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FutureBrand Defines the New Face of Global Golf
When Lee Westwood sank his putt to complete his victory at the inaugural Dubai World Championship, he also became the first winner of the newly branded Race to Dubai and capped a year in which FutureBrand helped to transform the new global face of golf.
FutureBrand developed a comprehensive branding platform for the Dubai World Championship, which included everything from brand design, advertising and sponsorship materials to on-course tournament graphics, merchandise, signage and a dynamic website that was customized for pre-, in-progress and post-tournament needs with innovative ticket sales, online scoreboards and social networking features. The Dubai World Championship gained high praise from players, media and fans alike. Jeev Milkha Singh remarked in the Gulf Times that “this is a first class event”. Sky Sports in the UK observed, “Welcome to the Masters of the Middle East”.
Leading up to the landmark conclusion to the 2009 golf season, FutureBrand had an unprecedented year influencing golf branding. This started with rebranding the European Tour and creating a new identity that was both modern and through the use of Harry Vardon’s silhouette, rooted in the rich heritage of the European Tour. FutureBrand also rebranded The European Tour Order of Merit, creating The Race to Dubai, the exciting new season-long competition that rewarded 2009’s top 15 overall Tour finishers with a $7.5 million bonus pool. For the 2009 season, FutureBrand also rebranded the South African Open Championship, The European Open and Turnberry, the legendary Scottish course that hosted the 138th Open Championship earlier this year. In one short year, these brands have dramatically elevated sports marketing, attracted new corporate sponsors, massive crowds and fueled a transformation in golf.
With the success of the Dubai World Championship and other iconic brands that have reshaped the world of golf, FutureBrand continues to build on a legacy of innovative sports branding that includes the Sydney Olympics, UEFA, the Canadian Football League, the Asian Cup Qatar 2011, Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup Bid and Dubai Sports City.
FutureBrand (www.futurebrand.com), part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE: IPG – News), is a leading brand consultancy within IPG that commands a global presence spanning 25 major cities around the world. Partnering with the world’s leading companies, FutureBrand helps its clients to develop profitable brands both today and into the future. Offering a full range of services from consumer branding and corporate identity, to brand identity, brand management and beyond, FutureBrand works with clients to measure and increase brand value, define breakthrough brand strategies and create powerful brand experiences. Clients include ArcelorMittal, P&G, Microsoft, Nakheel, Intel, Barclays Premier, Nokia, Nestle, MasterCard, UPS, and Unilever
