Frank van den Wall Bake has long been recognized as an authority in the field of sports marketing. His book, ‘All for the Sport, the Sports Corporation of Frank van den Wall Bake,’ outlines the massive commercial development that sports have undergone in recent decades. The book, which was presented earlier today, pays special attention to Max Verstappen and Picnic.
One of the themes that Van den Wall Bake touches on in his book is ambush marketing, a guerrilla strategy used by companies to associate themselves with a sport, event, or athlete without paying sponsorship fees or owning rights. A well-known example of this in motorsports is the case involving Picnic and Max Verstappen. In 2016, the company used a Max Verstappen look-alike in a national TV advertisement to promote the speed of their grocery delivery service.
Report on the Value of Max Verstappen’s Name
The Verstappen look-alike (pictured above) delivered groceries in a Red Bull racing outfit while driving a Picnic delivery van in the video. The clip was released a day after supermarket chain Jumbo, a sponsor of Verstappen at the time, launched a TV advertisement featuring the real Max Verstappen delivering groceries in a Formula 1 car. Picnic’s Facebook video responded with a cheeky nod: ‘If you’re on time, you don’t need to race.’
Max Verstappen’s Manager Sought Assistance in Picnic Case
Van den Wall Bake, in his book, reveals that Raymond Vermeulen, Max Verstappen’s manager, sought his help at the time. “I prepared a report on the value that the name Max Verstappen represented, and Vermeulen used it to take the case to court. Picnic was eventually fined 350,000 euros, which Verstappen then donated to a charity,” he explains.
‘Crossing the Line of Acceptability’
Van den Wall Bake argues that the Picnic advertisement ‘clearly crossed the line of acceptability’. “However, there is a large grey area. Ultimately, you have to rely on common sense. I enjoy a challenging approach, but I also always strive to be thorough. You can never fully protect yourself, because those who innovate inevitably venture into uncharted territory,” he says.
In his book, Van den Wall Bake outlines the extensive commercialization of top-level Dutch sports and the role of sports marketing in this transformation. The sports world has evolved from a labor of love to a multi-million dollar business during this period. Through numerous practical examples and personal experiences, Van den Wall Bake offers readers an intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the business of sports.
The book ‘Everything for Sport’ will soon be available in stores (ISBN: 978-94-90951-73-3, price: 24.95). Author: Leo Aquina.
