I've just seen the Wakefield one leaving Hull.

Just seen the Sinfield one on Stockholm Rd, Hull.

You're absolutely spot on.
Pretty much all the people on here are avid RL fans and whilst there may be Stobart lorries down south, which wont be spotted unless you travel down there, these vehicles are like rocking horse muck and thats when you are really looking.
How much impact can they really have.
If the TV series on Stobbarts was back on TV, we could get some excellent exposure for the sport but, this seems more like a gimmick.
BTW, still haven't seen one and I tend to travel around 600 miles a week

TBF the individual that I was responding to clearly didn't understand the potential benefits.

I don't understand the issue about people not seeing them. They are out there. If there was doubt that they were out there then fair enough, but they clearly are.

The fact is that there are around 100 trucks out there and they are getting seen by people. Just because RL Fans on here are not seeing them is not relevant at all tbh, and it would be a complete waste if these trucks were simply in areas where RL Fans reside.

Having a look round some sites and stuff at work, it can cost around £1k for a large billboard for around a fortnight. These trucks are here for the full three years, with constant presence around the country.

I suspect that some people would be happier with one billboard in each RL town, so that they could see that advertising, despite the fact that the value would be massively less.

This is not a targeted campaign, as the trucks are moving ads, whether RL fans are out there looking for them is quite frankly irrelevant. They are out there getting seen by people.

RL Fans are cynical, unless they can see something, they are not happy. People appeared to be delighted last year with the TV advertising because they could click a link and watch the ad, despite the fact that it probably cost a fair amount and did very little.

The fact is, these trucks are getting seen, it is generally at random, but that is how this kind of advertising works, but there will be hundreds of thousands of people exposed to these ads so far in just a few weeks.

People need to stop focusing on who hasn't seen the ads, and look at the people who have seen the ads.

From your own anylasis, do you think they are working better that some targeted marketing or advertising ?
Personally, I think the exposure Stobarts are getting from heading up the SL sponsorship, is far greater than the return that RL is gettingg from Stobbart.
To turn your arguement on its head. How many people are seeing/ hearing their name whilst watching/listening to RL in comparison to how many people see the 100 vehicles each day and who then realise that they have seen an advert for Rugby League ?

Personally I'd advocate a balance of different forms of marketing, the one main area that I feel the RFL falls short in is targeted Online Media, although this can be a very expensive form of media with varying levels of success. I find it frustrating when I am on a RL site and I get ads for RU events flashing up. As said though it is very expensive, and it is something that I am looking at very closely witha view to taking the company I work for off this kind of thing, so it is expensive and risky.

I'm not sure what publicity Stobart are getting. They get mentioned during broadcasts, but they have no branding around the grounds, and things like the weekly Try video and Try of the month are branded with Heinz and Irn Bru. Stobart haven't bought the same sponsorship deal that engage had. engage pretty much had every space available - refs kit, corner flags, post pads, centre spot, pitch markers etc. If the RFL can sell these on seperately, then the whole package needs to be looked at as one, rather than the Title sponsorship that Stobart have sold.

The Stobart sponsorship can be worked out in terms of viewing figures and fans through the gates. I'd expect all of these to know that the Title sponsor is Stobart, but the actual branding is very little so the value is quite small. I expect around a quarter of a million people is a fair figure to use.

I suspect over the three years we will get exposure to far more than a quarter of a million people through their trucks, and will probably have had that already.

Of course vieiwing something and being converted into business is a completely different thing, but that goes both ways.

Bradford one at the Otter roundabout Ottershaw Surrey. StufF yer M62!

Saw the Sam Tomkins one in Heywood, Rochdale.

Never expected to see one drive through here, little bit of pee trickled out when I saw it I was that excited

That couldn't have been more patronising if you'd tried.

TBF, I understand perfectly well the 'potential' benefits - I just question whether they're being realised; the trucks are most often spotted when passing one on the motorway and the message is limited, at best.

The only benefit of the deal I can see is to Stobarts; they've got national TV exposure for their brand on the second most watched team sport on Sky TV, plus the various magazine shows that go alongside it, for the cost of equipping 2% of their fleet with new curtain sides. High-fives all round at Stobart HQ no doubt, whilst the pay-off to RL remains to be seen.

Have the post-pads and ref's been sold to anyone yet?

Hadn't seen any until about 10 days ago, but since then I've seen the Wilkin Saints one on Stoneferry Road in Hull, and the Sinfield Leeds one in Hull yesterday (think near town).

why would they buy new curtain sides when its the refrigerated hard siders carrying the branding?. Seen all but 4 clubs now ( typically havent seen my own club yet), spread out pretty much all over the country.

Thanks for the clarification; the point remains.

Apologies if you found it patronising, but my post was in rsponse to your commentI fail to see what effect they'll have on people who don't already watch RL.

That suggests you don't understand advertising. It is an advert of a Rugby Player, with the Stobart Super Leage name on it, and a Sky Friday Night Ad. That is what is being advertised, I'm not sure why you fail to see what people could see in that.

If the benefits of having your name attached to the 2nd most watched team sport on Sky were that great then this dealwould have sold out a while ago. Of course it's easy to blame the RFL, but there aren't that many great sponsorship deals knocking around at the moment for sports like ours, stuck with negative fans.

Irrespective of what you or others think, there IS a benefit to the trucks. A real actual value can be attached to the ads, and they are getting seen, and will do for the next 3 years 24/7 365 days a year.

This is the biggest advertising campaign the sport in this country has ever undertaken (I suspect by far) yet you can't see a single benefit from it?

There are very valid concerns about whether it is the best marketing around, and whether we should be supporting it with other forms of marketing, but to not see a single benefit from it is blinkered at best.

No, I don't believe the post pads and ref space has been sold yet, again sponsorship deals are tough at the moment, but lets see what happens.