After the success of the inaugural Fortinet Championship, Fortinet engaged SPORTFIVE to further leverage golf to achieve global business objectives. Through strategic planning, asset negotiation, internal stakeholder engagement, and worldwide activation support, SPORTFIVE developed a sponsorship approach engaging their target customers and partners in five continents across 40+ tournaments while maximizing global media assets and brand ambassador investments.
In this Success Story:
The challenge
Develop a consistent approach to a singular sponsorship platform to maximize customer impact, brand awareness, and stakeholder engagement.
The solution
The SPORTFIVE Brand Consulting team identified opportunities within the global game of golf providing efficient brand media exposure delivery, unique technology integrations, high touch customer experiences, and content marketing activations. Platform for Fortinet included:
Drive to the Fortinet Championship: 18 PGA TOUR and LPGA Tournament Sponsorships with Customer Activation for Fortinet
DP World Tour: Official Tour Partnership, Media Integration, Nine (9) Tournament Sponsorships, Technology Summits, Content Platform ‘Data Drive’
Fortinet Cup on PGA TOUR Canada: Title Partner of Season Long Points Competition for development tour, twelve tournament activations, Fortinet Cup Championship, Technology Demo Days.
American Junior Golf Association Official Diversity & Inclusion/STEM Educational Platform Partner, 2023 Fortinet Invitational.
Brand Ambassadors included Max Homa and David Lipsky on the PGA TOUR, Andrea Lee, Alison Lee on the LPGA TOUR, and college players Rachel Heck and Rose Zhang through NIL partnerships.
The Results
The Program netted more than a five to 1 media exposure value return, exceeded all pipeline influence goals, Pipeline ratio development above goal, engaged and invested partners 20% year over year increase, and established a CSR pillar activation
"The team at SPORTFIVE have not only met, but they have exceeded, our expectations.”
Jim Overbeck, SVP Marketing
“As Fortinet marketing went from 0 to 60 mph in record speed with our Global golf initiatives, starting with our first ever PGA titles sponsorship in March 2020 with the Fortinet Championship, it was critical to find a partner who could assist us every step of the way. The team at SPORTFIVE have not only met, but they have exceeded, our expectations. They delivered a strong mix of creativity, branding, event management, operational excellence, financial discipline and execution that has enabled Fortinet to surpass our lofty investment returns.” - Jim Overbeck, SVP Marketing
"Our team is humbled to assist Fortinet with their global golf platform development and activation. They are a global brand leveraging a global sport to engage all key stakeholders driving their business."
Jason Wolfe, Executive Vice President, Brand Consulting
“Our team is humbled to assist Fortinet with their global golf platform development and activation. They are a global brand leveraging a global sport to engage all key stakeholders driving their business. We look forward to continued development, especially as we bring more of their CSR pillars into the program. - Jason Wolfe, Executive Vice President, Brand Consulting, SPORTFIVE
