Sponsorship News

BDS has been appointed by the owners of Gibraltar Vault as the sponsorship agency responsible for developing a Sponsorship Strategy and Business Plan. Gibraltar Vault, which recently opened and is based in the world-famous Rock of Gibraltar, is home to the largest natural, underground wine storage facility in the world and will be used by a significant number of wine collectors and experts from around the world.

In addition to the highly unique and cutting-edge storage facility, the owners have also developed the Gibraltar Experience, which will become a major visitor attraction, providing educational and highly interactive experiences on major elements of Gibraltar’s fascinating history. Visitors will be able to learn about the territory’s world-famous wine and spirit trade and also The Great Siege, Nelson and the Navy, the Neanderthal man skull discovery and, creator of James Bond: Ian Fleming, who worked at Gibraltar’s Naval based during the Second World War.

In year one, it is anticipated that over 125,000 people will visit the venue, including a high number of tourists who visit Gibraltar every year. The Sponsorship Strategy and Business Plan will provide recommendations on securing partners across both Gibraltar Vault (storage facility) and the Gibraltar Experience.

BDS has recently been employed by the producers of a brand new and cutting-edge, multi-sensory interpretation of Jeff Wayne’s “The War of the Worlds”. Opening in May and located in Leadenhall in the heart of London’s financial centre, this totally new and revolutionary 22,000 sq. ft. permanent immersive theatre experience production will merge the physical assets of theatre: i.e., actors, theatre sets and props, with VR technology to create a full sensory experience for those taking part – the ‘Future of Entertainment’.

The production will feature music from Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds album which was released in 1978 and is one of the best-selling top 40 albums of all time, with over 15 million people having attended live performances across the world. The producers, Ellipsis, are developing a significant and international expansion strategy, which includes taking War of the Worlds to other major cities around the globe and creating similar immersive theatre interpretations of major film franchises, as well as creating experiences at major visitor attractions and historical landmarks.

Responsible for the company sponsorship, BDS developed the Sponsorship Strategy & Business Plan and is now undertaking the partnership sales for War of the Worlds, which also includes securing long-term sponsors for Ellipsis’ future productions and experiences.

BDS have been employed by the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) to advise on BEF’s brand sponsorship programme.

BEF is the National Governing Body for all equestrian sports (excluding horse racing) in the UK. It represents 19 equestrian member bodies including British Show Jumping, British Eventing and British Dressage.

Horse riding and equestrianism is not just a sport, but a way of life, and is an industry worth over £4.3bn. Equestrianism (including horse racing) is the second largest live spectator sport in the UK and five of the top ten sport events are equestrian, attracting 6.8m TV viewers and 7.4m attendees.

Sponsorship of BEF offers an opportunity to engage with the horse riding and equestrian audience across all aspects of the sport including grassroots (involving 1.3m regular riders, and 446,000 horse owning households, who collectively own 960,000 horses) as well as Team GB – the best international team in the world with 60 world class riders taking part in 74 international Equestrian shows (across eight equestrian disciplines) held annually in the UK.