Liverpool In Asia - Commercial & Marketing

[Roopy]

So I have just spent 4 weeks going travelling around Asia and I was completely shocked to see just how far behind LFC are in the commercial & marketing aspects compared to other clubs ... 4 weeks of my fucking holiday seeing Rooney's & Terry's ugly faces everywhere I went.

LFC have a huge following in Asia - built on the success we have had in the past - but I can see this popularity declining over the next generation with the way things are going. Barely tasting any success on the pitch + an absolute shambolic commercial department will only lead to a decline in popularity over the coming years.

In Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia I did not see a single Liverpool-related marketing campaign.

The only marketing I saw was in Malaysia - a 7 second advert on TV featuring Adam Lallana saying some shit like "LFC are looking forward to visiting Malaysia" capped off with 3 seconds of "aaaand you'll never walk alone" *ad ends* ... wtf is that shit? ... and it was like someone woke Lallana up at 3am to shoot that advert.

Also, I did not come across any LFC merchandise in stores - whereas Utd, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Spurs, Barcelona, Juve, Bayern, Dortmund & Madrid tops are available everywhere ... as Puma, Adidas & Nike outlets are everywhere ... whereas New Balance is basically non-existent it seems.

Every where I went it was Arsenal, Manchester Utd, Manchester City, & Chelsea marketing campaigns and merchandise for purchase ...

Walking around Bangkok I even came across THREE Leicester City merchandise shops + 1 at Bangkok international airport ... & I came across 1 x Everton merchandise shop.

In Thailand especially, Utd & Chelsea have high exposure through their sponsorship deals with Singha & Chang beer. Posters & adverts of Rooney & co. & Terry & co. with Singha/Chang everywhere you go.

I know LFC have always behind the 8 ball with marketing & commercial aspects, but this really was an eye opener as to just how pathetic the club is being run.

 

[SummerOnions]

Unless you go to a dunkin donuts. I saw a few pictures of coutinho here but its pretty much all Chelsea and arsenal from what I've seen

 

[Ryan]

I read somewhere that our website and web presence is as good, if not better, than most other clubs.

Which is far more important than however many shops and banners you see dotted around some holiday destinations I'm afraid.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Our stock should rise in Australia over the next 3 weeks

 

[jexykrodic]

Having traveled to SE Asia many times I couldn't disagree with Roopy more. Shirts, souvenirs, thousands of cars with club stickers etc etc and I happened to be in Thailand a few years ago when the team flew in and the Thai authorities actually stopped motorway traffic to allow the team bus access. I am told that privilege has only ever been reserved for the King! The airport scenes, shown on TV were chaotic with thousands milling around the arrivals hall. I don't know how successful in terms of cash the club is out there but I doubt we'd travel there unless it was worthwhile. It's Liverpool or United in the region, the rest are a side show.

 

[hmmmmm1]

Considering we have won nothing of note in recent years, the asian commerical team are working wonders.

 

[Mystic]

Walking around Bangkok I even came across THREE Leicester City merchandise shops + 1 at Bangkok international airport

Leicester have massive links to Thailand, this is hardly surprising.

 

[jexykrodic]

Walking around Bangkok I even came across THREE Leicester City merchandise shops + 1 at Bangkok international airport ... & I came across 1 x Everton merchandise shop.

I wonder if they're selling pepper spray and personal safety whistles in the Leicester outlets?

 

[keniget]

I think we should focus our efforts on being less shit on the pitch.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Having traveled to SE Asia many times I couldn't disagree with Roopy more. Shirts, souvenirs, thousands of cars with club stickers etc etc and I happened to be in Thailand a few years ago when the team flew in and the Thai authorities actually stopped motorway traffic to allow the team bus access. I am told that privilege has only ever been reserved for the King! The airport scenes, shown on TV were chaotic with thousands milling around the arrivals hall. I don't know how successful in terms of cash the club is out there but I doubt we'd travel there unless it was worthwhile. It's Liverpool or United in the region, the rest are a side show.

Yeah, but a few years ago isn't now.

Have a look at the amount of free kids training academy's the top 4 clubs are opening in the far east, they all have a massive presence cos of that alone. They're throwing money at developing footy regions like nothing else.

 

[Mystic]

Yeah, but a few years ago isn't now.

Have a look at the amount of free kids training academy's the top 4 clubs are opening in the far east, they all have a massive presence cos of that alone. They're throwing money at developing footy regions like nothing else.

We are doing the same aren't we? We've opened a fair few in Africa if I remember rightly.

 

[Mamma Mia]

I kinda wish we did even less

 

[RMA]

I agree with roopy, I regularly fly on Qatar Airways, they ofcourse sponsor Barcelona. You can't watch a movie on any qr flight without being forced to watch suarez Messi and neymar doing some God forsaken advert. Compare that to garuda which I've flown with a fair bit and all you have is a few pages in their in flight magazine.

