As Roger Federer defied Father Time and closed out another amazing Australian Open, we say goodbye to Tennis for another year and we reflect on all the fun our staff had at The Open and the pre-tournaments around the country. We also breathe a huge sigh of relief as the top Promotional Staff in Melbourne become available again for all of our upcoming campaigns, after two solid weeks at Rod Laver Arena.
As we know, these big international sporting events are a prime opportunity for sponsors to connect with an engaged audience who are looking to be entertained. Brands and their agencies begin planning for next year’s event the moment this year’s event concludes, with an immediate review of their performance. That of course includes a review of their Brand Ambassadors and Event Staff. The best performing staff are identified, rewarded and re-booked for next year. 12 months in advance.
With the top staff booked in a year ahead of time, the remaining staff members are usually confirmed 3 months out, with accreditation to organise and police checks to complete. Those brands that want to activate during the Australian Open, but haven’t factored in these lead-times, will be restricted to limited availability of Promotional Staff and, generally, zero availability of experienced Event Managers.
There are only a handful of times each year where the industry experiences this promotional staffing black hole. The ones to watch out for are Sydney Festival in January, the Easter Show, EB Expo in October, Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne, of course the Open and next up the Grand Prix, where again the top staff in Melbourne will already be booked in between the 22nd – 25th March.
No doubt, like us, you’re looking forward to the F1 weekend in Melbourne. And if you do have any activations coming up at that time lets chat. Today!