Clients objectives: Sainsbury’s was a tier one partner of the London 2012 Paralympic Games and the first ever 
Paralympic Games-only partner. As part of this sponsorship they were also one of three presenting partners of the Paralympic Torch Relay. This was an event that took place in the five days leading up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games and comprised a series of nationwide Flame Festivals and a 24-hour Torch Relay procession of 580 Torchbearers, split into teams of five. Sainsbury’s wanted to utilise the opportunity presented by the Torch Relay to develop a customer and staff brand activation and engagement programme, which would raise awareness and excitement of their overall Paralympic Games sponsorship.
The campaign: There were various stages of activation. The first began in December 2011 with the customer and colleague Torchbearer nominations. Sainsbury’s customers and staff could nominate their community champions – members of their local community that had inspired them – by picking up nomination forms instore or completing them online. This stage ran until March 2012 and saw 100 members of the public and 35 Sainsbury’s workers from across the UK selected to be official Torchbearers in the 24-hour Paralympic Torch Relay. A further 10 members of staff were selected to take part in Flame Festival lantern processions.
Once the Paralympic Torch Relay got underway, the focus switched to entertaining guests along the route. A fully branded Sainsbury’s vehicle, made to look like an old fruit and veg delivery truck, travelled as part of the torch convoy, with staff handing out fruit and branded hand clappers to waiting crowds.
At each of the Flame Festivals a dedicated Sainsbury’s showcase area was set up offering free activities like face painting, circus skill workshops, balloon modelling and an interactive video experience, which allowed members of the public to simulate carrying the Paralympic Flame and lighting the Paralympic Cauldron. Sainsbury’s also used the opportunity to support its healthy living campaign with local store colleagues handing out free fruit.
As part of the supermarket’s sponsorship of the relay, it was also given a 20-minute slot in the main stage show, which it used to premiere the Sainsbury’s Games-time advert, featuring Sainsbury’s Active Kids and Paralympic Games Ambassador David Beckham, and the announcement of Sainsbury’s Million Kids Challenge winners hosted by a comedy double act dressed as Sainsbury’s staff. The finale of the show saw X Factor winner and Popstar to Opera Star winner Joe McElderry entertain the crowds with a live performance.
Meanwhile, the DRP Group took the Paralympic Torch and a Sainsbury’s backdrop into stores giving customers and colleagues an opportunity to have their picture taken with it.
Once the relay was over, Sainsbury’s hosted a celebration dinner for all the torchbearers to meet and share in the experience and excitement of taking part, presenting each of them with an official Paralympic Torch, DVD and photos of their moment in the spotlight as a thank you.
Client says: "By taking the Paralympic Torch into every superstore and by creating a unique and powerful brand experience at every step of the Paralympic Torch Relay journey, we brought a once in a lifetime event into every one of our communities and gave them an opportunity to get as close as possible to the magic of the Torch and the Paralympic Flame. DRP Group were excellent partners on this journey, from content production to event delivery and logistics, and helped make the entire event one of the big success stories of our sponsorship." Mark Warne, London 2012 programme manager, Sainsbury’s.
Evaluation The whole programme raised the profile of Sainsbury’s brand and of their sponsorship of the Paralympic 
Games. It generated national and local media coverage and helped to promote the Paralympic Games.
During the Paralympic Games period, the supermarket’s sales grew by 5.6%, helping to boost Sainsbury’s market share by 0.3% to 16.5%.
Justin King, CEO of Sainsbury’s said: "When you enjoy the good will which we have from our association with the [Paralympic] Games, we’re undoubtedly already seeing some payback [from our investment] as a business through our customers and colleagues. The ROI will not just be measured in pure marketing terms - although I’m sure that will be great too - but in changing social perceptions of disability and in our relationships with customers."
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