Golf is a globally popular sport, but it has historically struggled to attract younger audiences. The sport’s traditional image does not always reflect the diversity and style of today’s players, which can limit its appeal to new generations. Adidas, one of the world’s leading sportswear brands, saw an opportunity to help modernise how golf is perceived and broaden its reach. Sky Sports Golf, the UK’s leading dedicated golf broadcaster, offered the perfect platform to showcase a fresh, contemporary vision of the sport.

Description

Sky Media and Sky Sports Golf partnered with adidas to use television as a linear. Rather than a traditional sponsorship with logo placements on studio backdrops, pitch-side boards, or on-screen graphics, the partnership made adidas the exclusive apparel partner for all Sky Sports Golf on-screen talent. Every presenter, commentator, and expert wore adidas throughout tournament coverage and studio programming.

Each presenter was styled individually, with adidas and Sky Sports Golf talent teams working together to create bespoke looks that reflected both performance wear and everyday style. Outfits were refreshed across tournaments to reflect different formats and environments, from major championships to studio analysis.

The partnership launched at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, one of golf’s most prestigious global events, immediately signalling scale and intent. Across the season, viewers saw adidas worn naturally throughout live play, expert analysis, and tournament narratives.

The campaign extended beyond broadcast through bespoke talent-led content, including crossover challenges that merged golf with other sports. Sky VIP, the broadcaster’s rewards programme, offered fans the opportunity to take part in a professional Pro-Am experience, attracting tens of thousands of entries and turning passive viewers into active participants.

Results

Independent research demonstrated strong visibility and brand impact. Over 80% of viewers noticed Sky Sports Golf presenters wearing adidas apparel without prompting. The partnership delivered a 13 percentage point uplift in viewers saying they knew more about adidas as a result, and more than 9 in 10 viewers reported an improved opinion of the brand, particularly around innovation and quality.

These improved perceptions translated into commercial results. Purchase intent increased by 13 percentage points, 42% of viewers reported purchasing adidas apparel, and a further 34% recommended the brand to others.

The partnership also delivered tangible business impact beyond the screen. UK traffic to adidas’ golf-specific online pages increased significantly following launch, and wholesale partners requested insight into presenter outfits to inform their buying decisions. The partnership contributed to 19% year-on-year growth for the Spring/Summer season and supported a record-high Net Promoter Score (a metric measuring how likely customers are to recommend a brand to others), reinforcing long-term brand advocacy.

Source: egta.com

OTHER CASE STUDIES

ALL CASE STUDIES