PR consultant warns of own goal as Kent association puts its name on players' shirts
A South-east housing association has come up with a novel but expensive way of raising its public profile.

Kent's MHS Homes will sponsor a first-division football club to the tune of £250,000.

MHS Homes, which is not registered with the Housing Corporation or the National Housing Federation, will give the money to Gillingham FC next season and its name will be featured on players' shirts.

The association has more than 7000 homes and an annual turnover of £30m.

Chief executive John Sands said: "We want people to be aware of us and for opportunities to come our way, particularly as development in the Thames Gateway gets under way. There are a lot of things happening in Medway.

"This will also raise our profile with young people in the area. Football is sexy and a good door-opener – it's a good thing to be associated with."

He said tenants' services would not suffer as a result of the deal.

The association expects to bring all of its stock up to the decent homes standard by next year and on to a higher standard by 2010.

Phil Morgan, chief executive of the Tenant Participation Advisory Service, said: "MHS Homes is a well-run organisation and has got a good record of work within the community and with the football club. However, we would have some concerns about the size of the sum involved."

Public relations consultant James Rae said: "Sponsorship is a difficult part of the marketing mix to get right.

"If it's part of a clear strategy to engage with a particular audience and the link-up supports or enhances your brand, it can work well.

"Housing associations, however, do need to be careful not to appear wasteful and high-profile sponsorship arrangements that people consider inappropriate can all too easily backfire."

Source

Housing Today