Ducati Sponsors A Blog…
Thought this was interesting… The Blog Herald is reportingtonight that growing Italian blog network Blogo.it has announced that it has signed an exclusive sponsorship deal with Ducati for Blogo’s new MotoBlog. They claim that this will be the first sponsorship for a commercial blog in Europe… Personally I find it hard to believe that Ducati is the first European company to try this, but hey who knows. I guess it’s possible, though the wording sounds awfully PRish to me… If true this would mark yet another very keen marketing move by the Bolognia gang… Of course all that flashy and forward thinking marketing goes for not if you’ve still got people bitching about quality control issues.
Still it’s an interesting technology play that vaguely reminds me of how Ducati was one of the early pioneers selling bikes over the internet with the released of the Mike Hailwood MH900 in 2000. Originally that bike was only sold via the internet, so obviously they’ve been thinking of the ‘net as a medium for their brand for quite awhile. Of course when it comes to blogs, one of the great attractions is that they’re not usually corporate PR vehicles but rather other consumers sharing their experiences. I wonder if a very publicly stated corporate sponsorship will alter that perception for end users of the site or if they’ll even care… Frankly I’m not sure what makes sponsoring a blog any different than placing an advertisement on it.
Michael Jordan Sponsors a Ducati Race Team?
So I’ve seen several references to this on other Ducati sites, but I thought it was interesting enough to share. Michael Jordan - yes the one and only #23 MJ - apparently sponsors his own Ducati Racing Team. - Michael Jordan Motorsports. Here’s a link to the Ducati Press Release.
Personally I’m a bit surprised since this is the same guy that earlier in the week ESPN reported as wanting to buy an NBA team, but that he was holding out because he felt he should get a discount since his last name is ‘Jordan’. Repeatedly he’s come and gone in the NBA and that’s where his heart is - I can’t imagine what he really gets out of sponsoring a Ducati. The Ducati Press Release calls him a ‘big fan’ and who am I to put him down for that? But being the guy writing the checks for a new engine or fairing isn’t going to get him any richer. Plus, an independant racing team in todays world only goes so far. So where does that leave him and his team?
