Marussia renews its clothing line
Now that the team's foundations are well established, Marussia's leaders can expand their activities. As a result, they have just signed a multi-year agreement with the clothing manufacturer One All Sports to renew their merchandising offer.
Merchandising is a significant source of income for all sports franchises worldwide, and it’s clear that F1 could make substantial progress in this area, as Graeme Lowdon explained during our exclusive meeting in the Monza paddock: « It doesn’t represent a very large part of our revenues, but it’s not negligible either. There is demand, and we have received a lot of requests. We have strong support. Our fan base is very active. They love our merchandise, especially since it’s really cool this year. Like any business, when you see there is demand, you look to satisfy it. For Formula 1 in general, not just for us as a team, there is a good opportunity for growth through merchandising. For other sports, this represents a larger percentage of their revenues. It’s an opportunity. »
This agreement is also a fine example of globalization: an Anglo-Russian team has just signed an agreement with a Chinese clothing manufacturer, which states on the website dedicated to Marussia that it complies with Thai legislation for the sale of its products.
The website developed for the brand is also interesting. Indeed, while it is in the name of the team – https://www.marussiaf1teamshop.com/, One All Sports also takes the opportunity to offer products developed for other brands, including Ferrari, Lamborghini, and also the Lotus F1 team.
But rather than just being a simple supplier to these major brands, One All Sports has decided to promote its own brand. It is thus embarking on sponsoring the team, with a presence on the lower part of the chassis of the single-seaters driven by Jules Bianchi and Max Chilton, as well as on the back of their caps and their civilian clothing.
The challenge for leaders is therefore to leverage their presence in the F1 paddocks to develop new business relationships with other partners, as explained by David Mendelsohn, the CEO and founder of the brand: « The collaboration with Marussia F1 Team is our sponsorship in sports and an alliance aimed at developing the awareness and exposure of our brand through the F1 platform and our e-commerce site. We are particularly excited about the prospect of the inaugural Russian Grand Prix in Sochi in October 2014. This will not only boost our sales in Russia but also strengthen a market we have not yet tapped into. We also anticipate other B2B synergies for what will be a spectacular race on the home ground of Marussia F1 Team. »
However, Marussia does not offer on its website products developed by another of its partners, the Swiss watch brand Armin Strom, which has also extended its agreement with the team. This brand has been involved with the team since the start of the 2011 season and has already developed a range of watches with elements that can be found on the team’s MR03.
Serge Michel, the CEO of the brand, stated: « Armin Strom is delighted to continue its partnership with the Marussia F1 Team for a fourth consecutive season. Armin Strom has always supported the efforts of this young and ambitious team. 2014 should offer unpredictable races. We therefore hope to experience unforgettable moments during this season. Armin Strom is also looking to develop a number of new watches that will incorporate precision and parts featured on the MR03. »
The brand’s logo will continue to appear on the team’s cars but also on Max Chilton’s suit, as he is a brand ambassador. However, since Jules Bianchi is under contract with the Richard Mille brand, we will not see a competitor’s logo on his suit.
With the participation of www.Racingbusiness.fr
