We recently spoke with Carmen True, the vice-president of marketing at a tech company, about how they are utilizing the global appeal of the English Premier League team Manchester United to bolster their Snapdragon brand through a new front-of-shirt sponsorship.
Manchester United is undergoing significant changes under the co-ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, including a fresh principal sponsorship deal with Qualcomm.
The American technology firm Qualcomm has been announced as Manchester United’s new front-of-shirt sponsor in a three-year arrangement reportedly valued at $225 million. Starting this summer, the Snapdragon brand, a Qualcomm subsidiary that provides processors for approximately 3 billion devices globally, will feature on both the men’s and women’s team jerseys.
“We chose this initiative because it aligns perfectly with where our consumers are,” explained Carmen True, vice-president of marketing, during an interview in Cannes.
Regarding the choice of Manchester United, True emphasized the immense scale of the Premier League team’s fanbase. “Globally, they have over a billion fans, which is unparalleled, especially in our key markets. Our existing partnership with them has been incredible.”
True highlighted numerous opportunities to optimize marketing spending, noting, “The value derived from this sponsorship surpasses any alternative media strategy we could deploy.”
Leading up to the July 1 launch of the new kit, True hinted at a launch video featuring an anthem by a famous former Manchester United player, later revealed to be Eric Cantona. “The film is absolutely fantastic,” she added.
Over the next year, there will be various activities associated with this sponsorship, including a special match at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego with the Manchester United team.
“One unique aspect of the partnership between Snapdragon and Manchester United is the global brand connection it offers. This is crucial as we continue to build our Snapdragon brand. Expect to see more global activations and increased presence on our social media platforms,” said True.
Qualcomm is also introducing its AI PC with Copilot+ in partnership with Microsoft, which will be exclusive to PCs featuring Snapdragon processors and available across major original equipment manufacturers. “Building the Snapdragon brand holistically is very important to us,” True concluded.
This sponsorship deal aligns with the broader changes at Manchester United, initiated by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team, following their recent purchase of a 27.7% stake in the club for £1.25 billion.
Under Ineos’s control, football operations are undergoing a thorough review, including a cost assessment ahead of the 2024/25 season, which has led to a proposed redundancy program affecting around 250 positions.
There have also been changes within Manchester United’s marketing department, with chief communications officer Ellie Norman leaving after nearly two years to become the new chief marketing officer at Formula E.