Its like we have ticked the boxes of having regional partners without looking at the full ROI in terms of brand awareness and exposure.

 

[jexykrodic]

Yeah, but a few years ago isn't now.

Have a look at the amount of free kids training academy's the top 4 clubs are opening in the far east, they all have a massive presence cos of that alone. They're throwing money at developing footy regions like nothing else.

Liverpool are already there. Both Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler have been involved in the development, that work has been going on for years. If the club do have a fault then not shouting about it in the British Press (other than their own TV channel obv.) is probably fair comment.

 

[Molbystwin]

So I have just spent 4 weeks going travelling around Asia and I was completely shocked to see just how far behind LFC are in the commercial & marketing aspects compared to other clubs ... 4 weeks of my fucking holiday seeing Rooney's & Terry's ugly faces everywhere I went.

LFC have a huge following in Asia - built on the success we have had in the past - but I can see this popularity declining over the next generation with the way things are going. Barely tasting any success on the pitch + an absolute shambolic commercial department will only lead to a decline in popularity over the coming years.

In Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia I did not see a single Liverpool-related marketing campaign.

The only marketing I saw was in Malaysia - a 7 second advert on TV featuring Adam Lallana saying some shit like "LFC are looking forward to visiting Malaysia" capped off with 3 seconds of "aaaand you'll never walk alone" *ad ends* ... wtf is that shit? ... and it was like someone woke Lallana up at 3am to shoot that advert.

Also, I did not come across any LFC merchandise in stores - whereas Utd, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Spurs, Barcelona, Juve, Bayern, Dortmund & Madrid tops are available everywhere ... as Puma, Adidas & Nike outlets are everywhere ... whereas New Balance is basically non-existent it seems.

Every where I went it was Arsenal, Manchester Utd, Manchester City, & Chelsea marketing campaigns and merchandise for purchase ...

Walking around Bangkok I even came across THREE Leicester City merchandise shops + 1 at Bangkok international airport ... & I came across 1 x Everton merchandise shop.

In Thailand especially, Utd & Chelsea have high exposure through their sponsorship deals with Singha & Chang beer. Posters & adverts of Rooney & co. & Terry & co. with Singha/Chang everywhere you go.

I know LFC have always behind the 8 ball with marketing & commercial aspects, but this really was an eye opener as to just how pathetic the club is being run.

Yup.
Living out here I cannot fucking tell you how often you see Chelsea merchandise.... I do find the Leicester City shop in BKK airport a bit bizarre mind you.

 

[Molbystwin]

Actually fuck that.... I'm on holiday... Pop over the border and watch the game...

 

[gkmacca]

Liverpool eye Asian expansion as Ian Ayre praises FSG for saving club from financial 'freefall'

• 21:28, 3 JULY 2015
• BY ANDY KELLY

Reds' chief executive says club must have 'physical presence' and get closer to key market and has discussed plans to open an office in the region

Liverpool will open an office in Asia to take the next step in expansion in the region, chief executive Ian Ayre has revealed.

Ayre said the Reds were looking to set up a “physical presence” and “get closer” to the club’s major commercial markets in the Far East, report the Liverpool Echo.

Liverpool opened a London office last year and the expansion in Asia is seen as the obvious follow-up move.

“We opened the office in London last year to start the process of tapping into the key commercial growth markets, such as the US and Europe,” Ayre told the League Managers’ Association publication The Manager.

“The CEOs of the big organisations pass through London regularly on business, so it made sense to have a base there.

“The next step is to have a physical presence in Asia. We’ve had people working on the ground in Singapore for some years now and have engaged with our core partners, but we’re looking to expand that and get closer to our commercial market there.

“Our relationship with Garuda Indonesian Airlines, who are a big sponsor, is very important to us and they now fly into London.

“It’s not important to be first, it’s important to do it right. From my own experience of working in Asia I know that success will come down to having local people working in local offices, in local languages, doing business locally.

“We had a similar plan in place for our media business and now have 40 social media channels in 16 or 17 languages and 40million regular followers.”

Ayre also took the opportunity to praise the additional expertise that was brought into the club by the arrival of FSG as owners in 2010, saying they stopped a situation of “freefall” at Anfield with the club in “big financial trouble”.

He added: “We now have a great team of people at Liverpool, who also brought with them skills from broad and largely non-football backgrounds. They are able to offer valuable different perspectives and fresh eyes.

“Through our owners, Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool has also benefited from a wealth of experience, best practice, people and resources from teams in other sports and sports media.

“We get together a couple of times a year with people from other parts of the Group to share our experience of what has worked in areas such as merchandising, ticketing, and buying and selling players, so it’s hugely beneficial to everyone.”

Liverpool will return to the Far East for their pre-season tour this month playing games in Bangkok in Thailand and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, as well as two games in Australia.

 

[Comical Aly]

I saw that article this morning and thought it must have been a response to this thread. The timings so spooky- which one of you is ayre?