Letter 33 – PARTNERSHIPS – March 98

Record-breaking hospitality

At the end of January, the marketing programme for public relations areas at the ten Official World cup Villages (one per stadium), was brought to a close. The FRANCE 98 Commercial Affiliates and the Host Cities will receive their guests in these luxurious and convivial giant marquees set up at just a stone’s throw from the stadiums, all perfect settings for meetings and exchanges. Musical interludes and theme decor will be adding to the festive character of the villages. Each village will be welcoming 25 Commercial Affiliates (41 in Saint-Denis), making it the biggest hospitality scheme ever mounted in France. In all, 125,000 visitors are expected, breaking all records in terms of public relations initiatives. The Saint-Denis village alone will be spread over 22,000 m2, the equivalent of four football fields, and built partly on two separate levels. 200,000 different meals and cocktails are to be catered for over the competition, which will necessitate 20 tonnes of crushed ice, 400,000 plates, 600,000 glasses, 10,000 tablecloths, 6 km of buffet space and 2,000 parasols. Go figure!

A friendly atmosphere around a theme in each of the FRANCE 98 Official Villages.

“Call collect…”

A collectors’ special! Thanks to an agreement struck between France Telecom, the Official Telecommunications Operator to FRANCE 98, and Mastercard International, the Official FRANCE 98 Credit Card, two series of World Cup telephone cards have been on sale since March 1998. The first, particularly appealing to children, is called “Footix” and features the World Cup Mascot kitted out as a footballer, volleying, dribbling, heading and even performing a bicycle kick with some aplomb!

The second collection, entitled “Le Monde de la Coupe” (the world’s cup), comes in the form of a coloured puzzle, completed by fitting four phonecards together. The cards feature the flags of the 32 nations qualified for FRANCE 98. Phonecard collectors are no doubt rubbing their hands already! As for non-collectors, they could well be tempted to start—with the current series being so attractive and the promise of more “goodies” to come between now and the World Cup Final.

The Commercial Affiliates get together

On 10,11 and 12 February 1998, the French Organising Committee brought together successively all three Commercial Affiliate “families”: the 8 Official Suppliers, the 9 Official Products and Services and the 16 Official Equipment Suppliers. All three categories were given a run-down on how key World Cup organisational issues were coming along.

The CFO also took the opportunity to fill in the Commercial Affiliates on issues such as accreditation, communications (press relations, the FRANCE 98 Website), signage and marketing at the venues. At the end of the day, the question-answer sessions enabled the participants to go away with all the information they needed about the workings of FRANCE 98.

The seminar for the 8 Official Suppliers also provided the opportunity for the draw to decide how the World Cup pitch perimeter advertising would be set up. The draw was carried out by the parties concerned. These three valuable days of exchanging ideas were brought to a close with a dinner and the surprise appearance of a choir!

Stade de France, everyone off!

On 23 January 1998, five days before the official opening of the Stade de France, Jean-Claude Gayssot, the Minister for transport, housing and public amenities, inaugurated the two new SNCF railway stations where fans will be alighting. Also present were Michel Giraud, President of the Paris Area Regional Council and Louis Gallois, President of the SNCF (French national railway). The stations, “La Plaine Stade de France” on RER (Paris regional railway) line B and “Stade de France Saint-Denis” on RER line D, open since 25 January 1998, have two main purposes: to provide easy access to the Stade de France for the many spectators who will be going there for various events, and to offer better public transport links for those who live in the La Plaine Saint-Denis area. The new stations are just two elements in a vast public works programme intended to improve transport infrastructures and provide a more user-friendly service with easier access to the stadium.

Two new stations for spectators going to the Stade de France

The out-and-out success of the “opening night” for the France vs Spain game proves that the SNCF, an Official Equipment Supplier to FRANCE 98, is right “on track.” The original design of the two stations, greatly facilitating crowd movement, offers solid proof—if it were needed—of the SNCF’s commitment to the World Cup project.

A World cup quiz

The Lafarge Group, an Official Equipment Supplier to FRANCE 98, is stepping up its World Cup promotion programme entitled “Tous gagnants avec FRANCE 98” (Everyone’s a winner with FRANCE 98). One of the group’s initiatives has been to organise an in-company quiz, open to all employees in all 45 countries where Lafarge has interests. Participants had to answer questions about the Lafarge Group itself and building materials as well as about football. The 47 winners are to be invited to Paris for 3 exciting days, during which they will attend one of the big World Cup games. A further 675 employees won either a tee-shirt or a football.

Totally present

As the World Cup approaches, the number of competitions and contests dreamed up by the FRANCE 98 Commercial Affiliates are proliferating. Coca-Cola and Snickers have teamed up with Total for a large scale promotion drive whereby customers—without being obliged to buy anything—may call a number advertised at points of sale in all Total petrol stations, around 800 in all, to participate in a Draw. Prizes include 2,000 “supporters” gifts offered by Coca-Cola and Snickers: 50 windcheaters, 150 sports bags, 800 belt-pouches, 300 tee-shirts, 400 caps and 300 watches.

This initiative, which began on 1 April, ends on 10 May, exactly one month to the day before the Opening World Cup Match between Scotland and Brazil. This period was specially chosen as it encompasses the Easter holidays as well as the public holidays during May, thus enabling large numbers of children to take part. This year Christmas has come in the Spring!