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 Etihad has picked up an award, for its sponsorship of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, at the first Arabian Sponsorship Awards, held this week in Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline, which was also a media partner (for some bizarre reason) of the ASAs, was understandably happy with its win, and even more happy with the F1 sponsorship itself, it seems.
“We are proud to have played a key part in supporting the biggest international event ever to be staged in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and to play an integral part in its promotion and success. Based as we are in Abu Dhabi, the title sponsorship of the inaugural F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a perfect and logical fit for Etihad Airways,” said Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial officer at Etihad, in a press release.
According to the same release: “The judges were impressed with the planning and execution of Etihad’s sponsorship strategy, the objectives of which included raising global awareness of the airline and its brand, securing additional passenger revenues, building better relationships with new and existing corporate clients and helping to showcase Abu Dhabi to the rest of the world.”
The airline also had a “record-breaking” spike in visits to its website the day after the Grand Prix, which ended the 2009 F1 season.
Etihad, like its fellow (ex?) flag-carrier up the road in Dubai, is heavily into sports sponsorships around the world. Last year the Abu Dhabi airline won an award
for its sponsorship of the Gaelic Athletic Association hurling competition (an ancient game
which most closely approximates a violent hybrid of hockey, lacrosse and martial arts) in Ireland.
The Arabian Sponsorship Awards themselves are a brand new phenomenon – very literally brand new, as nominations for these first awards only opened
on 18 November, before closing on 7 December ahead of the awards ceremony on 14 December.
They ran alongside the Arabian Sponsorship Forum, which looked at sponsorship. In Arabia.
It was all rather Abu Dhabi-focused, being held at Emirates Palace, sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and with a significant number of entries relating to Abu Dhabi events, judging by the shortlist.
We did try to get in contact with the ASA organisers, to get details of the other winners, but unfortunately no-one was answering the phone. We’ll update as we hear more.
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