Free media may be free for a reason

I spent Sunday in the sun at Trent bridge, watching England demolish the Windies over a glorious 7 ½ hours. Whilst I was there I admired not just the cricket, but the carefully integrated campaigns from various sponsors. One in particular caught my attention - for an upmarket mail order wine company. They are the official wine partners of English cricket.

As a media man my first thoughts were great targeting - mostly upmarket middle aged men, with a penchant for more than the odd case or two; good presence throughout the ground, with different placements to keep my interest; right programme - big digital screens and perimeter boards.

But one placement really struck me as dissonant. They had taken (I assume as part of a total package) ads above the urinals. Trent Bridge is not the most modern of grounds, and the men’s toilets at major sporting events, especially on a hot day, are not the most salubrious of places.

Yes I saw the ad, and yes I recalled it, but with a question mark over their attention to detail, which has implications for the rest of their competence. As a media man I can hear the justification “but it’s free” coming with the placement, but this might be one of those occasions where “free” brings liabilities.